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REPORT:

Mobile Source Committee

SYNOPSIS:

The Mobile Source Committee met on Friday, October 16, 1998. Presentations were made on the following items: Legislative Update; Recommendation to Award Contract for Technical Assistance for Local Jurisdictions Utilizing AB 2766 Subvention Funds; Legislation Concepts Regarding AB 2766; Status Report on ARB-AQMD Coordination on the Carl Moyer Fund for Heavy-Duty Diesel Emissions Reductions; Status Report on the Rule 2202 Emissions Equivalency Task Force; Proposed Amended Rules 403 and 1186; Environmental Justice Initiatives #2, 4, and 7; Report on the American Public Transportation Association Conference; and Proposed Amendments to Rule 1610 – Old Vehicle Scrapping. The next meeting is December 17, 1998 at 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 Members Mee Hae Lee, Norma Glover and Jon Mikels. Also present was Committee Vice Chair Roy Wilson from the teleconference center in Indio. Absent: Committee Chair Nell Soto and Committee Member Ronald Loveridge. Attachment 1 is an attendance roster.

MOBILE SOURCE COMMITTEE DISCUSSION ITEMS

1. Legislative Update

   Staff distributed a handout showing the updated status of 1998 air quality legislation. Staff informed the Committee that the following chair appointments had been made in the Senate Transportation, Education and Budget Committees: Betty Karnette for Transportation, Dede Alpert for Education and Steve Peace for Budget.

2. Recommendation to Award Contract for Technical Assistance for Local Jurisdictions Utilizing AB 2766 Subvention Funds

   The Committee discussed this item along with agenda item #3. Committee Members Lee and Mikels expressed several concerns regarding the adequacy of the RFP to respond to critical issues facing the AB 2766 program.

   Committee Member Lee made a motion, seconded by Committee Member Mikels, to do the following: (a) staff to report back to the Committee at the next meeting as to whether the scope of work required under the RFP could be done by AQMD staff; (b) staff to identify the resource requirements for doing this work in-house; and (c) if the project cannot be undertaken by AQMD staff, staff to re-write the RFP to specify the methodology that would be needed to collect the data needed to quantify emission reductions. In the ensuing discussion, Committee Members Glover and Mikels stressed the need to establish minimum criteria or thresholds relating to cost effectiveness and emissions reduction capability of AB 2766 projects implemented by local governments.

3. Legislation Concepts Regarding AB2766

   Staff outlined the criteria that are required for State Implementation Plan (SIP) measures. Two important criteria or concepts are that the SIP measures should be enforceable and the emissions quantifiable. In order for SIP credit to apply to any portion of AB 2766 funds, it would be necessary to utilize ARB methods to calculate emissions reductions. Additionally, in order for SIP credit to apply, fund recipients would be required to enter into agreements with the AQMD. This would mean that AQMD and ARB staff would have to work closely with local governments to ensure that their AB 2766 funded projects would generate real emissions reductions. This would also ensure that there is adequate data on these projects to determine their cost effectiveness.

   Staff recommended that the AQMD should try to work with ARB and local jurisdictions through non-legislative means to ensure efficient project selection, monitoring and data collection. If such an effort is not successful, then the AQMD could seek a legislative solution. Committee Member Glover pointed out that local governments do not have the staff to quantify the emissions reductions expected from AB 2766 projects. Committee Member Mikels indicated that the RFP under agenda item #2 is intended to provide local jurisdictions with that expertise.

4. Status Report on ARB-AQMD Coordination on the Carl Moyer Fund for Heavy-Duty Diesel Emissions Reductions

   ARB instituted this fund in memory of Dr. Carl Moyer to provide incentives for either the purchase of clean fuel vehicles or the retrofit of diesel engines. Dr. Carl Moyer was the Chief Scientist at ARCADIS Geraghty-Miller (formerly ACUREX). He facilitated the Truck Working Group and conceived the plan to provide incentives for the purchase of low emission heavy-duty vehicles. He died suddenly in a ski accident last fall before his concepts could be acted upon. Two bills were introduced in the last legislative session to establish the Carl Moyer Memorial Fund, SB 1857 (Brulte) and AB 1368 (Villaraigosa). These bills established the incentive program and identified program funding. Ultimately, both bills were vetoed because the Governor had already placed $25 million in ARB’s budget to help fund the purchase of low emission vehicles. The funds will be available to air districts. They will be allocated by criteria including match funding, number of heavy-duty vehicles registered in the district, and attainment status. ARB will hold a public workshop to review the program criteria on November 12, 1998 in El Monte.

   Committee Member Mikels observed that there are a number of programs currently aimed at reducing oxides of nitrogen and particulate emissions from diesel-fueled engines. He expressed concern that some of these programs may overlap and lead to inefficiencies. He asked staff to compile information on all diesel programs on diesel for presentation to the Committee at its next meeting.

   Anne Geraghty of California Air Resources Board (CARB) informed the Committee about a program that CARB had introduced to clean up California’s school and transit bus fleets using funds from the federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21^st Century (TEA-21). Under the program, CARB plans to use the $340 million to be provided annually by TEA-21 through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement funds (CMAQ) to replace 2,200 pre-1977 diesel school buses by 2003. The program also proposes to spend about $1.3 billion annually to replace a total of 5,000 diesel buses operated by transit districts in California by 2010. The $1.3 billion comes from federal transit grants, California’s share of Surface Transportation Program funds and the new Transit Capital Investment funds. Ms. Geraghty informed the Committee that Golden Empire Transit District plans to replace all their diesel buses with compressed natural gas (CNG). Sacramento Regional Transit District also plans to have 100% CNG fleet by 2003. Jim Ortner of the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) announced that the OCTA Board had approved plans to purchase 132 40-foot CNG buses with an option to purchase another 100 in 1999. The delivery of the buses will start in June 2000.

