PROPOSAL:

Recognize and Appropriate Funds from ARB for Third Year Operation of Monitoring Sites for Children’s Health Study in South Coast Air Basin

SYNOPSIS:

In FY 1995-96, AQMD assumed operation of 4 ARB monitoring sites and enhanced 4 existing sites as part of the Children’s Health Study (CHS). Each successive year, ARB has provided $150,000 to fund the operation. In FY 1997-98, CHS monitoring at Lancaster will no longer be under AQMD’s authority. ARB amended our agreement to provide $150,000 to extend operation of the 7 remaining monitoring sites through July, 1998. This action is to recognize the $150,000 from ARB and appropriate these funds to the FY 1997-98 Budget.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, June 20, 1997, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

1. Authorize the Executive Officer to amend the existing interagency agreement with the ARB for one year;

2. Recognize revenue of $150,000 from the ARB to support the operation of 7 monitoring stations established or upgraded for the CHS and appropriate to the FY 1997-98 Budget, Services and Supplies Major Object, in the following Applied Science & Technology accounts: $128,000 to Temporary Services account, $6,000 to Laboratory Supplies account, $12,000 to Maintenance of Equipment account, and $4,000 to Building Maintenance account.

James M. Lents, Ph.D.
Executive Officer

Background

The ARB-sponsored CHS, one of the most comprehensive long-term pollutant health effects studies ever conducted, includes specialized air monitoring at selected sites throughout Southern California. In 1995, the ARB requested that the AQMD assume the operational responsibility for those designated sites within the AQMD’s jurisdiction, and accordingly, ARB provided funding for that effort. The initial agreement included four ARB sites (Mira Loma, Running Springs, UC Riverside and San Dimas) and four AQMD sites (Lancaster, Lake Elsinore, Long Beach, and Upland). ARB has provided $150,000 to the AQMD each year since 1995 for this support.

The ARB has requested the AQMD to continue operation of the CHS sites for another year, through July, 1998. For this period, operation of CHS equipment at the Lancaster air monitoring station by AQMD is no longer feasible due to the statutory creation of the Antelope Valley Air Pollution Control District, which will assume operation of that site in July, 1997. In addition, logistical difficulties at the San Dimas site have necessitated its being substituted with the AQMD’s Glendora site. The interagency agreement, which the ARB is amending for an additional $150,000 to AQMD for FY 1997-98, reflects these monitoring requirement changes, for a total of 7 air monitoring sites.

The monitoring phase of the study is expected to continue until the year 2000. ARB and AQMD staff will continue to review monitoring needs for the study annually.

Proposal

Recognize and appropriate $150,000 from the ARB for continued operation of monitoring sites for the CHS in the South Coast Air Basin for FY 1997-98.

Resource Impacts

The program is fully funded by ARB. Since the receipt of these funds by the AQMD constitutes a budget supplement within the meaning of Health and Safety Code 40720(j), notice of this proposed supplement was published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal, San Bernardino Sun, Riverside Press Enterprise, Orange County Register, and the Inland Valley Bulletin.

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