Current status of plans are as follows:

Coachella Valley PM10 Plan - Based on meetings with CARB and EPA the following agreements were reached: 1) AQMD submittal of locally approved SIP by June 2002; 2) CARB and EPA commitment to conduct concurrent review of the updated plan; 3) plan update to include a focused inventory update on stationary sources, with no change to the mobile source inventory; and 4) demonstration of expeditious progress on attainment and indication of time needed to achieve attainment status. Potential issues anticipated and being worked on by staff are: 1) SCAG’s upcoming RTIP PM10 conformity findings; and 2) feasibility and effectiveness of MSMs.

South Coast Air Basin PM10 Plan – Actions proposed by staff are: 1) submit by June 2002 updated request for extension relying on the 1977 Plan submittal; 2) update 1997/1999 plan implementation status; and 3) request CARB and EPA to conduct concurrent review of the updated plan. Potential issues anticipated and being worked on by staff are: 1) tonnage commitment to substitute infeasible measures (e.g., PRC-01: Restaurant Operations); and 2) EPA’s internal policy on applicability of new rules or policies issued after the date of 1997 Plan submittal.

Staff also reported on CARB’s Clean Air Plan (CAP). The CAP proposed by CARB is a comprehensive 20-year air program. The draft plan will be released on March 14 for public review and will be presented to their Board for approval in April. Then CARB staff will work with AQMD staff to identify specific SIP commitments, measures, and emission reductions for SCAB to be developed in June 2002. These SIP commitments will be part of the updated AQMP submittal.
 

Standards beyond 2007 are as follows. Standards for 2007-2009: NOx – 0.2 g/bhp-hr; NMHC – 0.14 g/bhp-hr. 50% of new sales must meet this standard, with remaining 50% to meet 2004 standards. Standards for 2010 and beyond: all new sales to meet the 2007-2009 standards; all new sales beginning 2007 must meet the PM standard of 0.01 g/bhp-hr.

There are several approaches to meet these new standards including exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and/or engine modifications (e.g., Leaner Burning). The EGR and engine modifications will apply to both diesel and natural gas technologies. To further reduce NOx emissions to meet the 2007 standards, it is necessary to advance new technologies such as urea injection; selective catalytic reduction (SCR); or NOx absorbers.

Staff then reported on the current engine emission levels. Their findings on the lowest CARB certified NOx emissions and PM emissions for 2002 engines are as follows: A significant number of certified natural gas engines meet the 2004 optional NOx standards today and these certified natural gas engines also meet the 2007 PM standards today. Diesel engines when equipped with CARB verified PM traps would meet 2007 PM standards. However, there are no diesel engines that meet the 2004 NOx standards today.

With regard to future natural gas engine products, staff reported that manufacturers are already producing products that will get to the 0.5 g/bhp-hr NOx level. Once that level is reached they will look at EGR and further engine modification technologies to further reduce emissions. Most likely they will meet the 2007 standards within the required timeframe.

Staff advised the Committee that in December last year CARB conducted a workshop and asked the major manufacturers to give a status on engine technologies, in particular on natural gas technologies. Excerpts of these presentations were presented at the meeting. Staff indicated that copies of the full presentations will be provided to the Committee Members separately.

In summary, staff’s findings on engine products/technology are: 1) natural gas engine products available today meet 2007 PM standards; 2) natural gas engines with NOx emissions at or less than 0.5 g/bhp-hr standards will be available later this year or early next year (without NOx after-treatment); 3) natural gas engine technology is in a better position to meet 2007 standards than diesel engines; and 4) future EGR/engine modifications have potential to reduce natural gas engine NOx emission levels further to meet 2007 NOx standard.

Staff also reported briefly on current and future research activities. The focus will be on research on cleaner engine technologies, platform development efforts, and expansion of alternative-fuel infrastructure. In addition, staff will continue to seek funding to implement the fleet rules through implementing Chairman’s Initiative #7 on Clean Fuel Vehicle Funding. Staff will disseminate relevant information at future Implementation Working Group and committee meetings.

