The Mobile Source Committee met Friday, April 16, 1999. Following is a summary of that
meeting. The next meeting will be May 28, 1999, at 9:30 a.m. in Conference Room CC-8.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive and file.
Norma Glover
for Cynthia P. Coad, Chairman
Mobile Source Committee
Attendance
The meeting started at 9:35 a.m. Present: Committee Members Norma Glover and Jon
Mikels. Absent: Committee Chairwoman Cynthia Coad, Committee Vice Chair Roy Wilson,
Committee Members Mee Hae Lee and Ron Loveridge. In the absence of both a Committee Chair
and a Committee Vice Chair, Norma Glover chaired the meeting. The attachment is an
attendance roster.
Since a quorum was not present when the meeting was called to order, District Counsel
Barbara Baird advised that the Committee could discuss the items and communicate
concurrence or comment on issues they opposed, which would be recorded in the minutes of
the meeting.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
Status Report on AB2766 Subvention Fund Program
This item was moved forward on the agenda at staff’s suggestion in order to provide
an introduction to agenda Item #1 on AB2766 outreach efforts with the Councils of
Governments.
Staff presented an overview of the AB2766 Technical Assistance Program, and explained that
this program was initiated at the request of the Mobile Source Committee on December 17,
1998 and incorporated internalization of the technical assistance function. The technical
assistance team is composed of six Transportation Specialists who were introduced to the
Committee.
A status report then followed. Areas covered included: ongoing programs and projects;
project categories; staff activities; local government responsiveness; status of AB2766
funds for FY 97/98; goals and objectives of decreasing the unspent fund balances;
coordination efforts with local government; and status reporting. Staff reported that the
FY 97-98 Activity Report will be presented at the June Board meeting.
Staff also briefed the Committee on the following two documents: Summary Report of Unspent
Funds as of 7/1/98, and AB2766 Subvention Fund Contact List.
The Committee noted that this is an informational item.
Recommendation to Approve AB2766 Outreach Effort with Councils of Government for
$100,000
Staff provided background information on the AB2766 Local Government Outreach Program and
introduced a proposed workplan submitted by the Orange County Councils of Government in
cooperation with the San Bernardino Association of Governments, the Western Riverside
Council of Governments, and the Gateway Cities Council of Governments (acting on behalf of
the South Bay Council of Governments, the Arroyo Verdugo Council of Governments, and the
Las Virgenes/Malibu/Conejo Council of Governments). The total RFP amount for this workplan
is set at $100,000.
Jackie Bacharach of the South Bay Cities COG addressed the Committee. Ms. Bacharach stated
that there are five subregional COGs in L.A. County. These COGS are all enthused about
participating in the outreach efforts, and all wish to participate in the AB2766 funding
program. She requested that an additional amount of $20,000 should be granted to three
COGs in Los Angeles County: South Bay, Gateway Cities, and Las Virgines/Malibu/Conejo.
The request for an additional $20,000 would have increased the total funding for the
proposed pilot project to $120,000. Both Committee Members Glover and Mikels commented
that the Mobile Source Committee does not have the authority to increase the amount. Less
than a quorum was present during the discussion of this item; those Committee members who
were present communicated the following: staff recommendation for the RFP for this
Workplan is $100,000; recommendation from Ms. Bacharach is $120,000. In addition, the
Committee Members communicated their recommendation to refer this matter to the Board.
Recommendation to Purchase an Upper-Air Radar Wind Profiler
Staff briefed the Committee on the recommendation to purchase an upper-air radar wind
profiler which fulfills Inland Empire Initiative #6. This profiler, to be sited in
Riverside County, will provide measurements of the vertical structure of wind and
temperature in the Inland Empire in order to improve air quality modeling and forecasting
capabilities, and better characterize the meteorological conditions that lead to high
ozone and fine particulates in the Inland Empire. The cost is estimated to be $240,000,
and installation is anticipated in fall of 1999. Funding is available from the existing
EPA PAMS monies.
Less than a quorum was present during the discussion of this item; those Committee members
who were present communicated concurrence.
Recommendation to Amend Contract for Rule 1186 – PM10-Efficient Street Sweeper
Evaluations
As directed by the Board, staff has been working with the Rule 1186 Working Group and
street sweeper manufacturers to establish a PM10-efficient street sweeper testing protocol
and certification limits. After an open-bidding process, CE-CERT was chosen to conduct
street sweeper evaluations for $49,500 (on nineteen sweepers). Based on recent information
submitted by the manufacturers, there may be a need to test up to four additional
sweepers. The recommendation is to amend the contract for an additional $10,000, for a
total sum not to exceed $59,500.
There was a brief discussion regarding the emission reductions expected from the
implementation of Rule 1186; provisions and requirements of the rule; whether cities are
required to use only the PM10-efficient street sweepers upon implementation of this rule;
and if the purchase of these street sweepers would be eligible to use AB2766 funds.
