BOARD MEETING DATE: February 6, 2004
AGENDA NO. 20

Mobile Source Committee

SYNOPSIS:

The Mobile Source Committee met Friday, January 23, 2004.
Following is a summary of that meeting.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.

S. Roy Wilson, Ed.D., Chair
Mobile Source Committee

Attendance

The meeting started at 9:05 a.m. Present: Committee Chair Roy Wilson (via videoteleconference), Vice Chair Jane Carney, and Committee Member Jan Perry (via videoteleconference). Absent: Committee Members William Craycraft, Ron Loveridge, and Jim Silva.

INFORMATION ITEMS:
 

1)	2003 AQMP Commitment – AQMD’s Mobile Source Programs in 2004 Zorik Pirveysian, Planning and Rules Manager, Planning, Rule Development, and Area Sources, presented a report on the AQMD’s mobile source activities in 2004. As part of the 2003 AQMP adoption resolution, the AQMD will be implementing an action plan to expedite the implementation of long-term measures for mobile sources. This action plan consists of several feasibility studies that the AQMD is committed to conduct in terms of legal authority, emission inventories, cost-effectiveness, and control approaches. If the control strategies are found to be feasible and under AQMD’s legal authority for implementation, they would then be proposed for AQMD Governing Board’s consideration in the usual public rulemaking process. For 2004, there are seven mobile source feasibility studies that AQMD staff will conduct including: (1) cold ironing for ships at ports; (2) control strategies for yard tractors; (3) electrification of cranes at ports; (4) low-sulfur diesel fuel for ships at ports; (5) retrofit of on-road heavy-duty diesel trucks accessing ports and operated in the Basin; (6) fleet rules for private fleets; and (7) locomotive emission reduction strategies. In addition to the seven feasibility studies, the AQMD would also consider the development of additional mobile source credit generation programs in the event of need for NOx credits. These would be similar to the AQMD’s existing pilot credit generation programs and would include construction equipment, airport ground support equipment, and heavy-duty trucks.
2)	Proposed Amendments to Rule 2202 Carol Gomez, Transportation Manager, Planning, Rule Development, and Area Sources, presented this item as a followup to the November, 2003 presentation to the Mobile Source Committee on the current proposed amendments to Rule 2202. Rule 2202 is an emission reduction program, applicable to employers with 250 or more employees. The 1990 amendments to the CAA set the basin-wide AVR requirement to 25% over the regional baseline for employers with 100 or more employees. These amendments allow the substitution of equivalent emission reductions from other programs. However, the California Health and Safety Code specifically prohibits the AQMD from requiring an employer to submit a trip reduction plan and set the Rule 2202 worksite threshold to 250 or more employees. The 2003 AQMP contains significant "black box" reductions to meet the plan goals. The proposed rule amendments are intended to advance the "fair share" emission reduction contributions by regulated employers to meet CAA requirements and to assist in meeting overall AQMP program goals. The rule amendment proposal is designed to increase compliance options through the use of other emission reduction credit programs and additional employee commute reduction strategies. Additional production of VOC and NOx emission reductions will be incentivized through the implementation of an inter-pollutant crediting option. The rule and guideline amendments are anticipated to maximize the emission reduction potential and enhance ECRP performance. A couple of key issues brought forward by the regulated community were discussed. In the good faith effort determination elements, in the ECRP program, proposed amendments address concerns with the fleet purchase/lease program and the diesel minimization plan. The fleet purchase/lease program was modified to allow exemptions for vanpools until SULEV gasoline vehicles become available. This exemption does not apply if there is on-site alternative fuel available. An exemption for certain types of specialty and security vehicles was added along with a case by case review and approval exemption by the Executive Officer. The diesel minimization plan would only be required of employers with 1,000 or more employees reporting in the 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. window. Diesel minimization plans will be reviewed for cost effectiveness and technical feasibility and are applicable only for on-site mobile diesel equipment. These are important elements to the program as they ensure continued reductions to meet federal and AQMP air quality goals. There was also a discussion on a request to set-aside funds for transportation demand management (TDM) programs in the Air Quality Investment Program (AQIP). Staff discussed the new AQIP project review process which will highlight the TDM proposals received and therefore believes that the Board should maintain their discretion in selecting projects without a set-aside funding level for TDM programs.
