REPORT:

Report Regarding Informational Hearing on LAXT Project Held November 15, 1997.

SYNOPSIS:

An overview of public comments presented at this informational hearing is provided. In addition, the Board directed staff to (1) ensure a Health Risk Assessment is prepared for open petroleum coke storage at the Los Angeles Export Terminal (LAXT) project and that a socioeconomic analysis of the costs to enclose the LAXT petroleum coke storage piles is prepared and evaluated as part of its Rule 1158 Interim Petroleum Coke Storage Plan; (2) bring to the Board recommendations regarding approval of the Rule 1158 plan; and (3) develop a policy for Board review of multi-year, multi-phase projects.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file this report.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Acting Executive Officer

Attendance

Present were Board Members Burke, Glover, Lee, Loveridge, Mikels, Nastri, Paulitz and Wilson.

Meeting Summary

The meeting was attended by about 300 members of the public, 39 of whom requested to speak. A brief summary of some of the key comments/issues is provided below.

After the call to order by Chairman Burke, presentations on project background, permitting history and environmental impacts of LAXT were made by Dick Wittkop, Program Manager for the Port of Los Angeles, T. L. Garrett, Environmental Scientist for the Port of Los Angeles, Lou Rommel, Vice President and General Manager of LAXT, Robert White, Vice President and General Manager of Pacific Carbon Services, and Wendell Cook, Terminal Manager of Hall-Buck Marine. Highlights of the presentations included information that the adjacent Reeves Field coke storage may be displaced in the future by the expansion of the nearby container operator, that LAXT is in negotiations with Chevron to bring coke to LAXT in January and that LAXT is considering purchasing and operating another PM10 controlling street sweeper in the area.

Mel Zeldin, AQMD Director of Applied Science and Technology presented a summary of the May, 1997 micrometeorological ambient particulate monitoring in the harbor area. After Mr. Zeldin stated that maximum particulates would be expected in the fall, Dr. Wallerstein, responding to Dr. Burke, stated that the AQMD would conduct another monitoring study in the fall months.

The Board then heard comments from the public led off by legal representatives for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. The public speakers generally requested the Board to require petroleum coke storage be enclosed at LAXT. They also expressed concern about particulate fallout in the harbor area, health impacts associated with that fallout, and concerns that LAXT will contribute to deterioration of the local air quality.

A transcript of the proceedings is being provided to Board Members under separate cover, and has been placed in AQMD’s library for public availability purposes.

Further Action

In addition to LAXT’s commitment to immediately initiate compliance monitoring, the Board approved a motion by Board Member Lee to require that the Rule 1158 Plan submitted by LAXT be brought before the Board, including a health risk assessment on LAXT’s coke operations and a cost analysis on enclosure of LAXT’s coke storage; and that staff submit a proposed policy for Board review of multi-year, multi-phase projects.

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