BOARD MEETING DATE: May 2, 2003
AGENDA NO. 8

Approve Exchange of Gasoline-Powered Lawn Mowers with Electric Mowers in Riverside and Orange Counties Funded through Rule 2202 AQIP

SYNOPSIS:

Gas-powered lawn mowers contribute to regional smog by emitting pollutants such as VOCs, NOx and CO. Replacing the gas-powered lawn mowers with zero emission electric lawn mowers can reduce significant amounts of these three pollutants. Based on the recent successes in the lawn mower exchange events in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, staff recommends allocating funds in an amount not to exceed $453,500 from the Rule 2202 Air Quality Investment Program (AQIP) to exchange 1,500 gasoline-powered lawn mowers in Riverside and Orange Counties with electric mowers. There are sufficient funds available in the CY 2002 Rule 2202 AQIP to cover the costs for the program.

COMMITTEE:

Mobile Source, April 25, 2003, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

1. Authorize the Executive Officer to approve the purchase of 1,500 electric powered lawn mowers from Black & Decker for an amount not to exceed $373,500.
    
2. Transfer $80,000 from the AQIP Special Revenue Fund to Science & Technology’s FY 02-03 budget, Services and Supplies Major Object (Public Notice and Advertisement Account $50,000, Miscellaneous Expense Account $30,000) to solicit outside business and organizational support to assist in implementing AQMD’s "Mow Down Air Pollution 2003" program, as outlined on page 3.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

Rule 2202 AQIP allows subject employers to participate by electing to invest in an AQMD-administered restricted fund. Investment can be either $60 annually per employee reporting to the worksite during the 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. peak window, or $125 triennially per employee. The restricted monies are to be used by the AQMD to fund proposals that achieve mobile source emission reductions that would otherwise have been achieved by implementing a rideshare program. This Board letter contains a discussion regarding the disbursal of some of the funds from the AQIP compliance option for the fourth quarter of 2002.

Upon registering under this option and submitting the designated investment amount, an employer is considered to be in compliance with the Rule and there is no need for the employer to take further action to reduce mobile source emissions. The collected monies are used to fund alternative mobile source emission reduction strategies that reduce mobile source emissions at a more cost-effective rate which could potentially result in greater overall emission reductions.

The fourth quarter of the 2002 participation period ended on December 31, 2002 with 68 employers participating in the AQIP program. The total amount of AQIP funds received during this period was $1,294,295, which includes both annual and triennial participants. In addition, $467,104 being carried forward from the previous quarters is available for contracts. Therefore, the total amount available for the quarter is $1,761,399. Staff is in the process of evaluating proposals received for the CY 2002 fourth quarter AQIP.

In a previous Rule 2202 AQIP award, two buyback events were held in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties where 2000 gasoline-powered lawn mowers were exchanged with cordless electric lawn mowers. The demand was very high at both locations and many had to be turned away. To address similar high interest in Riverside and Orange counties staff proposes that buyback events also be held in these two counties. Due to the success of the buyback program and the onset of the summer months, there is an urgency to conduct these additional buyback programs as early as possible. As such, staff recommends that $453,500 be used to generate emission reductions by exchanging gasoline-powered lawn mowers with new cordless electric lawn mowers. The emission reduction would be excess reductions since funds were carried over from the CY 2002 third quarter AQIP as discussed above and AQIP emission reductions exceed targets by a large amount.

Lawn Mower Buy-Back Program

During March and April 2003, implementation of the lawn mower buyback programs by the AQMD resulted in the replacement of 2000 2- and 4-stroke gasoline powered lawn mowers with zero-emitting electric mowers. The emissions from the gasoline powered mowers degrade air quality.

A typical 3.5 horsepower gasoline mower can emit the same amount of VOCs in an hour as a new car driven 340 miles. According to data provided by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the annual VOC emissions for 1,500 units of lawn mowers is 6 tons, including exhaust, evaporative, and spillage emissions. The annual CO emissions equal 19.125 tons. The expedited electrification of these units will help reduce these emissions significantly.

The lawn mower buy back program will be promoted through a comprehensive outreach campaign including television, radio and print advertising. AQMD funding of up to $50,000 will be allocated for the following elements of the campaign.

• Up to 300 10-second radio drive-time traffic spots (based on scheduling availability);
• Newspaper display ads in areas near the events;
• Producing up to 10,000 information flyers on the events for distribution at participating retailers and other locations;
• Producing banners for display at participating retailers prior to the events;

Additionally, AQMD funding of up to $30,000 would be allocated for:

• Securing venues and permits associated with the events;
• Securing law enforcement agency services
• Securing on-site services

Sole Source Justification

The Request for Projects for the fourth quarter Rule 2202 AQIP funds closed on January 31, 2003. Seventeen proposals were received by the closing date. Staff is currently evaluating the submitted proposals and will be making recommendation at a later date for project awards using the remaining funds available in the Rule 2202 AQIP. Many of the proposed projects are for marine vessels, off-road and on-road equipment. The proposed lawn mower exchange project will further increase consumer awareness of this commercially available technology and its associated emission benefits.

The Governing Board previously awarded a contract to Black & Decker at its November 1, 2002 meeting which resulted in two lawn mower exchange events. Based on the enormous success of the two lawn mower exchange events; one in the Los Angeles (at Hollywood Park in Inglewood) and the other in San Bernardino (at California Speedway in Fontana) counties, staff believes two more such events, in Orange and Riverside counties, could provide substantial emission reduction benefits to the county residents. The contractor is capable of providing the additional units at the same price in a timely manner, so that the two new events can be launched during the spring peak season when the demand is at its highest. Based on staff’s inquiry with major home improvement stores, Black & Decker CMM1000 lawn mower is the only cordless rechargeable product available at that size. Staff believes that sole source purchase order could be executed with Black & Decker based on the AQMD’s Procurement Policy and Procedure. Section VIII.B.2 of the Procurement Policy and Procedure identifies four major provisions under which a sole source award may be justified. Specifically, this request for sole source award is made under provision B.2.d: Other circumstances exist which in the determination of the Executive Officer require such waiver in the best interests of the AQMD.

Relative to Provision B.2.d, the exchange of gasoline-powered lawn mowers with electric lawn mowers will increase the usage of such equipment in the South Coast Air Basin and serves as an example of consumer choice assisting in clean air efforts. In addition, the approaching summer season with its mowing demands, staff believes AQMD can benefit from the emission reductions provided by the lawn mower exchanges.

Resource Impacts

Sufficient carryover funds from the CY 2002 third quarter AQIP of $467,104 would be used to cover the costs to conduct the buy-down program. In addition, the emission reduction benefits would be excess emission reductions to meet Rule 2202 emission reduction targets.

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