BOARD MEETING DATE: August 8, 1997 AGENDA NO. 13


Proposal:

Public Affairs Report

Synopsis:

This report highlights the June, 1997 activities of the Public Affairs Office which includes Public Advisor, Local Government, Small Business Assistance, Economic Development and Media Communications. Comprehensive reports on these efforts are set forth below in Sections I, II, III, IV and V, respectively.

Committee:

Not Applicable.

Recommended Action:

Receive and file this report.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Interim 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 as Attachment A.

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

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

YOUTH SPORTS OUTREACH - Public Advisor staff spoke to 35 coaches June 20 at an orientation meeting of the National Youth Sports Program at USC, familiarizing them with the pollutant standards index and suggested health precautions to take when air quality is unhealthful. Maps, posters and promotional items were distributed and director Parker Jenkins invited AQMD to return to give a presentation to some of the 500 youngsters enrolled in the program (as well as interested parents) once it gets started in July.

AQMD STUDENT PAGE - Public Advisor staff in conjunction with Information Management staff initiated a contract to develop and design a student page as part of the existing AQMD Home Page. The student page will help educate students about air quality and the AQMD, and provide information on science experiments, how to join the AQMD’s Smogbuster Club and much more. The page will be designed to provide students with answers to questions about air quality and also provide them resource information for conducting science experiments and projects. The student page is scheduled to be up by the start of school in the fall.

FATHERS CONFERENCE - Public Advisor staff distributed outreach material at an information table at the California Department of Social Services’ third annual Fathers’ Conference June 18-20 at the Hyatt Regency Alicante in Anaheim. The three-day event attracted nearly 1,000 attendees at various workshops focusing on the honor and duty of fatherhood.

ENVIRONMENTAL EXPO -Public Advisor staff distributed outreach publications and met with over 1,000 employees at the Walt Disney Company’s Environmental, Rideshare, Health and Fitness Expo on June 3 at Disney’s Glendale studio.

HEALTH AND SAFETY FAIR - Public Advisor staff distributed outreach materials and discussed the health effects of smog with over 2,000 employees who attended the Ingram Miro’s annual Health and Safety Festival on June 6 in Santa Ana. Staff provided posters, brochures and promotional materials to attendees.

TEMECULA PREVENTION EXPO - Public Advisor staff distributed outreach publications and provided information about the health effects of smog to over 500 attendees at the Ninth Annual Temecula Valley Friendship Games and Prevention Expo held at Temecula High School on June 7, 1997. Over 40 health, safety and public agencies participated in the event.

LAKE ELSINORE HEALTH FAIR - Public Advisor staff provided outreach publications and smog episode information to attendees at the Lake Elsinore Head Start\Preschool Health Fair held June 6, 1997. The event attracted over 200 parents and children.

VISITING DIGNITARIES - AQMD hosted four delegations from three countries during the month of June, including the Hon. Bobbit L. Carlos, M.D., Municipal Mayor of Valenzuela, Metro Manila, Republic of the Philippines; two delegations of students from Korea, including one from Seoul National University; a group of students from the Lund Institute of Technology, Lund, Sweden; and a delegation of transportation officials from the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment and the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, The Hague, The Netherlands.

BUSINESS OUTREACH

RULE 1171 OUTREACH - In response to letters the AQMD sent to the 13 local chapters of the Automotive Service Councils of California, all 13 have called to request a speaker on the new Rule 1171 requirements. The final two of those speaking engagements occurred during June. They were to groups of auto repair shop owners from the central L.A. and San Fernando Valley areas. The goal of these meetings is to obtain input from automotive repair shop owners on the best way to inform this area’s more than 10,000 auto repair shops of the revision to Rule 1171 that requires the switch from petroleum solvents to water-based solvents for automotive parts washing tanks.

CAPCOA PUBLIC OUTREACH COMMITTEE - The AQMD participated in a 2-day meeting of Public Information Officers from most of the major air pollution control districts in the state. The meeting included an exchange of information about effective outreach programs, and briefings on statewide efforts to improve public awareness of air quality issues.

CAPCOA VIOLATIONS WORKSHOP - In response to a state law (H&S Code 39150) passed in 1996, the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association drafted a model rule defining minor violations and establishing guidelines for when to issue a Notice to Comply rather than a Notice of Violation. Public Advisor’s staff assisted CAPCOA by scheduling a workshop within the AQMD jurisdiction, and distributing a public notice to organizations and businesses that would have an interest in this issue. Once this model rule is endorsed by CAPCOA, it will be distributed to all air pollution control districts as an example for them to use when developing and adopting their own rules.

