Proposal:

Public Advisor’s Report

Synopsis:

This report highlights the Public Advisor, Local Government, Small Business Assistance and Economic Development activities for the month of July, 1996. Comprehensive reports on these efforts are set forth below in Sections I, II, III and IV, respectively.

Committee:

Not applicable.

Recommended Action:

Receive and file this report.

James M. Lents
Executive Officer

SECTION I - PUBLIC ADVISOR ACTIVITIES

Staff participated in the activities, programs and events listed below. A statistical report of these activities also is included.

Contact: La Ronda V. Bowen, Public Advisor, 909.396.3235

BUSINESS OUTREACH

Permitting - AQMD staff have been working closely with Stationary Source Compliance to determine possible types of equipment that could be excluded from the permitting requirements or converted to simplified registrations.

General Assistance

During July, a higher than usual number of companies contacted Public Advisor for specific regulatory assistance. No identifiable trends emerged in terms of issues. Increased use of this office may have been due to media or legislative activity.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Open Airways Project - AQMD staff made the first of what are to be a series of presentations on air pollution and health to community health-based organizations through the American Lung Association of Los Angeles County’s Open Airways Project. Staff addressed a group of nurses at Glendale Adventist Hospital on Wednesday, July 31 and provided information kits to the approximately 30 staff members in attendance. Open Airways is designed to increase the level of public awareness about the factors contributing to asthma, allergies and other respiratory diseases, such as particle pollution, second-hand smoke, mold and dust mites. Included in the air quality information kit were brochures on smog and health, maps, PSI charts, publications on dust advisories and the changes to Regulation VII involving notification of schools and recreational facilities when episodes and health advisories are forecast. Glendale Adventist nurses are working with administrators of the Glendale Unified School District as part of the Open Airways program.

CARB Mobile Source Testing Program - The California Air Resources Board’s Mobile Source Division has launched a year-long program targeting 4,000 vehicles whose drivers are willing to voluntarily have them tested for emissions at sites throughout the state. AQMD staff has assisted with this outreach effort by providing educational literature at the testing points within our district. These include 25 Ways You Can Clean The Air, Driver’s Guide to Clean Air and Smogbusters coloring books and activity books.

Visiting Dignitaries - A four-member delegation from the Korean Land Corporation met on July 3, 1996 with Planning and Stationary Source compliance staffs on environmental impact assessment. An eight-member delegation from Korea’s Ministry of Environment met on July 3, 1996 with Stationary Source Compliance staff on market-based and command-and-control applications to air pollution control. Zaman Zulkifli of Malaysia’s Engineering Division, Ministry of Health, met with Public Advisor staff for a general overview of AQMD’s programs, then with Technology Advancement staff on health-related issues; and Stationary Source Compliance staff on urban sanitation issues. Juan Martinez Sanchez of Spain’s Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Environment, met with Public Advisor staff for a general overview and with Stationary Source Compliance staff on RECLAIM and the bubble concept of permitting. A 12-member group from the Thailand Bureau of Environmental Protection met with Stationary Source Compliance and Applied Science and Technology on inspections, source testing and laboratory analysis. Aik Beng Lee of Singapore’s Ministry of Environment met with Planning and Stationary Source Compliance staffs on regional modeling and environmental impact assessment.

Two foreign delegations have made plans to visit the District during the month of August: A delegation from the government of Thailand will visit on Tuesday, August 13, to meet with Stationary Source Compliance and Applied Science and Technology staffs on ambient air monitoring, field inspections, source testing and laboratory analysis; and a Korean delegation hosted by Cal Poly Pomona will meet with Public Advisor staff the afternoon of Friday, August 16, for a general overview of our programs and a tour of our headquarters.

Intergovernmental/Agency

Public Advisor met with US Congressman “Buck” McKeon and a delegation from Germany to discuss how environmental regulations, business growth and legislation work together to benefit citizens.

Under Public Advisor interoffice cross-training initiative, Economic Development Business Retention staff was assigned to coordinate AQMD participation in air quality information display at Assemblywoman Napolitano’s Trade Conference.

