| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 77.55 |
| Liaison | Jack Byrne |
| Submission Date | June 9, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Middlebury College
OP-2: Outdoor Air Quality
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Jack
Byrne Director of Sustainability Integration Environmental Affair |
Does the institution have policies and/or guidelines in place to improve outdoor air quality and minimize air pollutant emissions from mobile sources?:
A brief description of the policies and/or guidelines to improve outdoor air quality and minimize air pollutant emissions from mobile sources:
The Athletics Department has a policy to prohibit visiting buses from idling during athletic events. They provide the bus drivers with a comfortable space in the athletic facilities where they can stay during the event. They also include in their contracts with bus companies who transport Middlebury athletes a no-idling provision. There is also no-idling signage in areas where buses park.
Has the institution completed an inventory of significant air emissions from stationary sources on campus?:
A brief description of the methodology(ies) the institution used to complete its air emissions inventory:
Our air emissions from stationary sources are dominated by our central combined heating and power plant which burns fuel oil and biomass. We are required by our air quality permit to monitor and report emissions quarterly to the VT Agency of Natural Resources. That monitoring is carried out by a consulting firm and we review and make adjustments if needed. Vermont's air quality standards are more stringent than the EPA standards and we are often well below our emissions thresholds.
Weight of the following categories of air emissions from stationary sources::
| Weight of Emissions | |
| Nitrogen oxides (NOx) | 33.59 Tons |
| Sulfur oxides (SOx) | 23.99 Tons |
| Carbon monoxide (CO) | 30.38 Tons |
| Particulate matter (PM) | 11.68 Tons |
| Ozone (O3) | 0.01 Tons |
| Lead (Pb) | 0.01 Tons |
| Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) | 1.04 Tons |
| Ozone-depleting compounds (ODCs) | 0.01 Tons |
| Other standard categories of air emissions identified in permits and/or regulations | 0 Tons |
A brief description of the institution’s initiatives to minimize air pollutant emissions from stationary sources, including efforts made during the previous three years:
We switched our use of # 6 fuel oil to a low sulfur blend that reduces the amount of SOx in emissions in 2006. And we are in the process of upgrading boilers to accommodate renewable natural gas as a fuel source which we will use as a result of a project we have contracted with to produce biomethane from cow manure. This project is in the permitting phase and when completed and constructed the College will begin receiving this new fuel source. This fuel is cleaner than #6 oil and should lower emissions of pollutants further. The biomass gasification system also has two systems for removing particulates - a centrifugal cyclone separator and a microfiltration system baghouse.
The website URL where information about the institution’s outdoor air quality policies, guidelines or inventory is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.