SECTION II - LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES

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

Contact: Larry Rhinehart, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, 909.396.2898

Oscar Abarca, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, 909.396.3242

Lourdes Cordova Martinez, Intergovernmental Affairs Liaison,

909.396.3214, or

Raul Gutierrez, Intergovernmental Affairs Liaison, 909.396.3448

LEGISLATIVE OUTREACH

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

  • State Senator Ruben Ayala (Sondra Elrod, Chief of Staff) - 6/24
  • State Senator Jim Brulte (Jennifer Red, Field Representative) - 6/24
  • Assembly Member Fred Aguiar (Neil Derry, Administrative Assistant; Brian

    McAndrews, Field Representative) - 6/24, 6/26

  • Assembly Member Martha Escutia (David Mahan, Field Representative) - 6/24
  • Assembly Member Martin Gallegos (Robert Apodaca, Field Representative) - 6/19
  • Assembly Member Bill Leonard (Carolyn Preschern, Office Manager) - 6/24

    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:

    LOS ANGELES COUNTY - WESTERN REGION

  • South Bay Cities Council of Governments

    LOS ANGELES COUNTY - EASTERN REGION

  • San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments
  • Gateway Cities Council of Governments

    ORANGE COUNTY

  • Anaheim City Council
  • Orange County Board of Supervisors
  • Orange County Council of Governments Board, Transportation & Air Quality Funding Subcommittee and Technical Advisory Committee
  • Orange County Division, League of California Cities General Membership Meeting

    RIVERSIDE COUNTY

  • Calimesa City Council
  • Riverside County Division, League of California Cities General Membership Meeting
  • Riverside County Transportation Commission

    SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY

  • Omnitrans Board of Directors Meeting
  • San Bernardino Associated Governments Board of Directors Meeting
  • San Bernardino County City Managers Meeting

    OTHER

  • CLOUT Meeting
  • Committee on Environmental Quality, League of California Cities
  • League of California Cities Policy Committees
  • Los Angeles Division, League of California Cities
  • SCAG Legislative Subcommittee
  • SCAG Regional Council Meeting

    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

  • Richard Alarcon, Council Member, City of Los Angeles
  • Ed Begley, Jr., Commissioner, Environmental Affairs Commission - City of Los Angeles
  • Hal Bernson, Council Member, City of Los Angeles
  • Marvin Braude, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Los Angeles
  • Diana Brueggemann, Senior Legislative Deputy, Office of Council Member Laura Chick, City of Los Angeles
  • Leonard Cormier, City Manager, City of Hawthorne
  • Ron Deaton, Chief Legislative Analyst, City of Los Angeles
  • Lucy Dyke, Transportation Manager, City of West Hollywood
  • John Ferraro, City Council President, City of Los Angeles
  • Mike Feuer, Council Member, City of Los Angeles
  • Ruth Galanter, Council Member, City of Los Angeles
  • Charles Herbertson, Director of Public Works, City of Hawthorne
  • Mike Hernandez, Council Member, City of Los Angeles
  • Leilani Johnson, Environmental Affairs, City of Los Angeles
  • Joan Kassan, Intergovernmental Relations, City of Culver City
  • Lillian Kawasaki, General Manager, Environmental Affairs Department, City of Los Angeles
  • Amit Kothari, Associate Transportation Engineer, City of Inglewood
  • Charles MaKinney, City Manager, City of West Hollywood
  • Tom McCloskey, Assistant General Manager, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
  • Craig Nealis, City Manager, City of Rolling Hills
  • Armen Ross, Legislative Deputy, Office of Council Member Nate Holden, City of Los Angeles
  • Rudy Svorinich, Council Member, City of Los Angeles
  • Konya Vivanti, Transportation Specialist, City of Culver City
  • Rita Walter, Council Member, City of Los Angeles
  • Harold Williams, Director of Public Works, City of Lawndale
  • Samuel Wise, Assistant City Manager, City of Rolling Hills Estates