(PA 07-96)

**Data for total calls during the month of June is incomplete because of a computer malfunction June 6-24.

SECTION II - LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES

Highlights of the activities of this reporting period are listed below.

Contact: Larry Rhinehart, Intergovernmental Affairs Director, (909)396 - 2898
or Oscar Abarca, Intergovernmental Affairs Director, (909)396 -3242.

LEGISLATIVE OUTREACH

Intergovernmental Affairs Directors met or had contact with the following legislators and/or their staffs regarding air quality related issues:

• Congressman Matthew Martinez - 7-25
• Congressman Esteban Torres (Jimmy Caso, Chief of Staff) - 7-30
• State Senator Rob Hurtt (Kim Barone, Chief of Staff) - 7-12, 7-16, 7-25
• Assembly Member Fred Aguiar - 7-25

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OUTREACH

Intergovernmental Affairs Directors made presentations on AQMD programs to the following city councils, and attended/participated in meetings with the following governmental organizations:

LA COUNTY - WESTERN REGION

• City of Carson
• League of California Cities
• Independent Cities Association
• South Bay Cities Association

LA COUNTY - EASTERN REGION

• Palmdale City Council
• Lancaster City Council
• Santa Clarita City Council
• Montebello City Council
• Contract Cities Association
• MTA

ORANGE COUNTY

• Anaheim City Council
• Westminister City Council
• RAPC-EMC Meeting
• Irvine City Council

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

• League of California Cities Riverside County Division General Membership Meeting

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY

• SANBAG Board Meeting

OTHER

• League of California Cities Mayors
• Council Members Executive Forum
• SCAG Regional Council

As a result of their interaction with the organizations listed above, the Intergovernmental Affairs Directors communicated with the following officials by phone or in person:

LOS ANGELES COUNTY -WESTERN REGION

• Chuck Boodhammer, Council Member, City of Hawthorne
• Darryl Brown, Finance Department, City of Inglewood
• James Cragin, Council Member, City of Gardena
• Joseph Dawidziak, Council Member, City of Redondo Beach
• Kim Fuentes, Administrative Assistant, City of Torrance
• Daniel Gonzalez, Los Angeles Police Department
• Garland Hardemann, Council Member, City of Inglewood
• Sandra Jacobs, Mayor, City of El Segundo
• Abbe Land, Council Member, City of West Hollywood
• Bob Pinzler, Council Member, City of Redondo Beach
• Marcine Shaw, Council Member, City of Compton
• Dolores Zurita, Council Member, City of Compton

LOS ANGELES COUNTY - EASTERN REGION

• Arnold Albarez-Glasman, Mayor, City of Montebello
• Eileen Ansari, Mayor, City of Diamond Bar
• Sue Baller, Council Member, City of Glendora
• Bob Bartlett, Mayor, City of Monrovia
• Diane Boggs, Council Member, City of Downey
• Carl Boyer, Mayor, City of Santa Clarita
• Yvonne Braithwaite-Burke, Supervisor, L.A. County Board of Supervisors
• Evan Braude, Council Member, City of Long Beach
• Mary Ann Buckles, Council Member, City of South Gate
• Talmage Burke, Council Member, City of Alhambra
• Louis Byrd, Council Member, City of Lynwood
• Mary Cammarano, Mayor, City of San Gabriel
• George Caravalho, City Manager, City of Santa Clarita
• Maria Chacon, Council Member, Bell Gardens
• Michael Colantuono, City Attorney Cities of La Habra Heights & Cudahy
• Boyd Condie, Council Member, City of Alhambra
• Joseph Esquivel, Council Member, City of Lakewood
• John Fasana, Council Member, City of Duarte
• Larry Galvan, Council Member, City of Cudahy
• Eileen Givens, Council Member, City of Glendale
• Larry Glenn, Council Member, City of Glendora
• Hilano Gonzales, Council Member, City of Vernon
• Louis Heine, Council Member, City of Lynwood
• Thomas Jackson, Mayor, City of Huntington Park
• Paula Lantz, Council Member, City of Pomona
• Al Leiga, Mayor, City of Claremont
• Jessica Maes, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Huntington Park
• Rosario Marin, Council Member, City of Huntington Park
• Bill Martinez, Vice Mayor, City of South Gate
• Tom Mauk, City Manager, City of Whittier
• William McCormick, Council Member, City of Vernon
• Barbara Messina, Council Member, City of Alhambra
• Pat Miranda, Council Member, City of Irwindale
• Marshall Mouw, Council Member, City of Glendora
• Teri Muse, Council Member, City of Baldwin Park
• Jenny Oropeza, Council Member, City of Long Beach
• Bea Proo, Council Member, City of Pico Rivera
• Armando Rea, Council Member, City of Lynwood
• Paul Richards, Mayor, City of Lynwood
• Frank Roberts, Mayor, City of Lancaster
• Glenn Southard, City Manager, City of Claremont
• Gordon Stefenhagen, Mayor, City of Norwalk
• Fidel Vargas, Council Member, City of Baldwin Park
• Patricia Wallach, Mayor, City of El Monte
• Judy Wright, Council Member, City of Claremont
• Doude Wysbeek, Council Member, City of San Fernando
• Jack Yoshino, Finance Director, City of Walnut

