BOARD MEETING DATE: November 7, 2006
AGENDA NO. 21

Mobile Source Committee

SYNOPSIS:

The Mobile Source Committee met Friday, October 27, 2006.
Following is a summary of that meeting.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file the attached report.

Dr. S. Roy Wilson, Vice Chair
Mobile Source Committee

Attendance

The meeting started at 9:06 a.m.  Present were Committee Vice Chair Roy Wilson (via videoconference) and Committee Member Gary Ovitt.  The following items were presented:

ACTION ITEMS:

1. Holiday Month Meeting Schedule
   There was no quorum, but Vice Chair Roy Wilson recommended combining the November and December Mobile Source Committee meeting to one date in November (November 17).

INFORMATION ITEMS:

2. Status Report on Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach Clean Air Action Plan
   Staff provided a status report regarding the effort by the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to develop a Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP).  The draft plan, which was described to the Board in a special study session on August  4, 2006, calls for emission reductions over the next five years from marine vessels, harbor craft, cargo handling equipment, heavy-duty trucks, and locomotives operating to, from, and within the ports.   AQMD staff, as well as staff of CARB and U.S. EPA, have participated in the development of the plan.  Key AQMD staff comments have sought the most expeditious possible emission reductions, and a source of funding for the plan—particularly to replace or retrofit heavy-duty trucks.  The ports plan to shortly release a draft final CAAP for their respective Harbor Commissions to consider for adoption in November.  In addition, the ports are seeking funding assistance to implement the CAAP.  Staff is recommending that the Board set aside $7.2 million per year for the next five years out of Carl Moyer Program funds to assist in the cleanup of heavy-duty vehicles operating at the ports.
    
3. District Proposed Mobile Source Measures
   Zorik Pirveysian, Environmental Technology Assessment Manager, provided a report on the District’s proposed mobile source control measures in the Draft 2007 AQMP.  These control measures are proposed to complement the State and federal control measures to provide additional controls in view of the significant reductions needed from mobile sources for attainment of the PM2.5 standard by 2015 and the 8-hour ozone standard by 2021.  In terms of emissions responsibility by agency, CARB and USEPA have primary jurisdiction over 89% of NOx emissions and 76% of SOx emissions in 2014 (two primary precursors for PM2.5) while the District is responsible for the remaining emissions.  Similarly, CARB and USEPA account for 87% of NOx and 73% of VOC emissions in 2020.  The overall reduction targets and % reductions for PM2.5 attainment are: 239 t/d of NOx (36%), 142 t/d of VOC (24%), 49 t/d of SOx (70%), and 14 t/d of directly-emitted PM2.5 (14%) in 2014 and 50% reductions in VOC and NOx each by 2020 for the 8-hour ozone attainment.  The mobile source inventory has undergone a continuous upward adjustment (i.e., based on improved methodologies, better emission factors, ethanol permeation, etc.) during the last three AQMP revisions making the attainment strategies ever more challenging.  District and CARB staff have estimated the PM2.5 carrying capacities based on the latest air quality modeling tools and speciated rollback analysis, respectively.  The District’s analysis shows a higher level of reductions for PM2.5 attainment.  Staff of both agencies will work in the next couple of months to refine their analyses and attempt to close the gap.

For the Draft 2007 AQMP, the District staff is proposing to develop four specific mobile source control measures primarily for District’s adoption and implementation. As an alternative to stringent national rules, one control measure seeks to impose a mitigation fee program on federal sources such as planes, trains, and ships in order to fund emission reduction projects with equivalent emission reductions. The second measure would promote (or require) accelerated turnover of in-use small off-road engines such as lawn mowers and leaf blowers and other engines such as recreational outboard engines through expanded exchange (buyback) programs.  Pursuant to the Chairman’s Clean Port Initiative, a third measure is proposed as a backstop measure for indirect sources of emissions from ports and port-related facilities.  The goal of this measure is to ensure that the ports achieve their emission reduction targets in the AQMP, reduce health risk from the ports by 85% below 2000 levels in 2020, and prevent increase in health risk and emissions from port projects. The District will exercise its existing legal authority or seek additional authority to adopt and implement these measures.  Finally, a new control measure is added based on implementation of the Carl Moyer Program.  Emission reductions from past projects are reflected in the AQMP baseline emissions and are estimated for future projects based on committed level of funding and conservative cost-effectiveness assumptions.  The District will continue its efforts to ensure that the reductions from these projects are real, surplus, and quantifiable to ensure their creditability for SIP purposes.

4. District Staff’s RecommendedState and Federal Measures
   Staff provided an overview of the recommended control measures that CARB should consider as CARB develop the state’s element for the 2007 AQMP Revision.  Staff indicated that the 25 recommended control measures and one consumer products measure are meant to highlight the stringency and level of emission reductions needed to attain the PM2.5 air quality standard by 2015 and the 8-hour ozone standard by 2021.  In addition, the recommended measures are intended for CARB’s consideration and to engage public input.  There 12 recommended on-road mobile source control measures and 13 off-road measures.  The 12 on-road measures cover smog check improvements, early retirement of older vehicles, gasoline and diesel fuel reformulations, and accelerated turnover of vehicles to cleaner vehicles.  The off-road measures cover construction/industrial equipment, pleasure craft, recreational vehicles, lawn and garden equipment, and airport ground support equipment.  In addition, the recommended measures cover goods movement related sources including locomotives, marine vessels, aircraft, cargo handling equipment, and heavy-duty trucks operating at the ports.  Staff indicated that CARB will be releasing a new version of the mobile source emissions models in November and staff will be re-evaluating the recommended control measures.  In addition, staff will be discussing the control measures with CARB.  CARB plans to release their control strategy in January 2007.
    
5. Rule 2202 Activity Report
   Written report submitted.  No comments.

6. Monthly Report on Environmental Justice Initiatives – CEQA Document Commenting Update.
   Written report submitted.  No comments.
    
7. Report on Scientific, Technical & Modeling Peer Review Group
   Written report submitted.  No comments.
    
8.         Other Business
   None.
    
9. Public Comment
   None.

The meeting adjourned at 9:54 a.m.

Attachment

Attendance Roster

SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
MOBILE SOURCE COMMITTEE
APRIL 28, 2006
ATTENDANCE ROSTER