CALL TO ORDER

1. The meeting was called to order at 3:45 p.m. by Dr. R. Nichols Hazelwood, Chairman.

ATTENDANCE

Members Present Members Absent

R. Nichols Hazelwood, Chairman Janet Arey

Jane Hall, Vice-Chair Akula Venkatram

William P. Carter

Steven Colome

John M. Peters

Russ Sherwin

Carla Walecka

Amy Walton

Arthur Winer

Others Present

Board Chairman Jon D. Mikels

James M. Lents, Executive Officer

Mike Nazemi, Transportation Research Manager

Shankar Prasad, Health Effects Officer

Katy Wolf, Institute for Research & Technical Assistance

PROCEEDINGS

1a. Opening Comments: Dr. Hazelwood briefly commented on the Council's need to discuss Dr. Alan Lloyd's pending departure, as well as the probable need to reschedule the December 28 Advisory Council meeting. Dr. James Lents then took the opportunity to address the Council regarding Dr. Lloyd's departure, advising that, due in part to the District's declining fee-based revenue(s) and the resulting hiring freeze, Dr. Lents would temporarily assume the responsi-bilities of Acting Chief Scientist while an evaluation of funding/staffing levels is ongoing. Dr. Hazelwood responded by indicating that the Advisory Council members would be happy to support Dr. Lents on any technical matter or in proposals review which may arise subsequent to Dr. Lloyd's departure. Dr. Lents noted his appreciation of that offer.

2. The minutes of the September 28, 1995, Advisory Council meeting were approved, as submitted.

3. Dr. Hazelwood introduced the next item, "Discussion of the Draft Report on 'The AQMD Beyond 2000' White Paper," led by Dr. Amy Walton. Dr. Walton began with an overview of upcoming national, local government, environmental, regulatory and business trends which may have implications for the District in the future. Dr. Walton reported that she and her Sub-Committee colleagues proposed that the White Paper cover four approaches to be examined as follows:

Dr. Jane Hall reported on three categories of changing economic parameters: (1) Continuing growth in population, economic activity and transportation demand (VMT growth); (2) Continuing perception that air quality regulations are inconsistent with robust economic development, necessitating that the District better explain distributional impacts and incorporate these variables earlier in the regulatory process; and, (3) Increasing ethnic diversity with higher income and educational levels of the Basin's ethnic minority groups than the national average, thus creating different challenges than nationally on environmental and regulatory issues. Based on the foregoing categories of change, Dr. Hall reported that she is breaking out the implications for what this may mean in terms of regulatory emphasis, compliance activities, and how this might change the set of skills and the required level of flexibility in staff, as well as the possible regionalization of the Basin as the nation and surrounding areas of the State come into attainment.

Dr. Walton reported on the area of regulations and regulatory issues on behalf of Dr. Venkatram who was absent from this meeting. Dr. Walton commented on the following four issues: (1) Regulations are a moving target which require a flexible approach; (2) The District may face new mandates and regulations relative to air toxics, revised ambient standards, visibility, multi-media regula-tions, regionalization and privatization; (3) How will progress be evaluated in terms of measuring air quality improvements and health benefits? and, (4) The impact on the District of the removal of EPA's authority over the District/Basin.

Dr. Steve Colome reported that he will cover the area of technological changes in potential control technologies, measurement or monitoring technologies, communications opportunities, and trends in understanding the health implica-tions of air pollution exposure, all of which may have implications for the District. Discussion followed relative to the need to address a changing demographic, required stricter health standard(s) as a result, and the future of relating health outcomes to the measures of pollution control.

Dr. Walton advised that the white paper also will address other trends within the federal government, organizational trends, and even trends among other air quality management districts relative to the issue of making public agencies look more like private organizations. A number of experiments and studies are being undertaken to this end; and, Dr. Walton specifically mentioned the example of the U.S. Geological Survey agency's Arizona branch downsizing and closure. Dr. Walton emphasized that if an agency waits too long to examine and address some of the foregoing long-range issues, its choices in handling those issues are lost.