ORANGE COUNTY

• Jim Armstrong, City Manager, City of Fullerton
• Ron Bates, Council Member, City of Los Alamitos
• Ralph Bauer, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Huntington Beach
• Frank Benest, City Manager, City of Brea
• Art Brown, Council Member, City of Buena Park
• Laurann Cook, Council Member, City of Fountain Valley
• Burnie Dunlap, Mayor, City of Brea
• Barry Hammond, Council Member, City of Irvine
• John Harris, Principal Transportation Engineer, City of Irvine
• Gary Johnson, Public Works Director, City of Anaheim
• Diana Kotler, Administrative Assistant, City of Anaheim
• Wally Linn, Council Member, City of La Palma
• Pat McGuigan, Council Member, City of Santa Ana
• Bev Perry, Council Member, City of Brea
• George Scott, Mayor, City of Fountain Valley
• Chuck Smith, Mayor, City of Westminister
• Kristine Thalman, Intergovernmental Relations Officer, City of Anaheim
• Justina Willkom, City of La Habra

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

• Joy Deffenbaugh, Council Member, City of Riverside
• Brenda Holt, Mayor, City of La Quinta
• Dick Kelly, Council Member, City of Palm Desert
• Karl Lindemans, Mayor, City of Temecula
• Marcos Lopez, Mayor, City of Indio
• Robin Lowe, Vice Mayor, City of Hemet
• Dick MacKnicki, Council Member, City of Coachella
• Kevin Pape, Council Member, City of Lake Elsinore
• Ron Roberts, Council Member, City of Temecula
• Elizabeth Scott-Donnelly, Council Member, City of Desert Hot Springs
• Walt Snyder, Mayor, City of Palm Desert
• Marge Tandy, Council Member, City of Hemet
• Sam Torres, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Perris
• Jack Van Haaster, Mayor, City of Murrieta
• Bill Vaughan, Mayor, City of Norco

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY

• Bill Alexander, Mayor, City of Rancho Cucamonga
• Jim Bagley, Mayor, City of Twentynine Palms
• David Eshelman, Mayor, City of Fontana & Vice Chairman SANBAG
• Lee Ann Garcia, Council Member, City of Grand Terrace
• Swen Larson, Mayor, City of Redlands
• Elouise Lewman, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Montclair
• John Longville, Mayor, City of Rialto
• Gwenn Norton-Perry, Council Member, City of Chino Hills
• Mike Rothchild, Council Member, City of Victorville & Chairman, MDAQMD
• Jim Singley, Council Member, City of Grand Terrace
• Mal Wessel, Mayor, City of Barstow
• Mike Wickman, Council Member, City of Chino Hills
• Michael Wolf, Council Member, City of Montclair