Committee Member Jim Silva commented that Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA) indicated they encountered operational difficulties with their LNG transit buses. Staff responded that a meeting with OCTA staff has been scheduled in the near future to discuss OCTA future activities. Comments were also received from the audience. Chuck Tobin, of Burrtec Waste Industry, requested the Committee to agendize a discussion on this subject for the March meeting, to allow California Trucking Association to provide information on the more likely compliance of diesel engines to meet the 2007 emission standards as compared to natural gas engines. In response, staff recommended to provide a status report to the Committee on future heavy-duty diesel engine development at the October meeting, so as to coincide with the accelerated implementation date of 2004 emission standards for manufacturers subject to the CARB/EPA Heavy-Duty Engine Settlement Agreement. Todd Campbell of Coalition for Clean Air also commented. He supported staff’s comment that heavy-duty natural gas engine technology is cleaner than corresponding diesel engine technology, and therefore natural gas engines are more likely to comply with the future 2007 emission standards.

The Committee directed staff to return with a report in October as recommended by staff.
 

For the collection of land use data, a consultant service has been used to interview county and city planning staff in the area and also to conduct surveys. The AQMD/consultant have also driven around the area. The consultant surveys indicated that in addition to the Mira Loma area, the adjacent neighborhoods – Fontana and Eastern Ontario - also have a large number of facilities. A preliminary estimate shows a total number of 150-200 facilities within these three areas. Based on this observation staff is recommending to expand the area of study to include Fontana and Eastern Ontario. In addition, based on the preliminary survey map developed, staff proposes to create a database of the facilities and prepare maps showing locations of the facilities. Staff has also conducted a survey on a large distribution center to examine the potential emission impacts. There are roughly 400 delivery trucks working out of this facility. Based on its EIR, a 15-minute onsite idling time per vehicle is assumed. The analysis shows diesel PM emissions of 4.5 lbs/day, indicating potential significant risk implications.

For control opportunities staff will focus on distribution centers. For stationary sources, studies will be conducted on: low-NOx combustion equipment, energy conservation/efficiency programs, and light roofing and paving materials for the buildings. For on-road mobile sources, studies will be conducted on: ultra-low emission and/or alternative-fueled vehicles, electrification of refrigeration units, low-sulfur diesel and PM traps, and auxiliary power unit applications for idling operations. For off-road equipment, studies will be conducted along similar lines. Staff is also looking at various mechanisms for implementation of the control measures.

Staff will report back to the Committee at the March meeting.

Committee Member Jane Carney brought up the concerns expressed by the communities in the Mira Loma area relating to heavy truck traffic in and out of the facilities, going up freeway on-ramps with low gears, and travelling through residential neighborhoods; residents are concerned about potential toxic-air health impacts. Staff responded that currently staff is working on the Chairman’s Initiative #6 on Strategic Alliance on Environmental Justice and a status report on Environmental Justice issues will be produced. Staff is proposing to use Mira Loma as a test case to develop a mini AQMP. In response to Chairman Roy Wilson’s request that county officials in that area be updated on this project, staff indicated that meetings with local government officials will be conducted to obtain their input.
 

Since May 2001, AQMD has received $21 million with a total of 1,400 tons of NOx emission reductions requested under the Mitigation Fee Program and $2 million have been designated for use to pre-fund the AQIP. To date, $4.6 million of Mitigation Fee Program funds and $2 million of AQIP funds have been designated to fund marine vessel repowering projects. The cost-effectiveness for each of the projects is less than $7.50 per pound of NOx. The anticipated emission reductions from these projects will exceed the amount required for the moneys expended under these two programs. To date, staff has received two applications from a private party for credit generation, and requests from five RECLAIM facilities for use of the Mitigation Fee Program. No requests have been received for projects under the AQIP.

Staff also reported on the minor amendments proposed for Rule 1631 to allow marine vessels to travel one time per year beyond AQMD waters for maintenance or repair. This provision can apply retroactively to existing vessels in the program. This amendment is consistent with other credit generation rules, and has EPA support.

Staff recommends that the reporting requirement be changed from monthly to quarterly for the Mobile Source and Stationary Source Committees.
 

Item #4 – CEQA Commenting:

1. CEQA Document Commenting Update: Written reports submitted, no comments.