Discussion followed regarding the need for every organization to "reinvent" itself, i.e., thinking through what the organization does and possibly redirecting its function and goals. However, Dr. Hazelwood commented that the White Paper will not provide specific recommendations on how the District should be reorganized; it will, rather, provide several scenarios and recurring trends in regulatory issues and technology. Board Chairman Mikels and Dr. Lents noted their appreciation for the briefing and the valuable work accomplished on the White Paper, to date. Dr. Hazelwood closed by advising that the Advisory Council hopes to present the final White Paper to the Governing Board at a joint breakfast gathering to be held the morning of the March 8, 1996, Board meeting, and by favorably noting the amount of progress that had been made and the quality of the work under discussion.

4. Committee Reports:

For the Regional Planning and Economics Committee, Carla Walecka reported on the progress of the REACH Market Incentives Task Force, reviewing with the Advisory Council the consultant team's examination of emission reductions due to different pricing techniques, e.g., congestion pricing, employee parking pricing, fuel tax increases, and a hybrid emission fee varied by VMT. Material reviewed by Ms. Walecka is attached to these minutes as Exhibit "A."

For the Atmospheric Sciences Committee, Dr. William Carter reported that he and Dr. Katy Wolf had both attended the second meeting of the California Air Resources Board on Consumer Products Reactivity Regulations; and, that Dr. Carter gave a presentation on the uncertainties involved in attempting to imple-ment reactivity into command-and-control regulations. Dr. Carter noted that the regulatory approach covered was very preliminary and was, thus, considered insulting to the process.

Dr. Carter further reported on the status of the VOC RECLAIM Steering Committee's work, noting modification(s) to the recording scheme as a result of their pilot study; these modifications would also make the program less burdensome. Dr. Carter advised that he plans to bring his concerns relative to the recording/database requirements to Dr. Lents and the District's senior staff as part of their plan to schedule upcoming meetings with interest groups key to the development of VOC RECLAIM. Dr. Katy Wolf also briefly reviewed the proposed District/EPA resolution of equivalency with federal toxics regulations (NESHAPs), thus impacting VOC/hazardous air pollutant content and reactivity issues. Discussion followed.

For the Health/Risk Assessment (H/RA) Committee, Dr. Russ Sherwin asked that Dr. Shankar Prasad meet with the H/RA Committee to describe his role as Health Effects Officer. Dr. Prasad indicated that he would attend the H/RA Committee's next meeting (December 7, 1995, at 2:30 p.m., in Conference Room CC-3/5). Dr. Sherwin further requested that Joe Cassmassi contact him relative to the amended Regulation VII, with a possible follow-up meeting among Mr. Cassmassi and the H/RA Committee members, if needed. Finally, a copy of the October 1995 article in the American Journal of Public Health, "Ambient Air Pollution and Hospitalization for Congestive Heart Failure among Elderly People in Seven Large U.S. Cities," is attached to these minutes as Exhibit "B."

5. Other Business:

After consulting their respective calendars, the Advisory Council members scheduled several future meetings as follows:

December 7, 1995, at 3:30 p.m., in Conference Room CC-2;

January 25, 1996, at 3:30 p.m., in Conference Room CC-8; and,

February 29, 1996, at 3:30 p.m., in Conference Room CC-8.

[A White Paper Sub-Committee meeting was subsequently scheduled for November 30, 1995, at 3:30 p.m. in Conference Room CC-8, at the request of Dr. Walton and the Sub-Committee members.]

Dr. Arthur Winer nominated Dr. Warren Blier, UCLA Professor of Meteorology with expertise in modeling and trend analysis, as a potential member of the Advisory Council and Atmospheric Sciences Committee. Dr. Hazelwood, therefore, requested Dr. Carter to review Dr. Blier's resume and provide a recommendation on the nomination. Dr. Hazelwood mentioned that the Advisory Council intends to go forward with the nomination of Dr. Katy Wolf; and, requested further nominees in the fields of transportation and health effects.

6. There were no public comments.

7. There being no further business, the Advisory Council meeting adjourned at 5:30 p.m.

[Prepared by Denise R. Whitcher]