5. Status Report on the Rule 2202 Emissions Equivalency Task Force

   The Task Force was constituted in August 1998 to identify sources for meeting the emissions shortfall created by the exemption of employers with between 100 and 249 employees from AQMD Rule 2202. The Task Force has had three meetings. The Task Force has determined that through the AB 2766/MSRC diesel bus purchase program, the basin will ultimately be able to cover the NO_x shortfall. With respect to CO, CARB is working on two new programs including the LEV II program, which would achieve additional CO emission reductions to help cover the CO shortfall. The Task Force has noted that by quantifying the AB 2766/MSRC projects, the air basin will be able to reduce the HC shortfall by approximately 20%. Other potential sources would be emission reductions from federal fleets mandated under Executive Order 130-13. The ARB’s $25 million statewide diesel retrofit program would generate some HC reductions. The Task Force is exploring other sources of emission reductions and intends to submit preliminary recommendations to the AQMD Board at the December 1998 hearing.

   Al Bowser of the Automobile Club of Southern California (ACSC) informed the Committee about a forthcoming ACSC-sponsored workshop on three-way catalytic converters. Based on a program currently underway in San Diego, the ACSC considers the three-way catalytic converter as a potentially cost effective tool for reducing emissions not only from the gross polluters but also from heavy-duty diesel buses. Committee Member Mikels commended the ACSC for highlighting this specific program.

6. Proposed Amended Rules 403 and 1186

   As a result of meetings with local jurisdictions as well as various farming and other agricultural groups, AQMD staff is proposing to amend Rule 403 to streamline the soil erosion control plan process, exempt sandblasting and unpaved alleys and address some issues raised by EPA. AQMD is delaying the procurement date of PM₁₀-efficient sweepers until January 1, 2000 to enable the finalization of sweeper certification tests and to allow jurisdictions time to budget for and procure the sweepers. Staff continues to hold workshops and meetings on the proposed amendments. Staff will present the amendments to the Board at the December 1998 hearing.

7. Monthly Report on Environmental Justice Initiatives

   Initiative #4 (b) CEQA Document Commenting: During the period of September 2 through October 1, 1998, staff received 45 documents. Staff sent out 21 comment letters and is currently reviewing 65 documents. Staff continues to review about 95% of the CEQA documents. (This report in included in the November 1998 Board package as Attachments A-C to agenda item "Lead Agency projects and Environmental Documents Received by the AQMD.")

   Initiative #4 (a) CEQA Handbook Revision: Staff expects to have a preliminary draft of the handbook completed by end of October 1998. The working group will review this document at its next meeting before releasing it for public comment during November – December 1998. Staff expects a final report to be ready by January 1999. Committee Member Mikels asked how the listing of diesel exhaust as a toxic contaminant and federal Title VI would impact land use decisions and ultimately the handbook. Staff will consult with AQMD legal staff on the issue and report back to the Committee.

8. Monthly Report on Environmental Justice Initiatives:

   Initiative #2 - Ambient Monitoring of Air: All 10 MATES-II sites continue to operate. Most of the laboratory analyses have been completed for the samples that were collected through July 1998. Staff is completing preparations for the next set of microscale site locations. (This report is included in the November 1998 Board package as an attachment to agenda item "Technology Committee Report.")

   Initiative #7 - Cleanup Incentives for Diesel: The Implementation Subgroup of the Truck Working Group met on October 13, 1998 to discuss ARB’s heavy-duty vehicle incentive program. ARB will hold a workshop on this program on November 12, 1998 in El Monte. AQMD will host a workshop on CNG-LNG Safety on November 18, 1998 and a conference on Fuel Cell Reformers on November 20, 1998. (This report is included in the November 1998 Board package as an attachment to agenda item "Technology Committee Report.")

9. Rule 2202 Activity Report/Upcoming Event

   Staff reported on the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Conference that was held in New York the week of October 5, 1998. Over 3000 delegates from all over the world attended the conference. Representatives from AQMD, Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), San Bernardino Association of Governments (SANBAG), Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), and local transit districts were in attendance. Some of the issues discussed included increased funding from TEA-21 for transit, and technology applications to transportation especially as found in intelligent transportation systems. Board Member Roy Wilson also attended the conference.

10. Proposed Amendments to Rule 1610 – Old Vehicle Scrapping

    Staff has had extensive discussions with agencies, groups and parties affected by Rule 1610. As a result of these discussions, staff is proposing to amend the rule to do the following: require destruction of all engine components as required by EPA; allow recycling of other components such as doors, fenders, bumpers, seats, etc.; notify car collectors in advance of vehicles to be scrapped; allow up to 3% of vehicles to be made available for component recycling; and allow credits for vehicles with fully destroyed engine. The proposed amendments will be heard by the AQMD Board on November 13, 1998. ARB is proposing a statewide rule on old vehicle scrapping in December 1998.

OTHER MATTERS

11. November and December Meeting Dates

    Because of scheduling conflicts with the coming holidays, the Committee decided not to meet in November. The next meeting was scheduled for Thursday, December 17, 1998.

12. Other Business

    There was no other business.

13. Public Comment

    There were no public comments. The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 a.m.

The next Mobile Source Committee meeting is Thursday, December 17, 1998.

Attachment

1. Attendance Roster

ATTACHMENT 1

SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
MOBILE SOURCE COMMITTEE
October 16, 1998

ATTENDANCE ROSTER

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