    LOS ANGELES COUNTY - EASTERN REGION

  • Ed Andrade, Senior Fleet Services Manager, City of Santa Fe Springs
  • Eileen Ansari, Council Member, City of Diamond Bar
  • Bob Bartlett, Mayor, City of Monrovia
  • Jess Carbajal, Community Development Director, City of Paramount
  • Dan Chadwick, City of La Puente
  • Gil Ferreira, Development Services Manager, City of Paramount
  • Robert Henning, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Lynwood
  • Beatrice Jimenez, Community Development, City of Long Beach
  • Jack Joseph, City Manager, City of Cudahy
  • Ruben Lopez, Director, Community Development Department, City of South Gate
  • George Lujan, Council Member, City of South El Monte
  • Michael Miller, Environmental Services Manager, City of West Covina
  • Howard Miura, Community Development Director, City of San Fernando
  • Christine Montan, Staff, City of Alhambra
  • Deborah Moraza, Transportation Services Manager, City of El Monte
  • John Moreno, Senior Analyst, City of Paramount
  • Michael Murphy, Intergovernmental Relations Officer, City of Santa Clarita
  • Florinda Ovando, Senior Administrative Analyst, City of Glendale
  • Darlene Peysar, Business Services Manager, City of Pico Rivera
  • Elena Qualls, Public Works, City of Pomona
  • Raul Romero, City Administrator, City of Commerce
  • Suzan Smith, Mayor, City of Claremont
  • Mary Strenn, City Administrator, City of San Fernando
  • Joy Tuncay, Planning Division, City of Burbank
  • Mark Yamarone, Principal Transportation Planner, City of Burbank

    ORANGE COUNTY

  • Zai Abu-Bakar, Planner, City of Brea
  • Rich Barnard, Assistant City Administrator, City of Huntington Beach
  • Ron Bates, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Los Alamitos
  • Bob Brock, Public Works Department, City of Lake Forest
  • Art Brown, Mayor, City of Buena Park
  • Ho Chung, Council Member, City of Garden Grove
  • Laurann Cook, Council Member, City of Fountain Valley
  • Tom Daly, Mayor, City of Anaheim
  • Lynn Daucher, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Brea
  • Bob Dominguez, City Manager, City of Los Alamitos
  • Peter Green, Council Member, City of Huntington Beach
  • John Harris, Dept. of Public Works, City of Irvine
  • Joan Hoestery, Staff, City of La Palma
  • Chris Jarvi, Public Works Director, City of Anaheim
  • Alice Jempsa, Mayor, City of Los Alamitos
  • Gary Johnson, Community Services Director, City of Anaheim
  • Joel Lautenschleger, Council Member, City of Laguna Hills
  • Melanie McCann, City of Santa Ana,
  • Bev Perry, Council Member, City of Brea
  • Joel Rosen, City of Fullerton
  • Joyce Rosenthal, City of Placentia
  • Marge Schillington, Council Member, City of Westminster
  • Mark Schwing, Mayor, City of Yorba Linda
  • Gail Shiomoto-Lair, City of Mission Viejo
  • Alan Songstad, Mayor, City of Laguna Hills
  • Hank Wedaa, Council Member, City of Yorba Linda

    RIVERSIDE COUNTY

  • Lyle Alberg, Council Member, City of Hemet
  • Bob Buster, Supervisor, County of Riverside
  • Alex Clifford, Council Member, City of Riverside
  • Juan DeLara, Council Member, City of Coachella
  • Virginia Denney, Mayor, City of Perris
  • Frank Duran, Council Member, City of Coachella
  • Bonnie Flickenger, Council Member, City of Moreno Valley
  • Dick Kelly, Mayor, City of Palm Desert
  • Jan Leja, Mayor, City of Beaumont
  • Ron Loveridge, Mayor, City of Riverside & AQMD Governing Board Member
  • Robin Lowe, Mayor, City of Hemet
  • Scott Moore, County of Riverside
  • Tom Mullen, Supervisor, County of Riverside
  • Mike O’Connor, City Manager, City of Coachella
  • Jerry Pisha, Mayor, City of Desert Hot Springs
  • Ron Roberts, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Temecula
  • Jeff Stone, Council Member, City of Temecula
  • John Tavaglione, Supervisor, County of Riverside
  • Sam Torres, Council Member, City of Perris
  • Lori Van Arsdale, Council Member, City of Hemet
  • Bill Vaughn, Mayor, City of Norco
  • Roy Wilson, Supervisor, County of Riverside & AQMD Governing Board Member

    SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY

  • Bill Alexander, Mayor, City of Rancho Cucamonga
  • Deirdra Bennett, Council Member, City of Colton
  • Bob Christman, Mayor, City of Loma Linda
  • Betty Cook, Council Member, City of Colton
  • Greg Deveraux, City Manager, City of Fontana
  • Dave Eshelman, Mayor, City of Fontana & Incoming President of SANBAG
  • Jim Hart, City Manager, City of Twenty-Nine Palms
  • Marina Jiminez, City of Ontario
  • Jack Lam, City Manager, City of Rancho Cucamonga
  • John Longville, Mayor, City of Rialto
  • Gary Luebbers, City Manager, City of Redlands
  • Phil Mosely, City of Rancho Cucamonga
  • Sam Racadio, City Manager, City of Highland
  • Tom Schwab, City Manager, City of Grand Terrace
  • Jim Thalman, Mayor, City of Chino Hills
  • John Tooker, City Manager, City of Yucaipa
  • Eunice Ulloa, Mayor, City of Chino
  • Dennis Watson, City of Ontario
  • Mike Wickman, Council Member, City of Chino Hills
  • Diane Williams, Council Member, City of Rancho Cucamonga

    OTHER

  • Evelyn Gutierrez, Administrator, Los Angeles County
  • Carolyn Ratto, Council Member, City of Turlock

    Intergovernmental Affairs Directors also met or had contact with the following local, state and federal agency, business and community representatives regarding air quality related issues:

  • Deborah Barmack, Director of Administrative Services, San Bernardino Associated Governments
  • Rick Bishop, Staff Consultant, Orange County Council of Governments
  • Marisa Cimmarusti, David Evans & Associates
  • Annabel Cook, Assistant to the Executive Director, SCAG & Chair MSRC-TAC
  • Bob Ferrell, Chairman, SCAG’s Regional Advisory Council and former Los Angeles City Council Member
  • Al Fuentes, Government Relations Manager, SCAG
  • Dave Gunderman, Gateway Cities Council of Governments
  • Eric Haley, Director of Legislative Affairs, San Bernardino Associated Governments
  • Daryl Halls, Government Relations Manager, Orange County Division, League of California Cities
  • Roberta Hughan, California Air Resources Board
  • Vistasp Jujina, Environmental Coordinator, March Air Force Base
  • Doug Kim, Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority & MSRC-TAC Member
  • Norm King, Executive Director, San Bernardino Associated Governments
  • Corky Larson, Executive Director, Coachella Valley Association of Governments
  • Dennis Lord, District Manager, Southern California Gas Company
  • Felicia Marcus, Administrator, US Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX
  • Wes McDaniel, Interim Executive Director, Western Riverside Council of Govts
  • Sam Olivito, California Contract Cities
  • Marilyn Olson, Client Services Officer, Southern California Rideshare
  • James Provenzano, Director, Clean Air Now
  • Jack Reagan, Executive Director, Riverside County Transportation Commission
  • Stephanie Robinson, The Planning Center
  • Susan Romero, CALSTART
  • Sharon Sprowls, Program Director, Local Government Commission
  • Ruthanne Taylor-Berger, Western Riverside Council of Governments
  • Nancy Todd, Grants Administrator, CSU, Office of the Chancellor
  • Ken Tollar, Redlands Unified School District

    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:

  • American Lung Association of Orange County Clean Air Leaders Ceremony
  • California Alternative Fuel Vehicle Partnership Conference
  • Coachella Valley Association of Governments General Assembly
  • Joint Meeting of Western Riverside Council of Governments, Coachella Valley

    Association of Governments, and Riverside County Transportation Commission

  • Los Angeles Metropolitan Public Purchasing Agents Cooperative (LAMPCO)
  • MSRC Technical Workshop on AB 2766 25% Match Program for Local Governments
  • National Clean Cities Conference
  • Orange County Public Affairs Association
  • Orange County Livable Communities Meeting
  • "Quick Charge L.A." Event
  • Retirement Reception for City of Los Angeles Council Member & AQMD Board Member Marvin Braude
  • Southern Calif. Regional Cooperation for Industry and Local Governments Meeting
  • Western Riverside Council of Governments General Assembly

    SECTION III - SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES

    Highlights of June’s activities are presented below. The format for Small Business Assistance statistics is being changed. The statistics for June and July will be presented in next month’s report in the new format.

    Contact Lee Lockie, Director, 909.396.2390

    Boyd Furniture

    At the request of Southern California Edison, the District’s Small Business Office is coordinating AQMD assistance with the expansion and relocation of Boyd Furniture Manufacturing Inc. of Los Angeles. Boyd is in the process of building a state-of-the-art furniture facility in the city of Pomona. The company has entered into an agreement with the city of Pomona to move its multi-million dollar industrial facility into the General Dynamics plant located at Highway 71 and Mission Boulevard.