OTHER

• Patty Hilligoss, Mayor, City of Petaluma (Member LCC Board of Directors & ARB)
• Dick Lang, Mayor, City of Modesto (Member LCC Board of Directors)
• Jerry Maloney, Clerk of the Board, County of Riverside
• Carolyn Ratto, Council Member, City of Turlock (Member LCC Board of Directors)
• Oscar Rios, Council Member, City of Watsonville (Member LCC Board of Directors)
• Sedalia Sanders, Mayor, City of El Centro (LCC President)
• Art Takahara, Council Member, City of Mountain View (Member LCC Board of Directors)
• Jim Worthen, Council Member, City of Eureka (LCC First Vice President)

Intergovernmental Affairs Directors communicated with the following local and state agency, business and community representatives regarding air quality related issues by phone or in person:

• Don Benninghoven, Executive Director, League of California Cities
• Pam Burmich & Roberta Hugham, ARB representatives
• Terry Dugan, Conference & Training Coordinator, League of California Cities
• Chuck Fryxell, Executive Officer, MDAQMD
• Michael De La Torre, Area Representative, The Gas Co.
• Bruce Guthrie, Fuel Solutions
• Dan Harrison, Director of Finance, League of California Cities
• Bill Hodge, Director of External Affairs, OCTA
• Yvonne Hunter, Legislative Representative, League of California Cities
• Janet Huston, Executive Director, O.C. Division-League of California Cities
• Kelly Kennedy, Administrative Assistant, CVAG
• Jim Ortner, OCTA
• Irv Pickler, Former Council Member, City of Anaheim
• Mark Pisano, Executive Director, SCAG
• Earnest Preacely, President, Terra Fuels
• Julie Puentes, Executive Director, O.C. Private Sector Task Force
• Jerry Silva, Region Manager, Public Affairs, Edison International
• Gil Smith, Former Director of Government Relations & Legislation, SCAG
• Dwight Stenbakken, Assistant Executive Director-League of California Cities
• Ruth Ann Taylor-Berger, WRCOG
• Debbie Thornton, Director of Communications, League of California Cities
• Bill Woollett, Executive Director, O.C. Transportation Corridor Agencies
• Dan Young, Consultant & Former Mayor, City of Anaheim
• Jose Zepeda, President, Al Aviso Magazine

The Intergovernmental Affairs Directors continued to provide administrative oversight for the AB 2766 Discretionary Fund and Subvention Fund programs. The IGA Directors also attended/ participated in the following activities:

• Independent Cities Association’s Thirty-Sixth Annual Conference
• SELAC’s AB 2766 Workshop

SECTION III - SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES

Highlights of the activities of this reporting period are listed below. A statistical report of these activities also is included.

Contact: Lee Lockie, Director, 909.396.2390

Ontario Permit Assistance Center

The Ontario Permit Assistance Center moved to 2151 East “D” Street, Suite 203A together with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. The new center is unique in that it includes staff from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the Senior Core of Retired Executives (SCORE), and the California Manufacturers Technology Center (CMTC). SCORE and SBDC offer both start-up and existing businesses assistance at many levels. CMTC’s mission is to help businesses improve productivity and assist them with their ISO 9000 certification. Overall this alliance will enable small, medium and large-sized businesses to seek and obtain a variety of general, technical and financial business assistance programs at one location.

The center provides a comprehensive permit referral service, provides inter-agency permit consultation, and documents problem areas that businesses have with various agencies. The San Bernardino County Hazardous Materials Division, EPA Region IX Department of Toxic Substance Control, and SCAQMD staff the office on a part-time basis. They also have one full-time staff person from the Department of Forestry and two administrative staff. Outreach for the center is expected to commence in September. We are hopeful that many of our clients will make good use of this center.

Autobody Shops

An intensive effort is on-going to team with interested automotive paint distributors to educate their business clients on cost-effective means of compliance.

This month, we met with two automotive paint distributors in Orange County and discussed Rules 1151, 1171, and 1107. We will be going with them to visit some of their customers’ shops to discuss pending compliance issues.

SBAO staff met with Annex Automotive Paints (auto body paint distributor) sales staff at their weekly sales meeting in Montebello. We discussed current problems they and their customers are having in complying with Rule 1151. We also discussed the applicability of Rules 1107 & 1171 to the autobody industry. We advised them that SBAO is available to help their clients with permits and rules. They have about 1,000 customers in the areas covered by their three stores in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, and Walnut.

