BOARD MEETING DATE: July 8, 2005
AGENDA NO. 27

Technology Committee

SYNOPSIS:

The Technology Committee met on June 24, 2005. Major topics included Technology Advancement items reflected in the regular Board Agenda for the July Board meeting. A summary of these topics with the Committee's comments is provided. The next Technology Committee meeting will be on July 22, 2005 at 12:00 p.m. in CC-8.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.

Roy Wilson, Chair
Technology Committee

Attendance: Committee Chair Roy Wilson and participated by video-teleconference. Committee members Cynthia Verdugo-Peralta and Dennis Yates were in attendance at District headquarters.

JULY BOARD AGENDA ITEMS

1. Issue Program Announcement for Projects Under Rule 1121 Mitigation Fee Program - As of April 30, 2005, the AQMD has received $1,741,782 from water heater manufacturers as emission mitigation fees under Rule 1121. In March 2004, the Board approved emission reduction projects for a total of $804,197. This action is to issue a Program Announcement for the remaining amount of $937,585 to solicit stationary and mobile source NOx emission reduction projects.
   Moved (Verdugo-Peralta), seconded (Yates) and unanimously recommended for approval.
    
2. Issue Program Announcement for Air Quality Improvement Projects Funded by Rule 1173 Mitigation Fees - In December 2002, the Board approved amendments to Rule 1173 which include a mitigation fee provision. In lieu of connecting pressure relief devices (PRDs) to a vapor recovery system, facilities subject to Rule 1173 may elect to pay a mitigation fee for each release of VOC from any PRD exceeding the thresholds specified in the rule. In September 2003, the Board created a special revenue fund to account for revenues received and track projects funded with mitigation fees. Approximately $1.4 million is available to fund air quality improvement projects. This action is to issue a program announcement to solicit air quality improvement projects at the facility or in the surrounding communities.
   Moved (Verdugo-Peralta), seconded (Yates) and unanimously recommended for approval.
    
3. Execute Sole-Source Contract with to Conduct Locomotive Emissions Testing - This action is to award a sole-source contract to Southwest Research Institute to conduct emissions testing at start-up and during idling of a locomotive at a cost not to exceed $150,000.
    All Committee Members present expressed concern regarding the selection of locomotives to be tested by the rail road companies. It was suggested the AQMD be allowed to select the locomotives to be tested. Staff indicated that the testing would be on locomotives from as wide a range of model years as possible.
    Moved (Verdugo-Peralta), seconded (Yates) and unanimously recommended for approval.
    
4. Issue Program Announcement and Application for Installation of Oxidation Catalysts After-Treatment on Diesel School Buses - On September 3, 2004, the Board issued a program announcement to retrofit model years 1991-93 school buses with diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs) with funding from U.S. EPA. On November 5, 2004, the Board awarded grants to five school districts to install a total of 49 DOCs for the sum of $122,500, leaving a balance of $127,500 in U.S. EPA funds. This action is to approve issuance of a new program announcement to retrofit additional model year 1991 through 1993 school buses with DOCs on a first-come, first-served basis until all the remaining U.S. EPA funds are exhausted.
   Moved (Verdugo-Peralta), seconded (Yates) and unanimously recommended for approval.
    
5. Approve the Carl Moyer Program Guideline Under SB1107 and AB923 and Issue Program RFP for FY 2004-05, and Amend Three Contracts and Execute Contract for FY 2003-04 Carl Moyer Program - This action is to approve the Carl Moyer Program Guideline under SB1107 and AB923, and to approve the release of an RFP to provide incentives for low-emission on- and off-road vehicles and equipment for FY 2004-05 Carl Moyer Program. Total amount of available funding will be approximately $18.6 million, comprised of approximately $6.7 million collected under AB923 for CY 2005, and $11,906,373 allocated to AQMD under SB1107. If more funds become available by the time of awards approval, more projects will be awarded accordingly. This action is also to amend three prior project awards, and approve an additional award not to exceed the total returned funds of $919,736 for the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Program.
   Moved (Verdugo-Peralta), seconded (Yates) and unanimously recommended for approval.
    
6. Report on Clean Cities Programs Within AQMD Boundaries - At the July 11, 2003 Board meeting, staff was directed to report back twice a year on the activities of Clean Cities Coalitions in the South Coast District. This letter summarizes the current and recent activities of the local Clean Cities Coalitions. Also discussed is the interaction between the AQMD and the local Clean Cities Coalitions and potential future cooperative efforts.
   This was a Receive and file item only.

OTHER BUSINESS - There was no other business.

Public Comment Period - There was no public comment.

The meeting was adjourned.

Attachment A - Attendance

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