South Coast Air Quality Management District

Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee

SYNOPSIS: 

Below is a summary of key issues addressed at the MSRC’s March 22, 2001, meeting. The next MSRC meeting is Thursday, April 26, 2001, at 1:30 p.m. in Room CC8.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.

Norma J. Glover
AQMD Representative on MSRC

Approval of Minutes

Minutes from the November 30, 2000 and February 22, 2001 meetings were unanimously approved, as submitted. Both minutes are attached for your information (Attachment 1).

Funding Projects under the Alternative Fuels Subvention Fund Match Program

The MSRC's FY 2000-01 Work Program included $3 million towards an Alternative Fuels Subvention Fund Match Program. The Match Program set aside $1.5 million each for alternative fuels infrastructure and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, and included a geographic minimum per county of $375,000. The application period opened February 1 and closes June 30, 2001, and applications are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. To date 31 applications have been received requesting $2,213,999 for vehicles and $780,935 for infrastructure for a total of $3,014,934. Of these 31 applications, 28 were received the first day of the open application period.

The MSRC decided that the best action was to fund all applications received to date, but inform local governments that no further applications for alternative fuel vehicles would be accepted since the $1.5 million set aside was reached. The $14,934 above the $3 million included in the Work Program will be funded through the MSRC's reserve (typically maintained at $500,000). Applications for infrastructure will continue to be accepted through the June 30, 2001 deadline, but will be funded from turnback funds, and if no turnback monies become available, it is the MSRC's intent to fund these projects through the next work program. This action ensures the geographic distribution of infrastructure the program was intended to achieve, and supports the AQMD's fleet rules.

These match projects have been included on the April 20, 2001 consent calendar for consideration by the AQMD Board as part of the FY 2001-02 Work Program.

Submittal of MSRC Projects to ARB for Consideration for Use as Offset to Power Facilities

On March 26, 2001, the AQMD Board took action to approve the submittal of MSRC projects to ARB for consideration in offsetting emissions from peaker power plants in response to ARB's notice requesting applications for projects by April 2, 2001, which would immediately result in NOx and PM10 reduction. The AQMD Board action was contingent on the MSRC's approval on March 22, 2001. The MSRC unanimously approved the submittal of the MSRC projects. Should the ARB accept the projects, it would require novation of the existing contracts to the ARB. A proposal from the MSRC will be submitted to the ARB in the next few days.

Contract Modification Requests

The MSRC unanimously approved a final six-month extension on all electric vehicle charging station contracts from the FY 1998-99 Work Program. The charging stations have all been installed under these contracts, but delays have been experienced partly because of the coordination required with Caltrans to place the EV signs on the freeways. The MSRC directed staff to send a letter to the Caltrans District 12 Director requesting that the permit process for these projects be expedited, noting that there was a special effort to obtain their previous approval to place these signs when the program was originally established.

Contract Administrator Report

The MSRC's AB 2766 Contract Administrator provided a written status report on all open contracts from FY 1994-95 through the present. This Contract Administrator Report is attached for your information (Attachment 2).

Attachments

1 - Approved November 30, 2000 and February 22, 2001 MSRC Minutes
2 - Contract Administrator Report

/ / /