South Coast Air Quality Management District
South Coast Air Quality Management District
BOARD MEETING DATE: October 19, 2001 AGENDA NO. 20
Appropriate and Reallocate Funds for PAMS, PM2.5, and National Air Toxics Pilot Programs and Children’s Health Study
SYNPOSIS:
EPA has allocated Section 103 and Section 105 Grant funds to the implementation of PAMS, PM2.5 and the National Air Toxics Pilot (NATP) monitoring programs. In addition, CARB has funded each successive year of the operation of the Children’s Health Study (CHS). From FY 2000-01, $1,427,997 of funding was unexpended from these programs. This action is to appropriate and reallocate $296,311 for the PAMS program, $966,616 for the PM2.5 program, $35,216 for the NATP, and $129,854 for the CHS, to the FY 2001-02 Budget.
COMMITTEE:
Administrative, October 12, 2001, Recommended for Approval
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
PAMS
In February 1993, the EPA promulgated the PAMS regulations for areas classified as serious, severe or extreme non-attainment. Those regulations required AQMD to conduct monitoring for ozone precursors with enhanced monitoring equipment initially at one site, increasing to a total of seven sites. All seven sites are now operational. The PAMS program is also funding the meteorological upper air profilers sited at LAX, Ontario Airport and Moreno Valley, and the new upper air site being installed at John Wayne Airport in Orange County. Since the onset of the PAMS program, EPA has annually allocated Section 103 or Section 105 supplemental grant funds in support of this requirement.
From the seventh and eighth years of PAMS implementation, $296,311 was unexpended as of June 30, 2001. Attachment A includes a summary of the PAMS expenditures for each of these years. Funding carryovers typically result from changes in anticipated needs from one year to the next. Certain equipment, for example, may be budgeted (as a fixed asset) anticipating the need for replacement. However, it has turned out that the equipment lasted longer than expected, and other equipment factors have reduced spending. Unspent monies are earmarked for carryover.
Funds from the seventh and eighth years of PAMS need to be appropriated and reallocated to the FY 2001-02 Budget to accommodate changes in program needs and accomplish the goals of the PAMS program. The carryover of unexpended grant funds was discussed with and accepted by the EPA. Attachment A also lists the reallocation of funds to the FY 2001-02 Budget.
Funds from the ninth year of PAMS totaling $1,248,085, were recognized, appropriated and allocated by the Board at their July 20, 2001 meeting.
PM2.5 Monitoring
Since 1998, EPA has been providing funding for the comprehensive PM2.5 air monitoring program as a Section 103 Grant. At its February meeting, the Board recognized $767,075 to continue the program through calendar year 2001. Most recently, at its July 20, 2001 meeting, the Board recognized, appropriated and allocated $141,050 in supplemental Section 103 Grant funds from EPA to collect continuous particle size information, including ultrafine particles in conjunction with the CARB CHS, at several sites within the South Coast Air Basin, and to purchase and operate an additional speciated PM2.5 sampler at the downtown Los Angeles air monitoring station to allow for a comparison of speciated samples between the AQMD laboratory and the designated national laboratory. Both aspects of this augmentation will add substantially to the fine particulate data which will help in the characterization of air quality conditions and health impacts.
Funds in the amount of $966,616 allocated for PM2.5 in FY 2000-01 was unexpended as of June 30, 2001. Attachment B includes a summary of the PM2.5 expenditures. These funds need to be appropriated and reallocated to the FY 2001-02 Budget to accommodate changes in program needs and accomplish the goals of the PM2.5 program. The carryover of unexpended grant funds was discussed with and accepted by the EPA. Attachment B also also lists the reallocation of funds to the FY 2001-02 Budget.
During the past two fiscal years, EPA provided funds to lease four CNG utility vans to support staff in the operation, maintenance, calibration and repair of the samplers in the PM2.5 network. Included in this lease was an option for the AQMD to purchase these vehicles for $1 at the end of the lease. The AQMD exercised this option during FY 2000-01, and these vehicles now need to be added to the AQMD fixed asset inventory.
National Air Toxics Pilot Program
Last year, as part of a special Congressional appropriation earmarked toward the development of a national air toxics monitoring network, AQMD was awarded $143,000 to conduct one year of air toxics monitoring in San Jacinto, concluding in early 2002, as part of a rural air toxics component to a national pilot monitoring program. Most recently, at its July 20, 2001 meeting, the Board recognized, appropriated and allocated $39,342 in supplemental Section 103 Grant funds to improve the quality of the data by allowing for co-located sampling at one of the two San Jacinto monitoring locations, and to conduct a data analysis project integrating data collected over the past two years as part of its Environmental Justice Initiatives and Children’s Air Quality Agenda.
Funds from the original grant in the amount of $35,216 was unexpended of June 30, 2001. Attachment C includes a summary of the NATP program expenditures for each of these years.
Funds from the NATP program need to be appropriated and reallocated to the FY 2001-02 Budget to accommodate changes in program needs and accomplish the goals of the NATP program. The carryover of unexpended grant funds was discussed with and accepted by the EPA. Attachment C also lists the reallocation of funds to the FY 2001-02 Budget.
CARB Children’s Health Study
The CHS program has been funded by ARB each successive year of operation since 1995. The AQMD has assumed the operational responsibility for the designated sites within the AQMD jurisdiction. In FY 2000-01, the Board recognized a total of $309,342 from ARB to continue the program through the end of 2001. The funding included primarily the funds for repair and maintenance of the needed monitoring equipment and costs of two temporary technicians.
From FY 2000-01 funding a total of $129,854 was unexpended as of June 30, 2001. Attachment C includes a summary of the CARB CHS expenditures. Funds in the amount of $129,854 need to be reallocated to the FY 2001-02 Budget to support the operation through December 31, 2001. The funding level for the CHS after December 31, 2001 will be reduced by $65,000, which reflects the fact that CARB will be taking over the personnel support for CHS that is currently provided through temporary employees hired by AQMD. Staff is working with CARB to draft an amended agreement that will reallocate funds accordingly. The carryover of unexpended grant funds was discussed with and accepted by CARB. Attachment C also lists the reallocation of funds to the FY 2001-02 Budget.
Use of Funding
Under the Section 103 Grant program, funds can only be used for the purpose intended, and for the PM2.5 and NATP programs, exclusively support those monitoring activities. In addition to all the field and laboratory costs, these funds are used to provide the necessary staff positions to support these programs with the understanding that these are to be fully funded by EPA. Consistent with EPA’s commitment to fund these programs in entirety, the AQMD has, to date, received sufficient funding.
Proposal
Appropriate and reallocate unexpended funds for PAMS, PM2.5, NATP, and CHS from the Undesignated Fund Balance to the FY 2001-02 Budget as reflected in Attachments A through C. Also, allocate the four CNG vans (E000103, E000104, E000105, and E000106) purchased through a lease-purchase agreement funded by EPA Section 103 Grant funds for PM2.5, to the fixed asset inventory.
Resource Impacts
EPA funding will support the continuation of the implementation of PAMS, PM2.5, and NATP. The CARB funding will support the CHS program through the end of 2001.
Attachment A - PAMS Program
Attachment B - PM2.5 Program
Attachment C - NATP and CHS Programs
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