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Recognize and Appropriate Funds to Provide Upper-Air Wind and Temperature Monitoring Services

SYNOPSIS: 

At its October 9, 1998 meeting the Board recognized $175,000 in revenue from the ARB to be appropriated to the FY 1998-1999 Budget as part of the ARB’s commitment to the $350,000 funding of upper air and temperature monitoring services provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The funds from ARB were not received until FY 1999-2000 and therefore need to be recognized in this budget year. This action is to recognize the $175,000 from ARB and appropriate their funds to the FY 1999-00 Budget.

COMMITTEE: 

Administrative, April 14, 2000, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Recognize $175,000 of revenue upon receipt from ARB and appropriate $175,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance to the Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources Professional and Special Services Account to provide upper air wind and temperature measurements

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

At its October 1998 meeting, the Board authorized the Chairman to recognize $175,000 in funds from the ARB, appropriate those funds to the FY 1998-99 Budget and to execute a contract with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct upper air wind and temperature measurements. The $175,000 represented the ARB’s commitment (matching the AQMD commitment of $175,000) to the jointly funded $350,000 monitoring project. The data obtained from this monitoring program was a cornerstone in the MATES-II regional toxics modeling analyses. In addition these data will be used to develop meteorological inputs for air quality models used in preparing the AQMP.

Upon authorization by the Board in 1998, the AQMD entered into contract negotiations with NOAA and the ARB. Funding of the project was conducted in two phases. The first six months of monitoring were funded by the AQMD. The second six months of monitoring were contingent upon receipt of funds from the ARB. The contract process with NOAA was lengthy due to a required review by the federal government. As a consequence, the NOAA contract (No. 99044) was not signed until June 30, 1999. Meteorological monitoring however was being conducted during the contract process. Concurrently, the AQMD and ARB entered into contract negotiations for ARB’s commitment to the monitoring program. The ARB contract (No. 99111) was also signed in the late spring of 1999 (signed by W. Burke on May 14, 1999 and by the State of California Department of General Services on June 14, 1999) however the transfer of the $175,000 in funds to the AQMD as specified by the contract did not take place until October of 1999, in FY 1999-2000. As a consequence, the $175,000 ARB contribution needs to be recognized in the FY 1999-2000 Budget so that the funds can be passed through to NOAA via a contract extension to complete the funding for the second six months of upper air monitoring services.

Proposal

Staff is recommending that the Board authorize the Chairman to recognized $175,000 in revenues from ARB and appropriate $175,000 from the FY 1999-2000 Undesignated Fund Balance to PRA’s Professional and Special Services. Furthermore, staff is requesting the Board execute an amendment to the current NOAA contract (No. 99044) to extend for the second six months of upper air monitoring. There will be no increase in the contract period to complete the data analysis.

Resource Impacts

The AQMD will incur minor administrative costs as a result of this project extension. The revenues recognized from ARB will be passed through the FY 1999-2000 Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources Budget to fund the contract. A copy of the October 9, 1998 board letter, signed by the Clerk of the Board is provided as an attachment for reference.

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

ATTACHMENT

AQMD Board Letter
October 9, 1998

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