About Dane County Clean Air Coalition
The Dane County Clean Air Coalition (DCCAC) is a partnership of businesses, schools, government agencies and citizens whose goal is healthy air. The Coalition was organized in 2003.
- Our mission is to enhance Dane County's quality of life by voluntarily reducing air pollution and to help the county meet federal air quality standards.
- Our plan is to progressively reduce air pollution through programs and partnerships.
Clean Air Means Healthier People
Air pollution can harm human health, especially among sensitive groups like active children, older adults, people with asthma or bronchitis and even healthy, athletic adults. Public health data indicate that about 40,000 Dane County residents (10% of our citizens) suffer from asthma.
Clean Air Means A Healthier Economy
Clean air yields benefits that add to the value of Dane County’s economy. A 2003 study by the federal Office of Management and Budget estimated the value of health benefits from cleaner air is often several times the cost of making the air pollution reduction. Dane County’s beautiful environment, including its air quality, helps attract and retain the region’s entrepreneurs and outstanding workforce.
Clean Air Means A Healthy Natural Environment
Air pollution can harm the health of plants and animals, and deposit harmful chemicals in our waterways and lakes that affect the health of fish and other wildlife. For example, mercury emitted into the air by industry is carried by air flows, deposited in waterways, and ingested by fish. That poses a health risk to anglers, whose diet includes relatively large amounts of fish.
Our Challenge
The air we breathe in Dane County now meets federal healthy air quality standards, placing our region within US EPA’s “attainment” status. But this status cannot be taken for granted.
- Pollution measurements taken during the past few years indicate that more people are driving more vehicles longer distances as Dane County continues to grow, and air pollution from vehicle exhaust is increasing.
- With population growth, demand for electricity is also increasing, causing current power plants to operate more and creating pressure to build new plants.
The Federal government recently adopted more stringent ozone and fine particle standards. Dane County air quality is close to exceeding these standards, which would be harmful to human health and impose substantial compliance costs on the business community. If Dane County violates federal air pollution standards, we may be designated a "non-attainment" area. This would require the federal government to impose mandatory air pollution control regulations. Compliance could cost Dane County citizens and businesses millions of dollars each year.
These circumstances challenge our community to protect its air quality. DCCAC works with our partners on effective ways to reduce air emissions voluntarily from all sources ranging from family vehicles to business operations.
