Ozarks Clean Air Alliance
Clean Air - From the Beginning...
The Alliance was created as a response to the needs and issues identified in an environmental health assessment conducted in 2002. The result of this assessment project of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department was the creation of the State of the Environment for Springfield and Greene Count: A Report and Recommendations. This comprehensive report was coordinated through the Community Partnership's Environmental Collaborative and the Environmental Advisory Board.
The data and information used in this assessment were compiled through research of both electronic and standard published materials. A great deal of information was also obtained through personal interviews with contacts in many environmental disciplines. These disciplines include: population growth and urban sprawl, water quality/quantity, air quality, solid waste management, community health, environmental education and environmental justice. The full report can be viewed at www.ozarksenvironment.com.
For Air Quality, it became clear from the beginning that a community educational initiative needed to occur before opinion information could be collected from residents. Appropriately, the primary recommendations coming out of the Air Quality workgroup were centered on community education through the establishment of an ongoing regional committee. Like other natural resources, we understand that quality of those natural resources do not begin or end at the city or county line. Therefore a regional committee was created to address air quality issues in the Ozarks region.
The Ozarks Clean Air Alliance now guides the region's education and outreach efforts to reduce the negative effects of air pollution. We bring together vested individuals and both public and private representatives who are dedicated to raising awareness and understanding of today's Air Quality issues. The Alliance will work to create opportunities to voluntarily reduce the emissions that cause air pollution.
Participating Members:
Since the program began, participation in the Ozarks Clean Air Alliance (OCAA) has steadily grown. To date, 35 Southwest Missouri organizations are participating in the alliance:
American Lung Association
Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc.
City of Battlefield
City of Republic
City of Rogersville
City of Springfield-Public Works Dept
City of Strafford
City of Willard
City Utilities of Springfield
Community Partnership of the Ozarks
Drury University
Empire District Electric Company
Springfield/Greene County Environmental Advisory Board
Fisk Transportation
Greene County Highway Department
Greene County Planning Department
Greene County Resource Management
League of Women Voters
Missouri Department of Transportation
Missouri Department of Natural Resources - Air Pollution Control Program
Missouri Department of Natural Resources - Southwest Missouri Ombudsman
Missouri State University - Public Health Program
Northstar Battery
Ozarks Technical Community College
Ozarks Transportation Organization
Positronic Industries
Rick's Automotive
SAMA - Southwest Area Manufacturers Association
Sierra Club
Southwest Missouri Council of Governments
Springfield-Greene County Health Dept
Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
Springfield Public Schools
The Forrester Group
University of Missouri Extension
If you would like to join this alliance to improve air quality in Southwest Missouri, please contact:
Michelle Garand
Community Partnership of the Ozarks
417/888-2020
Current initiatives underway include:
- Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) - A comprehensive, community-based, action plan to reduce ground-level ozone.
- Adopt - A - Bus project - In partnership with the Community Partnership of the Ozarks (CPO) this project seeks partnerships with the community to retrofit school buses with emission reducing equipment.
The many communities that make up the Ozarks enjoy the benefits of our natural resources where we live, work and play. Together we can ensure that our children's children enjoy the same beautiful resources...