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Mobile Source Committee

SYNOPSIS: 

The Mobile Source Committee met Friday, March 24, 2000. Following is a summary of that meeting.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.

Cynthia P. Coad, Chair
Mobile Source Committee

Attendance

The meeting started at 9:05 a.m. Present: Committee Chair Cynthia Coad (participated via videoteleconference), Committee Vice Chair Roy Wilson (participated via videoteleconference), Committee Members Ron Loveridge (arrived at 9:10 a.m.), Jon Mikels (arrived at 9:07 a.m.), and Board Member Jane Carney (arrived at 9:10 a.m.). Absent: Committee Member Norma Glover. The attachment is an attendance roster.

ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS:

1. AB2766 Subvention Fund Program Guidance Policy
   
   As a follow-up to the discussion at the February meeting, staff reported back to the Committee on the proposed guidance for the five areas under the AB2766 Subvention Fund Program that need clarification. Staff recommended the following:
   
   - Training:
   
   Training should include education of personnel on the mechanics, operation, safety, and maintenance of vehicles, equipment structures, and tools involved in emission-reducing projects.
   
   - Infrastructure Projects:
   
   These projects should include refueling/recharging facilities; transit projects that improve access and convenience, eliminate barriers, or provide automated schedule information; bicycle facilities; and enhancements to pedestrian facilities.
   
   - Fuel:
   
   Funds can be used to cover the full cost of alternative-fuel during the first 2-3 years of vehicle purchase; thereafter funds should cover only the cost differential.
   
   - Vehicle Category:
   
   Funds can be used to cover the purchase of alternative-fuel vehicles in the light- and medium-duty categories, as well as the heavy-duty category.
   
   - Vehicle Purchase:
   
   The most cost-effective use of fees would be to use the funding for only the cost differential between alternative-fuel vs. conventional vehicles. However, it is recommended that expenditure beyond the cost differential be encouraged for jurisdictions that commit to convert a large portion of their fleet to clean fuels.
   
   Staff is recommending approval of the proposed guidance by the Committee. Upon the Committee’s approval, staff will extend additional notifications to the local governments and also include the policy clarifications in the AB2766 Resource Guide, by the end of this Fiscal Year.
   
   Committee Vice Chair Roy Wilson moved to approve these recommendations; Committee Chair Cynthia Coad seconded; and the motion was carried unanimously.
   
   
2. Recommendation to Approve an RFQ for Doppler Sodar Boundary Layer Wind Measurement Systems
   
   Staff reports that as part of the U.S. EPA Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Station (PAMS) program, there is a need to supplement existing surface and upper-air meteorological measurements with data from Doppler sodar acoustic sounding systems for wind measurements in the lower atmospheric boundary layer. Currently the AQMD operates two upper-air monitoring stations at the Los Angeles and Ontario International Airports, and two new stations are now being installed in Riverside and Orange Counties. The Doppler sodar acoustic sounding systems will provide wind characterization for transport and modeling analyses and compliment the existing radar wind profilers. Staff recommends that a Request for Quotations be issued to solicit qualified bids. Funding has been allocated in the FY 1999-00 budget from grants awarded by the U.S. EPA for the PAMS program. Staff is seeking the Committee’s approval to present this recommendation to the Governing Board.
   
   Committee Vice Chair Roy Wilson moved to approve this item; Committee Chair Cynthia Coad seconded; and the motion was carried unanimously.

INFORMATION ITEMS:

3. Status of Mobile Source Credit Programs
   (This item was presented to the Committee as the first item, before presentation of Item #1.)
   
   Staff provided background information on the need for a Mobile Source Credit Program. The proposed strategy under this program is to generate NOx credits from mobile sources for use by stationary sources. This program will also cause retirement of concurrent reductions from other pollutants, including toxic air contaminants. There is currently an MERC rule proposed by the San Diego APCD. Under this proposal, the generator of the credits would be owner of the mobile source. Source categories cover replacement of medium and heavy-duty diesel vehicles or repowering of marine vessels. Users of the credits would be NSR permittees only, and the credits are interchangeable within the NSR market. The owner of the mobile source has to provide an annual report on location of the vehicles, IDs, maintenance/modification records, annual activity levels, etc. to the MERC owners. The user of the credits bears the liability should any activity level fall below the projected level and needs to prepare a contingency plan. A 30-day public comment period is required prior to a final decision on the program and EPA requires SIP approval prior to operation.
   
   
4. Status Report on Fleet Rule Development
   
   Staff reported that there is a change to the proposed rule adoption schedule since the last meeting. Proposed Rule 1191 will now be presented to the Governing Board at its June meeting. As a result, the adoption schedule for the rest of the fleet rules will also likely be changed.
   
   A status report on Proposed Rules 1191, 1192 & 1193 was provided, as follows:
   
   - Proposed Rule 1191:
   
   The March 16^th revisions include: revised implementation start date to July 1, 2001; clarification of emergency vehicle definition; explicit exemptions for surveillance/undercover vehicles, and contract services; and recognition of alternative-fueled vehicle purchases.
   
   - Proposed Rule 1192:
   
   Proposed exemptions cover buses used for: paratransit services, school transportation services, buses used for testing/evaluation, long-distance services that are equipped for out-of-district travels; and heavy-duty transit vehicles used for the express purpose of transporting passenger for which no alternative-fuel engine/chassis is available commercially. AQMD staff current evaluation efforts cover: role of diesel technology; effects of the rule on large transit operators vs. small operators, and the need for phased-in implementation.
   
   - Proposed Rule 1193:
   
   Proposed exemptions cover: vehicles used for testing/evaluation; other heavy-duty vehicles; heavy-duty refuse collection vehicles for which no alternative-fuel engine/chassis is available commercially; also entities demonstrating financial or economic hardship and/or lack of availability of fueling infrastructure prior to July 1, 2002. AQMD staff current evaluation efforts cover: application of dual-fuel technologies, effects of the rule on large waste hauling fleets vs. smaller fleets, and the need for phased-in implementation.
   
   In answer to Committee Chair Cynthia Coad’s enquiry, staff will provide information on the specification of the exhaust gas in terms of the related pollutants and their quantifications.
   
   
5. Rule 2202 Activity Report
   
   Rule 2202 Summary Status Report submitted, no comments.
   
   
6. Monthly Report on Environmental Justice Initiatives
   
   Item #4 – CEQA Commenting:
   a. CEQA Document Commenting Update: Written report submitted, no comments.
   b. CEQA Handbook Revision: No meeting in March.
   
   
7. Monthly Report on Environmental Justice Initiatives
   
   Item #7 – Cleanup Incentives for Diesel: Written report submitted, no comments.
   
   
8. Other Business
   
   None
   
   
9. Public Comment
   
   None

The meeting adjourned at 10:20 a.m.

Attachment
Attendance Roster

SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
MOBILE SOURCE COMMITTEE

MARCH 24, 2000

ATTENDANCE ROSTER

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