BOARD MEETING DATE: December 2, 2005
AGENDA NO. 23

Mobile Source Committee

SYNPOSIS:

The Mobile Source Committee met Friday, November 18, 2005. Following is a summary of that meeting.

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

Receive and file.

Jane Carney, Chair
Mobile Source Committee

Attendance:
The meeting started at 9:02 a.m. Present: Committee Chair Jane Carney, Committee Vice-Chair Roy Wilson (via videoconference), Ron Loveridge, and Jim Silva.

INFORMATION ITEMS:

1. Proposed Rule 3501 and 3502 – Recordkeeping and Idling Requirements for Locomotives
   Staff provided a summary of Proposed Rules 3501 and 3502 which apply to Class I and Switching and Terminal Freight Railroads. Proposed Rule 3501 establishes recordkeeping requirements for locomotives that idle for more than 30 minutes. Under Proposed Rule 3501, an operator of a railroad may elect to submit an Alternative Compliance Plan to commit to the installation of anti-idling devices or use alternative fuels in lieu of directly complying with recordkeeping require-ments. Proposed Rule 3502 establishes idling requirements for locomotives operating within the district. Under Proposed Rule 3502, a locomotive equipped with an anti-idling device cannot idle for more than 15 minutes, and a locomotive without an anti-idling device cannot idle for more than 30 minutes. Under Proposed Rule 3502, there are a series of exemptions to the idling requirements to address safety and operational issues.
   
   Board members raised questions regarding the enforceability of the recordkeeping provisions and asked that staff identify additional mechanisms to verify compli-ance with recordkeeping provisions. Regarding the Alternative Compliance Plan, Board Member Carney commented that Railroads should not be exempt from recordkeeping until the anti-idling device is installed. In addition, Ms. Carney requested that staff ensure that the penalties are sufficient to deter non-compliance of an approved compliance plan. Staff summarized key issues raised by the railroads and community and environmental groups.
    
2. End-of-Season Ozone Air Quality Report
   Joe Cassmassi, Planning and Rules Manager, provided the.2005 ozone season summary characterizing the frequency and locations of exceedances of the 1 and 8-hour federal standards was presented for the Basin and Coachella Valley. Despite having the historically lowest total number of days exceeding the standard (84), including a 6-day reduction over the preceding "cleanest" year-2004, in 2005 the Basin observed the greatest number of violations of the 8-hour ozone standard of any community in the nation. The numbers of days exceeding the old 1-hour ozone standard were nominally 2-day higher than in 2004 (30 vs. 28). The Coachella Valley observed a slight increase in the numbers of days exceeding both standards. Higher ozone concentrations in the Basin were restricted to the down-wind receptor areas in the Santa Clarita Valley and the San Bernardino Mountains. Stronger observed sea breezes contributed to the enhanced downwind impact through wind transport. Unsettled weather conditions led to a slower start of the smog season however mid-summer stagnation produced several periods of high ozone concentrations in the Basin.
    
3. Overview of the MSRC Freeway Service Patrol Program
   Ray Gorski, MSRC contractor, provided an overview of the “Freeway Service Patrols” (FSP) in response to recent Governing Board concerns. He described the program, discussed the linkage between freeway congestion and automobile emissions, the quantifying the benefits, and using the Freeway Service Patrol as an emission reduction strategy. Jane Carney stated that she was in favor of the program but did not feel that MSRC funds should be used to finance it. Henry Hogo and Ray Gorski explained that MSRC funds are only used to add or expand existing beats and not for implementing the program. Greg Adams from Los Angeles County Sanitation District suggested that the emission reductions from this program could be used to provide needed credits for the NSR program. A protocol would need to be worked out with EPA but it may be a necessary source of credits. Kurt Wiese stated that the permanency of the reductions would probably be an issue but it was worth considering.
    
4. Rule 2202 Activity Report
   Rule 2202 Summary Status Report submitted, no comments.
    
5. Monthly Report on Environmental Justice Initiatives – CEQA Document Commenting Update
   Written report submitted. No comments.
    
6. Other Business
   None.
    
7. Public Comment
   None.

The meeting adjourned at 10:32 a.m.

SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
MOBILE SOURCE COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 18, 2005

ATTENDANCE ROSTER

/ / /