3)	Report on CARB’s SIP Summit Meetings Zorik Pirveysian, Planning and Rules Manager, presented a summary of the CARB SIP Summit held on January 13 and 14 in Sacramento. The Summit was opened by CARB Chairman, Dr. Alan Lloyd and Cal/EPA Agency Secretary, Terry Tamminen. The Summit was chaired by CARB’s Executive Officer, Ms. Catherine Witherspoon, with participation by CARB’s executive team. The Summit was organized into sessions for each source category in which CARB’s management staff provided a detailed presentation on each category followed by comments and questions. Attendees included representatives from environmental organizations, local air districts, industry, product manufacturers, ports and railroads. The purpose of the SIP Summit was to solicit stakeholder participation in identifying additional strategies to meet the State’s emission reduction commitments under the SIP. Under the recently adopted SIP, CARB has committed to propose 20 defined control measures (2003-2006), evaluate 21 control concepts (2004-2006), identify long-term strategies (2004-2007), and propose additional measures (2005-2009). CARB is committed to achieve the following reductions: 109 tons per day (tpd) of VOC+NOx from defined measures by 2006, 97 tpd of VOC+NOx by 2008 through additional strategies; and ensure measures are adopted to achieve 295 tpd of VOC+NOx reduction by 2010 (including federal reductions). The source categories for which CARB is seeking suggestions for additional control strategies are: passenger vehicles, gasoline and vapor recovery, diesel engines, marine vessels and ports, marine pleasurecraft, consumer products, and architectural coatings/solvents. CARB also sought input on financial incentives, market strategies, and seasonal/episodic strategies. A brief overview of CARB’s SIP measures, control concepts, and suggestions/comments by attendees were provided for each category. Dr. Barry Wallerstein, Executive Officer, added that the discussions at the meeting highlighted the fact that funding is a major issue for both light and heavy-duty vehicles in terms of accelerating turnover of older, higher emitting engines. Dr. Wallerstein also mentioned that a number of bills have been or will be introduced this legislative session relative to possible funding mechanisms, including a placeholder bill by AQMD staff, two bills by John White relative to Carl Moyer Program funding, and a bill by the California Trucking Association relative to fees for out-of-state trucks and in-state diesel fuel. Some highlights of control strategies included: expanded scrapping and buyback programs, retrofits/repower of heavy-duty on- and off-road diesel engines, fuel standards for marine vessels and locomotive, controls for ocean-going vessels, replacement/retrofit of high-emitting marine pleasurecraft, ultra-low VOC standards for consumer products, financial incentives for accelerated retirement of older engines/equipment and promotion/commercialization of cleaner engines and vehicles, and demand-side strategies. In summary, Zorik Pirveysian conveyed the general consensus of the Summit attendees which include: future strategies would have to focus on existing in-use vehicles/equipment since standards for new engines will not provide the necessary level of reductions by 2010; obtaining additional funding for incentive programs (e.g., scrap or buyback programs) would be critical; control of federal sources through retrofit regulations or mitigation fee type program will have to be a part of the overall control effort; and new legislation will also be necessary to implement some of the control strategies.
4)	Report on Supreme Court Hearing on Fleet Rules Barbara Baird, District Counsel, informed the Committee that she attended the Supreme Court Hearing on the Fleet Rules on January 14, and gave a brief summary of the hearing. Seth Waxman, a former U.S. Solicitor General, presented the arguments on behalf of the District. Arguments for each side of the case were limited to half an hour. Vice Chair Jane Carney asked when the decision would be rendered and Barbara Baird indicated it would certainly be before July, and could be within a month or two.
(At 10:00 a.m. the videoteleconference connection with Supervisor Wilson’s office was disrupted, due to system breakdown. The meeting resumed at 10:15 a.m. with Supervisor Wilson participating by telephone, at which time item #5 was presented.)
5)	Congressional Hearing on Coachella Valley Air Quality and Salton Sea On January 12th, the U.S. Congressional Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality held a hearing on Air Quality Issues in the Coachella Valley, and more specifically, the impacts from the exposure of the Salton Sea seabed as the water transfer progresses. The hearing was proposed by Congresswoman Mary Bono. AQMD Vice-Chair and Riverside County Supervisor Roy Wilson testified as to the potentially devastating PM10 impact on the Coachella Valley if the Salton Sea is allowed to deteriorate into an Owens Valley type of situation. (The diversion of water from the Owens Valley resulted in a dry lake bed that can produce dust clouds during wind events that exceed the federal 24-hour average PM10 standard by 2 orders of magnitude). Supervisor Wilson asked the federal government to support monitoring and mitigation projects as it did in the Owens Valley. The representative from the Coachella Valley Association of Governments echoed the AQMD's concerns and the need for federal support. Testimony was also provided by U.S. EPA Region IX Acting Air Director, the Executive Director of the Salton Sea Authority, the Sierra Club, and alternative power (i.e. wind farm) proponents.
6)	Rule 2202 Activity Report Rule 2202 Summary Status Report submitted, no comments.
7)	Monthly Report on Environmental Justice Initiatives Item #4 – CEQA Commenting: a. CEQA Document Commenting Update: Written report submitted, no comments.
8)	Other Business None.
9)	Public Comment None.

The meeting adjourned at 10:19 a.m.

Attachment

Attendance Roster

SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
MOBILE SOURCE COMMITTEE

January 23, 2004


ATTENDANCE ROSTER
 

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