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REPORT:

Mobile Source Committee

SYNOPSIS:

The Mobile Source Committee met on Friday, March 27, 1998. Presentations were made on the following items: Legislative Update; SB 836 Activities; Update on Regional Transportation Plan; Submittal of 1997 AQMP 2020 PM₁₀ Emissions Inventory for Transportation Conformity Use; Rule 2202 ETC Training RFP; and Reports on Environmental Justice Initiatives #2, 4, and 7. The next meeting is April 24, 1998, 9:30 a.m., in Conference Room CC-8.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file this report.

Nell Soto, Chair
Mobile Source Committee

ATTENDANCE: Present: Committee Chair Nell Soto. Absent: Committee Vice Chair Dr. S. Roy Wilson, Committee Members Norma Glover, Mee Hae Lee, Ronald Loveridge, and Jon Mikels. Attachment 1 is an attendance roster.

MOBILE SOURCE COMMITTEE DISCUSSION ITEMS

1. Legislative Update

Staff highlighted AB 1368 (Villaraigosa) and SB 1857 (Brulte) as two pieces of legislation that the Legislative Committee was following. (The handout distributed at the meeting is included in the April 1998 Board package as an attachment to agenda item "Legislative Committee.")

2. Progress Report on SB 836 (Lewis) Activities

Staff reported that the Final Report on SB 836 Evaluation of Rule 2202 Voluntary Ridesharing and Other Replacement Measures had been released. An informational workshop was held on Thursday, March 26, 1998 at the AQMD. Approximately 200 persons representing cities, counties, transportation management associations and businesses attended. Workshop participants were informed that the AQMD was awaiting advice and direction from several members of the California Legislature regarding the responsibilities of AQMD in regards to the smaller employers (worksites with 100-249 employees) coming back under Rule 2202 on June 1, 1998. The AQMD will continue to give $1.5 million to the Regional Transportation Agencies Coalition (RTAC) every year to promote ridesharing in the Basin until the legislation (SB 836) is modified.

3. Update on the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)

Staff presented two RTP project lists. One was the constrained list and the other was the unconstrained list. SCAG has received over 390 comment letters from the public and is going to respond to those letters. SCAG’s Regional Council is scheduled to approve the plan at its next meeting on April 16, 1998 in Simi Valley. Committee Chair Soto wanted to know about the status of the protest or petition from the Gateway Cities against the RTP. Arnie Sherwood from SCAG informed the Committee that $300 million had been allocated in the plan for the Alameda East project.

4. Submittal of the 1997 Air Quality Management Plan 2020 PM₁₀ Emissions Inventory for Transportation Conformity Use (Attachment 2)

Staff informed the Committee that the Emissions Budget was needed by SCAG to make conformity determinations only, and that the submission of the Budget does not prevent the AQMD from critiquing any other aspects of the plan. Arnie Sherwood impressed upon the Committee the urgency of the need for the AQMD to forward the Emissions Budget numbers to EPA. If SCAG is unable to make a conformity determination because of the absence of an Emissions Budget for the year 2020, the Basin stands to lose several billions of dollars in transportation funding from the federal government. Arnie Sherwood urged the Committee to ask the AQMD Board to approve the Emissions Budget.

5. Rule 2202 ETC Training RFP (Attachment 3)

Staff recommended that the AQMD continue the current Rule 2202 Initial Training format by issuing an RFP for a Training Provider to enter into a no-cost contract with the AQMD. Training fees of approximately $200 per attendee would continue to be paid directly to the Contractor/Training Provider to cover costs for materials, meeting rooms, time, etc. Committee Chair Soto questioned the imposition of training fees on session attendees. She pointed out that cities, in particular, do not have excess money to spend on training and that it is not fair to charge employers for training on a rule that they are mandated to comply with. Staff was directed to look into ways to address the cost issue of the training and to report back to the Committee. No action was taken on the RFP.

6. Monthly Report on Environmental Justice Initiatives

Initiative #4 (a) CEQA Handbook Revision (Attachment 4): The Working Group met on Thursday, March 26, 1998 and continues to receive mainly positive comments from the environmental community. The AQMD expects to release a draft of the handbook by July 1998. At this meeting, the San Gabriel COG requested AQMD staff to make a presentation to them on the progress of the Working Group.

Initiative #4 (b) CEQA Document Commenting: Staff distributed a report which lists the CEQA documents received and reviewed for the period of February 14 through March 13, 1998. The AQMD received 51 documents during this last reporting period. Staff will prepare and submit comments for about 50% of these documents. (This report is included in the April 1998 Board package as Attachments A-C to agenda item "Lead Agency Projects and Environmental Documents Received by the AQMD.")

7. Monthly Report on Environmental Justice Initiative Study

Initiative #2 - Ambient Monitoring of Air Toxics (Attachment 5): Staff informed the Committee that arrangements were being made for three one-year fixed monitoring sites at Huntington Park, Compton and Wilmington. Three mobile platforms were expected to arrive by April 1, 1998. ARB had loaned two additional platforms to the AQMD for the study. Gaseous and particulate monitors were scheduled to begin arriving by March 24, 1998. The draft Monitoring and Laboratory Protocol Document is almost completed and is being reviewed by the Air Toxics Study Technical Review Group (ATSTRG).

Initiative #7 - Cleanup Incentives for Diesel (Attachment 6): Staff informed the Committee that Representative John Ensign (R-NV) has introduced HR 3376 in the House. The bill, named the "Cleaner Burning Fuels Incentive Act of 1998," will provide an income tax credit equal to 50 cents per gasoline gallon equivalent of propane, natural gas, and methanol used as a motor vehicle fuel. The MSRC had received applications from cities and other transit agencies for funding a total of 491 compressed and liquefied natural gas buses.

8. Update on the Mobile Source Measures in the SIP (Attachment 7)

Written report submitted, no comments.

9. Rule 2202 Activity Report/Upcoming Events (Attachment 8)

Written report distributed, no comments.

10. Other Business

Staff informed the Committee that in response to Councilman Alarcon’s request, AQMD staff met with the City of Los Angeles staff and discussed the Transportation Element of the City’s General Plan. As a follow-up, after AQMD review, a comment letter was submitted to the City regarding pertinent air quality issues. Committee Chair Soto requested that AQMD staff send a letter to all cities in the Basin, offering staff’s review and comments on city transportation elements as they are developed.

11. Public Comment

A member of the audience inquired about the status of the AQMD’s old-vehicle scrapping program. His company had submitted a proposal to the AQMD for funding under the Rule 2202 AQIP program. Staff reported that the Technology Committee was asked to review the scrapping program and provide a report back to the Board, at which time, the Board will provide direction as to how the program should proceed. Until that time, future contract actions are on hold.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:25 a.m.

Attachments

1. Attendance Roster

2. Presentation on Submittal of 1997 AQMP 2020 PM10 Emissions Inventory

3. Rule 2202 ETC Training RFP Presentation

4. Progress Report on Environmental Justice Initiative #4

5. Progress Report on Environmental Justice Initiative #2

6. Progress Report on Environmental Justice Initiative #7

7. Update on the Mobile Source Measures in the SIP

8. Rule 2202 Activity Report/Upcoming Events

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