    This is an ongoing project that included facilitating assistance from all levels of the AQMD. Letters of support were sent to the state Industrial Construction Bond Commission by Governing Board Member Nell Soto and Executive Officer Jim Lents. Our office, in cooperation with Stationary Source Compliance, walked the company through the preparation for a hearing on their request for a variance from the Hearing Board. This variance, which was granted in June, was necessary for the company to continue to operate at higher levels of emissions (pre-July 1) at their present location while their new building is being prepared for occupancy next year. The next step for the District is to evaluate and act upon company’s applications for permits at the new location and we expect this will be expedited to meet their construction schedule.

    Boyd is building the first-of-its-kind manufacturing facility that will include Best Available Control Technology (BACT) and high efficiency equipment. Their relocation will also benefit the redevelopment of the area by bringing in new service industries that will add jobs and growth in Pomona.

    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 three separate Red Team meetings with McDonnell Douglas. 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 11 public outreach meetings by making a presentation and/or providing information to interested parties. The total number of participants reached through these meetings exceeded 1675 people.

    Open Items (business development and retention efforts in process) 29

    Completed Items (decision to stay, expand, etc.) 1

    (This represents 70 jobs/jobs retained in California)

    Outreach and meetings with companies 7

    SHOE MANUFACTURER - The last remaining manufacturer, in the Basin, of high fashion women’s shoes has been operating under variance for the past six months. They have a process which makes a molded polyurethane sole appear as cork. The finishing of the sole that makes it acceptable to the high fashion consumer requires a coating that must look good and still perform under compression, tension, erosion and abrasive environments. The manufacturer had not been able to reformulate a coating that would meet the low-VOC rule requirements. Staff met with the manufacturer to review the process and chemistry involved in formulating the coating and made several recommendations for new formulations. The manufacturer appeared at a new variance hearing and, as a result of their good faith effort and inability to formulate a compliant low-VOC coating in the short term, were granted a one-year variance. Had the manufacturer not been allowed to continue coating with their present formulations, 70 jobs would have been lost

    SECTION V - MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES

    News Highlights:

    Marketing Highlights:

    Public Information Center Activity:

    9,523 Telephone Calls

    308 Information Packages Mailed

    1,011 Visitors Served

    Press Relations Activity:

    108 Press Inquiries

    17 Broadcast Interviews

    9 News Releases Issued

    / / /

    Attachment A

    PUBLIC ADVISOR’S
    MONTHLY ACTIVITY REPORT

    1997

    OUTREACH

    JAN

    FEB

    MAR

    APR

    MAY

    JUN

    JUL

    AUG

    SEP

    OCT

    NOV

    DEC

    TOTAL

    Speakers Bureau














    Presentations (PADV staff)

    4

    18

    11

    12

    13

    15








    Presentations coordinated

    7

    12

    10

    14

    9

    11








    Delegations Hosted

    2

    2

    4

    2

    0

    4








    District Tours

    2

    2

    2

    2

    2

    2








    Events\Conferences














    Sponsored\Hosted

    1

    1

    2

    4

    4

    3








    Participated\Attended

    10

    2

    5

    29

    5

    7








    Meetings














    Chamber\Business Meetings

    8

    11

    9

    1

    16

    9








    Community Meetings

    5

    4

    1

    2

    3

    5








    Interagency Meetings

    5

    4

    5

    6

    3

    3








    Public Notification














    Public Workshops

    0

    4

    9

    6

    2

    1








    Public Notices

    4

    3

    9

    2

    3

    2








    Customer Service














    Fee Review Requests

    0

    8

    5

    7

    5

    9








    Customer Surveys

    23

    36

    22

    28

    21

    9








    Public Info. Center














    Material Requests Filled

    976

    322

    440

    543










    Total Calls Received *

    19596

    13245

    8815

    7943










    Avg. Calls Per Day

    632

    473

    284

    265










    * The District uses an automated phone system that provides callers with self-service access to information on meetings, workshops, air quality readings and forecasts by simply entering their zip codes. Callers can also request rules or publications, obtain updates on District programs or speak to a public information representative (during regular business hours). The system is operational 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week.


    This page updated: September 17, 2004
    URL: http://www.aqmd.gov/hb/1997/970813a.html