South Coast Air Quality Management District
South Coast Air Quality Management District
BOARD MEETING DATE: January 19, 2001 AGENDA NO. 10
Appropriate Funds from Undesignated Fund Balance for CEQA Work
SYNOPSIS:
At its August 18, 2000 meeting, the Board authorized the Executive Officer to add money from the FY 2000-01 CEQA Budget to fund four contracts as the need arises to assist in on-going environmental analyses. Additional CEQA projects related to new power plants, refinery modifications, AQMD Fleet rules and other projects require additional funding beyond the budgeted amount. Therefore, Staff is requesting the Board to amend the FY 2000-01 Budget by appropriating $250,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance to the Planning Rule Development and Area Sources Professional and Special Services account for CEQA consultant assistance. Further, Staff is requesting, from these funds, to add a total aggregate amount of $150,000 to existing contractors: Chambers Group, Environmental Audit, Environmental Compliance Solutions and ENSR.
COMMITTEE:
Administrative, December 8, 2000. Less than a quorum was present during the discussion of this item. Those Committee Members who were present communicated their concurrence.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
In the FY2000-01 Budget for Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources, $200,000 in contract monies was allocated to support the AQMD’s rulemaking schedule and non-AQMD projects where the AQMD assumes the role of lead agency. The majority of these budgeted funds were encumbered when the Board approved four contracts for CEQA consultant assistance on August 18, 2000 to the Chambers Group, Environmental Audit, Environmental Compliance Solutions and ENSR. These contracts were approved by the Board on January 21, 2000 for a two-year duration. However, a significant amount of the budgeted funds are being expended by the AQMD as lead agency to assist the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in expediting the completion of a number of power plant projects. These projects are being undertaken to comply with an Order of Abatement that requires control equipment and turbines to be installed by June 1, 2001. By completing these projects before next summer’s peak energy demand arises, additional electrical power will be available to assist in averting an energy crisis. In addition, significant CEQA resources have had to be expended on the AQMD’s series of fleet rules and refinery modifications to comply with new CARB fuel specifications and the state mandate to eliminate the use of MTBE, as well as supporting the regular rulemaking schedule. As a result, there will not be sufficient funding for the level of CEQA analysis necessary to support AQMD rulemaking and lead agency projects through the end of this fiscal year.
Proposal
Staff proposes the Board amend the FY2000-01 Budget by appropriating $250,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance and allocate it to the Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources’ Professional and Special Services account for the CEQA contracts, to provide for support for the rulemaking schedule and lead agency projects. Staff proposes that the Executive Officer amend existing contracts to add funds as follows: Chambers Group - $25,000, Environmental Audit - $50,000, Environmental Compliance Solutions - $25,000, and ENSR - $50,000. The total amount of these increases is $150,000. Further, Staff proposes to retain $100,000 in the FY 2000-01 CEQA Budget for future disbursement as the need arises.
|
Contractor Name |
Original Amt. |
Additional Funds Added to |
Proposed Award |
Total |
|
Chambers Group |
$25,000 |
$9,000 |
$25,000 |
$59,000 |
|
Environmental |
$50,000 |
N/A |
$50,000 |
$100,000 |
|
ENSR |
$50,000 |
$220,000 |
$50,000 |
$320,000 |
|
Environmental |
$25,000 |
N/A |
$25,000 |
$50,000 |
Resource Impact
Since the appropriation and reallocation of funds by the AQMD constitutes a budget supplement within the definition of Health and Safety Code 40720(j), public notice of this proposed supplement was published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal, Riverside Press Enterprise, Orange County Register, San Bernardino Sun, and the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.
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