South Coast Air Quality Management District

Mobile Source Committee

SYNOPSIS: 

The Mobile Source Committee met Friday, AprilMarch 273, 2001. Following is a summary of that meeting.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.

S. Roy Wilson, Chair
Mobile Source Committee

Attendance

The meeting started at 9:05 a.m. Present: Committee Chair Roy Wilson, Committee Vice Chair Jon Mikels, Committee Members Jane Carney, Norma Glover, and James Silva. Absent: Committee Member Ron Loveridge. The attachment is an attendance roster.

ACTION ITEM:

1. MOU with SCAG for Preparation and Implementation of Revisions to AQMP
   
   Staff reported that AQMD and SCAG have prepared an MOU for preparation and implementation of future revisions to the AQMP. The MOU addresses issues regarding scheduling of product development efforts for the 2001 AQMP, designation of lead agency responsibilities, and the process to resolve any disputes between the AQMD and SCAG regarding plan development. This MOU also provides for the AQMD Board and the SCAG Regional Council to each appoint three members to a Coordinating Committee which will review the progress of plan development and act as a conflict resolution body in the event of a disagreement between the agencies.
   
   Committee Chair Roy Wilson moved to recommend approval of this item to the Governing Board and Committee Member Jon Mikels seconded. The motion was passed unanimously.

2. Update on 2001 RTP
   
   Huasha Liu, Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) representative, provided an overview of the approach taken by SCAG in developing the 2001 Regional Transportation Plan. SCAG Regional Council approved the RTP on April 12, 2001.
   
   Huasha provided a comparison in the statistics used in the Growth Forecast for the 1998 and the 2001 RTP for employment, households and population. She reported that the RTP Aviation scenario is decentralized, which will proportionately distribute the regional air traffic through 2025. The RTP proposes an investment of $10 billion for highways and arterials, which includes maintenance, HOV facilities and freeway mixed flow lanes. Huasha identified projects that are in addition to baseline projects with anticipated funding streams and milestones. Huasha also identified the forecast increase in passenger miles and proposed regional transit projects.
   
   Committee Member Jon Mikels expressed concern with the formulas identified as additional funding streams for the RTP. Huasha explained that there are a number of proposed revenue generating mechanisms identified in the RTP, such as the Governors’ Congestion Relief Plan, continuation of county sales tax and taxation of alternative fuels. Committee Member Norma Glover stated that the AQMD cannot support the taxation on clean fuels. Committee members requested details on all funding scenarios included in the RTP. Huasha agreed to provide additional information on RTP funding. Committee Member Jon Mikels asked the following questions: Does SCAG staff believe that the RTP, as approved, will meet FHWA requirements for approval? Does SCAG feel that FHWA will approve the RTP without a guaranteed stream of revenues? What will the regional emissions impact be if FHWA does not approve all of, or a portion of, plan; and whether SCAG has developed contingency plans for potential FHWA disapproval? Huasha responded that SCAG believes that projects included in the baseline will meet FHWA requirements. SCAG staff believes that the 2001 RTP has met all conformity requirements.
   
   
3. Mobile Source Pilot Credit Programs –
   Proposed Rules (PRs) 1631, 1632, 1633 & 2507
   
   Staff gave a briefing on four pilot credit generation rules that will be considered by the Board at the May 11, 2001 Board meeting. The rules include: PR1631 – Marine Vessel Engine Repowering; PR1632 – Fuel Cell Substations for Marine Vessel Hotelling Operations; PR1633 – Electric Power for Truck and Trailer Refrigeration Units at Distribution Centers; and PR2507 – Electric Motors for Agricultural Pumps. These rules were developed through a working group process and are based on the structure of Rule 1612.1, which the Board adopted in March, 2001.
   
   The projects will generate NOx reductions for use by facilities in RECLAIM. Applications must be submitted by January 1, 2004 for reductions in the Basin from projects after specified dates. The program will be reviewed every two years for evaluation.
   
   Many issues have been resolved through the rule development process. Staff is still working with ARB, EPA and industry on a few remaining issues. ARB is sending a letter describing their analysis of how reductions under control measure M13 are being addressed which results in a determination that reductions from PR1632 and PR1633 will be surplus.
   
   Benefits include early introduction of clean technologies; accelerated turnover of diesel equipment; concurrent reduction of particulates and toxic air contaminants; and compliance flexibility and lower costs. Information was provided on estimated NOx reductions for units under these proposed rules, as well as Rule 1612.1.
   
   Committee Member Jon Mikels asked about the potential relationship between these rules and the previous briefing from SCAG regarding the RTP. Committee Member Jane Carney commented that adding mobile source credits for RECLAIM should be limited to use of these rules only by AQMD for the AQIP and Mitigation Program.
   
   
4. Status Report on "Procedures for Calculating Equivalent Toxic Risk Reduction from Vehicle Emissions"
   
   Staff presented an update of the studies of emissions from transit buses. The CARB study is continuing. Exhaust samples from a CNG-fueled bus and a diesel-fueled bus with an original equipment muffler have been completed. Sampling of exhaust from a diesel-fueled bus retrofitted with a particulate trap will begin next week. The EC-Diesel study, co-funded by BP, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, CARB, and AQMD, is scheduled to complete collection of exhaust samples from CNG fueled and diesel-fueled transit buses this week. Preliminary data from analyses of these samples are expected in late summer.
   
   Further discussion with particulate trap manufacturer were conducted regarding retrofitting a CNG vehicle with a particulate trap. A Request for Proposal to design and test a CNG-vehicle retrofit technology will be prepared for the June Board meeting.
   
   Ms. Carney asked if any stakeholders had expressed concern for the time it is taking to complete these studies. Staff responded that the stakeholders' main concern is that the studies be conducted to give the most accurate and useful results, and that they should not be rushed.
   
   
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 reports submitted, no comments.
   
   
7. Other Business
   
   Committee Members Jane Carney and Norma Glover requested that the Committee be provided with implementation guidelines for the school bus fleet rule, as well as periodic status reports on the implementation of the fleet rules, including any problems that may arise during implementation.
   
   
8. Public Comment
   
   None.

The meeting adjourned at 10:15 a.m.

Attachment
Attendance Roster

SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
MOBILE SOURCE COMMITTEE

APRIL 27, 2001

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