Less than a quorum was present during the discussion of this item; those Committee members
who were present communicated their concurrence.
Review of Amendments to Portions of Reg. III Relating to Reg. XVI
Staff gave a summary of the proposed amendments related to mobile source fees. The
proposed amendments to the rule include an across-the-board 2.0 percent California
Consumer Products Index (CPI) adjustment. A new fee is proposed to recover the program
cost on credit transactions for Mobile Source Emission Reduction Credits (MSERCs). The
full recommendation to amend Reg. III will also be presented to the Stationary Source and
Administration Committees at their April 23 meeting and to the Board at the May Board
meeting.
Less than a quorum was present during the discussion of this item; those Committee members
who were present communicated their concurrence.
Presentation on High-Speed Rail
Jackie Bacharach, representing California High-Speed Rail Authority, gave a presentation
on the proposal for a high-speed rail system within California. The presentation covered
the following: the need for such a system; time & money saving benefits; travel
options; environmental benefits; energy efficiency; public safety and noise reduction
benefits; and the various corridor alternatives for travelling within and through Northern
California, Central and Southern California.
There was a discussion on the subject of capital cost and operating cost. In answer to
questions from Committee Member Mikels, Jackie Bachrach indicated the capital cost for the
project is estimated between $23 billion and $31 billion. Both Committee Members Glover
and Mikels had concerns over the high capital cost and the cost effectiveness of the
proposed system. They also raised concerns over the potential competing factors with local
transportation agencies funding priorities in the four-county area.
This presentation was for information purposes only.
Overview of Proposal for Partnership on the Development of an Integrated Decision
System with MIT \
Staff presented a pre-proposal from MIT that has been invited for submission of a full
proposal to the National Science Foundation (NSF). The pre-proposal was written by three
MIT professors and sought to link a number of models used for air quality decision-making
in Southern California. These models are the REMI model for economic impact assessments,
the UAM model for air quality, the CCSCE model for employment projections, the SCAG land
use and transportation model, and the ARB mobile source model. Currently, these models
reside in various agencies and are run individually. The linkage will not alter any of
these models but rather facilitate data transmission from one model to another. In this
process, it will significantly reduce the time of running the five models as a whole. The
linkage will thus allow staff to more rapidly respond to various policy scenarios.
The tasks identified in the pre-proposal comprise a 3-year effort budgeted at $1.5
million. The MIT team is requesting in-kind support of involved agencies primarily in the
area of assisting it in identifying input and output parameters of each model and
obtaining electronic data files. The NSF will make a decision on the full proposal by
September 1999.
Committee Member Mikels commented that each model has its own inherent uncertainties, and
with the linkage of all the models, the uncertainties could be compounded. Staff responded
that further discussions will be conducted with the project investigators. Committee
Member Mikels also expressed a desire to study the pre-proposal.
Update of Rule 2202 Emissions Equivalency Task Force
Staff presented an update on the Rule 2202 Emissions Equivalency Task Force findings and
recommendations. Staff reported on the potential shortfalls for VOC, NOx and CO, and the
potential sources for making up the shortfalls. These sources include: MSRC Program, AQIP
Bank, ARB LEV II Program, Carol Moyer Program, Donation of ERCs, 1-800 Cut Smog, and
revision of Rule 2202. Staff mentioned that the Task Force will reconvene on May 6 to
discuss remaining comments, and that this item will go to the Board at the May Board
meeting. An addendum to the final recommendations submitted in April will be delivered to
the Board Members.
Staff also indicated that there is a need to continue looking for VOC sources, and that
the AQMD does not have sufficient money to buy these credits on the open market. In this
regard Committee Member Mikels referred to a project currently requesting inter-basin
credit transfers. He would like to see an analysis of the AQMD’s availability of VOC
credits within the South Coast Basin in response to this project and also the potential
impact of the project.
The Committee noted that this is an information item.
Agenda item was moved forward to be heard first.
Format and Schedule for Reporting Progress on the 2000 AQMP
Revision
Written report submitted, no comments.
Report on Cost Impact of Engine Destruction Requirement in Rule 1610
Written report submitted, no comments.
Rule 2202 Activity Report
Rule 2202 Summary Status Report submitted, no comments.
a. CEQA Document Commenting Update: Written report submitted, no comments.
b. CEQA Handbook Revision: Written report submitted, no comments.
Monthly Report on Environmental Justice Initiatives Item #2 – Ambient Monitoring of Air Toxics: Written report submitted, no
comments. Item #7 – Cleanup Incentives for Diesel: Written report submitted, no
comments.
Update on the Mobile Source Measures in the SIP
Written report submitted, no comments.
