New York State Environmental Board meeting

Yesterday was a trip to Albany for a meeting of the New York State Environmental Board. Mostly the focus is on regulations that bring NYS into alignment with Federal standards. This meeting we approved the State Implementation Plan for the National Ambient Air Quality standards as required by the Federal Clean Air Act. Specifically the regs dealt with emissions of NOx and VOCs from asphalt plants, related sealers, primers and adhesives, and surface coatings used in the paving process. Technical briefings are held in the morning and the Board meets at 2:00 p.m. The meetings are webcast so tune in sometime. There was some confusion regarding the seating arrangement for the Board meeting as New York State only allows a certain combination of tables and chairs, and the room had been set up with the tables in a square. (Honestly, I am not making this up!) Our setup was not an approved one. If the legislature would focus on the budget and important business the state might not be so dysfunctional.