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PROPOSAL:

Recognize and Appropriate Funds from EPA for Environmental Justice Initiative No. 2 and PM_2.5 Programs

SYNOPSIS:

EPA has allocated $110,000 Section 105 Supplemental Grant funds for the AQMD’s Environmental Justice Initiative No. 2. EPA has also allocated $176,400 Section 103 Grant funds for the PM_2.5 program. This action is to recognize these funds from EPA upon receipt, and appropriate these funds to the FY 1998-99 Budget for the Environmental Justice Initiative No. 2 and the PM_2.5 programs.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, June 19, 1998, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

1. Recognize $110,000 from EPA and appropriate $110,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance to the Applied Science and Technology (AST) FY 1998-99 Budget, to support the Environmental Justice Initiative No. 2 program.

2. Recognize $176,400 from EPA and appropriate these funds to the AST FY 1998-99 Budget to support the PM_2.5 program.

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

Background

Environmental Justice Initiative No. 2

On October 10, 1997, the Board approved a set of Environmental Justice Initiatives. To help support Environmental Justice Initiative No. 2 - Ambient Monitoring of Air Toxics, the AQMD has applied for, and EPA has approved a Section 105 Supplemental Grant in the amount of $110,000. These funds will be used for two purposes: (1) to help offset the siting and equipment maintenance costs associated with the MATES-II and Microscale Study, and (2) to support a research effort for determining the diesel component of particulates.

PM 2.5

EPA has allocated a total of $407,400 to support the establishment of AQMD’s PM_2.5 network. This program is mandated under EPA’s promulgation of the new fine particulate standards on July 18, 1997, in accordance with the provisions of the Clean Air Act. EPA has indicated that it will fund the purchase of new equipment and all the operational and maintenance costs associated with this national program. In keeping with this commitment, EPA has awarded the AQMD $407,400 for the 1998 portion of this program, which includes the purchase of new PM_2.5 samplers necessary to establish an initial monitoring network of 17 sites. From the $407,400 allocation, EPA will keep $231,000 to purchase the needed PM_2.5 samplers. EPA will purchase the samplers under national contracts and once delivered to the AQMD, the samplers will become part of AQMD’s fixed asset inventory.

The network will be installed during the latter four months of 1998, to be ready to begin compliance sampling by January 1, 1999. The remainder of the grant, $176,400, will be given to the AQMD as a Section 103 Grant to provide for staffing, maintenance, laboratory upgrades, and supplies necessary to begin the start-up of this program.

Proposal

Staff proposes that the Board recognize from EPA and appropriate to the FY 1998-99 Budget $110,000 for Environmental Justice Initiative No. 2 and $176,400 for the PM_2.5 program, as described below:

For Environmental Justice Initiative No. 2, appropriate $110,000 to AST’s Services and Supplies Major Object in the FY 1998-99 Budget, as follows:

$10,000 - Laboratory Supplies (805 Account)

$25,000 - Building Maintenance Operations (765 Account)

$20,000 - Maintenance of Equipment (760 Account)

$15,000 - Temporary Services (746 Account)

$35,000 - Professional and Special Services (745 Account)
                Consultant Services
                Outside Laboratory Support

$ 5,000 - Rents and Leases of Structures (735 Account)

For the PM_2.5 program, appropriate $176,400 to AST’s FY 1998-99 Budget, as follows:

$ 7,500 - Fixed Asset Major Object (900 Account)
                Microbalance

Services and Supplies Major Object:

$ 4,000 - Office Supplies (815 Account)

$58,000 - Building Maintenance (765 Account)

$ 5,000 - Maintenance of Equipment (760 Account)

$91,900 - Temporary Services (746 Account)

$10,000 - Professional and Special Services (745 Account)
                Performance Audit Contract

Fiscal Impacts

These grants are supplements to the FY 1998-99 Budget, and as such have no negative impact on the Budget. It should be noted, however, for the mandated PM_2.5 program, AQMD has no assurance that EPA will provide sufficient funding for 1999 and subsequent years, and should that occur, staff will need to consider either reducing the level of the program, or readjusting the existing resources to meet program commitments.

Since the appropriation of funds by the AQMD constitutes a budget supplement within the definition of Health and Safety Code 40720(j), public notice of this proposed supplement was published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal, Riverside Press Enterprise, Orange County Register, San Bernardino Sun, and the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.

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