South Coast Air Quality Management District
South Coast Air Quality Management District
BOARD MEETING DATE: August 18, 2000 AGENDA NO. 11
Create a Non-Profit Organization to Administer the Adopt-A-School-Bus Program
SYNOPSIS:
Environmental Justice Initiative No. 7, adopted in November 1997, sought to "Create incentives to clean up or remove diesel engines in the basin." A recent AQMD study showed that diesel soot in the region is responsible for about 71% of the total cancer risk from air pollution. Chairman Burke has proposed an "Adopt-A-School-Bus" Program to help pay the cost of reducing cancer-causing diesel emissions from Southland school buses. Staff researched the feasibility of establishing this program, and recommends the following Board actions: (1) direct staff to create a separate non-profit entity to administer the program, funded by charitable contributions; and 2) approve the format whereby individuals shall be appointed as directors of this new entity.
COMMITTEE:
Administrative, July 14, 2000, Provided for Information
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Board Chair Burke proposed the formation of an "Adopt-A-School-Bus" program to help pay the cost of reducing cancer-causing diesel emissions from Southland school buses. This proposal was intended to further support the Children’s Air Quality Agenda approved by the Board in January 1999, as well as the ongoing Clean On-Road Fleet Vehicle rulemaking.
Staff researched the feasibility of establishing such a program, which would offer individuals and corporate sponsors the opportunity to help pay the difference in cost to retrofit diesel school buses to cleaner-burning technologies, or to purchase new clean fuel buses. This project would have the potential to provide vital supplemental dollars to address the urgent public health risk from diesel exhaust emissions.
Following discussions with outside legal counsel, a determination was made that an independent, nonprofit corporation could be established to accomplish the objectives described above. The nonprofit corporation could be self-supported from contributions and thus would not impose any costs on the District. Accordingly, staff is recommending that the Board authorize staff to retain a law firm to take the necessary legal action to incorporate the "Adopt-A-School-Bus" Foundation as a California non-profit corporation. Outside counsel would also apply to the IRS so that contributions to the non-profit corporation will qualify as charitable contributions.
The nonprofit corporation would be administered by a 12-member board of directors with each AQMD Board Member selecting a representative. Selectees would not be Board Members or Board Assistants. The Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, Rick Pearce, will serve as liaison with the nonprofit corporation.
Proposal
Therefore, it is proposed by staff that the Governing Board approve the recommendation to authorize staff to take all necessary steps to establish a non-profit corporation to administer the Adopt-A-School-Bus program and receive contributions from potential program sponsors; authorize legal counsel to apply to the Internal Revenue Service for non-profit status for the corporation; and approve the format described above to establish the corporation’s board of directors.
Resource Impacts
Resources already allocated in the FY 2000-01 Budget will be used to initially establish this nonprofit corporation; thereafter, the entity is intended to be self-supporting.
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