SBAO staff recently completed a one-page “pilot” PLAIN ENGLISH compliance checklist for autobody shops. We have tried it out on some shops for their reactions on readability, usefulness, and simplicity. Soon we will have a final draft which can be translated into Spanish, Korean, etc.

A number of special projects are underway to improve our communications with many small businesses:

• Bi-lingual brochure on the loan guaranty program;
• Special Spanish language “hotline” sticker to attach to mailed documents;
• Special communication courtesy card to send to our clients;
• A re-designed and reformatted 400A permit application guidelines into plain English;
• Proposal for internal technical communication network;
• Prototype interactive Special Interest Group area for small businesses on the WEB site;
• Small Business Web page;
• Training of entire SBAO staff in AQAF policies and operating procedures;
• Implementation of 800 line rotating call recovery.

SECTION IV -

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & BUSINESS RETENTION (EDBR) ACTIVITIES

Highlights of the activities conducted during this reporting period are described below.

Contact:

La Ronda Bowen, Public Advisor, (909) 396 -3235
Larry Watkins, EDBR, (909) 396 - 3246
Roberta Rigg, EDBR, (909) 396 - 2659.

ACTIVITIES

Activities during this reporting period included participation in 4 Red Team meetings with Rockwell Space Systems, M&M Tooling, an aircraft manufacturer (confidential) and a follow-up meeting with CPC International and 12 community outreach projects. Assistance was provided to various facilities wanting to expand or consolidate their operations. Companies were informed of emerging new pollution reduction technologies as well as technology transfer opportunities. EDBR staff also participated in 3 different public outreach meetings by making presentations and providing information to interested parties. The total number of participants reached through these 3 meetings exceeds 200 people.

Open Items (business development and retention efforts in process) 36
Completed Items (decision to stay, expand, etc.) 6
(This represents 400 jobs/jobs retained in California)
Outreach and meetings with companies 16

ASSEMBLYMEMBER NAPOLITANO’S INTERNATIONAL TRADE CONFERENCE

Staff provided input to the planning of Assemblymember Napolitano’s International Trade Conference on the Pacific Rim and the Americas. Outreach effort involved a number of southland businesses and foreign trade organizations. This is the second year of the conference and it is estimated that approximately 1200 people will attend. Staff will maintain a table top display for the dissemination of AQMD Economic Development/Business Retention and Small Business program information.

AIRPLANE MANUFACTURER (CONFIDENTIAL)

A Red Team meeting was held to discuss a proposal advanced by a major airplane manufacturer for the installation of a paint booth. A paint booth in this case is actually an airplane hanger that acts like a paint booth. Based on information gathered, this could create an additional 300 jobs and approximately $20 million of investment capital.

BOEING SEA LAUNCH

Staff met with the Boeing Company some months ago to review their plans for siting a new space vehicle launch preparation facility. At the time it could not be reported to the Board since it was highly confidential and discussion might have ruined the negotiation leverage for a lease. Subsequently, a sixteen acre parcel, located in Long Beach, has been acquired by the Boeing Company and companies from Norway, Ukraine and Russia. The five company consortium’s concept is quite exciting in that Boeing will use Zenit missiles to launch communication satellites into earth orbits from a platform 1,000 miles south of the Hawaiian Islands. These Russian made missiles are touted as the most reliable made. They have been decommissioned and converted for peace time use by the consortium. They expect between 11-13 launches per year with 228 jobs being created. AQMD will assist in permitting storage tanks and control equipment and will be available for any future expansions.

ROCKWELL SPACE SYSTEMS

A Red Team met to discuss with Rockwell a proposal to NASA for the landing, outfitting and modification of all space shuttle launches at the Rockwell, Palmdale facility. As a side note, this facility and several other facilities was just purchased by Boeing. The concept is to create 1,000 jobs in the Palmdale area as well as use the 900-1,100 employees in the Downey area for modification and retrofitting of all space shuttle flights. This would probably save NASA between $5-7 million hard dollars per year. Staff was involved in devising cost cutting measures and technology transfer with respect to compliant coatings and paints that will meet the stringent performance requirements of NASA and the space shuttle missions.