BOARD MEETING DATE: October 6, 2006
AGENDA NO. 29

Mobile Source Committee

SYNOPSIS:

          The Mobile Source Committee met Friday, September 22, 2006. 

          Following is a summary of that meeting.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file the attached report.

S. Roy Wilson, Vice Chair
Mobile Source Committee

Attendance

The meeting started at 9:04 a.m.  Present were Committee Vice Chair Roy Wilson (via videoconference), Committee Member Jan Perry (via videoconference), and Committee Members James Silva and Jane Carney.  The following items were presented:

ACTION ITEMS:

1. Issue RFP for Rule 2202 Air Quality Investment Program and Issue Program Announcements for Electric Lawn Mower and Low Emission Leaf Blower Vendors

Shashi Singeetham gave a presentation on the staff recommendations for issuance of Rule 2202 AQIP RFP, and Program Announcements for the Lawn Mower Exchange Program and Leaf Blower Exchange Program for 2007.  The presentation included a brief summary of the AQIP RFP and summary of the two Program Announcements. 

Board Member Jan Perry requested a Lawn Mower Exchange event to be held in the area north of Watts.

Board Member Jane Carney moved to recommend approval of this action item to the Board and Board Member James Silva seconded.  The motion was passed unanimously.

2. Execute Contracts for FY 2005-06 Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program, Modify a Previous Award, and Re-issue Program Announcement for the Agricultural Assistance Part of the Carl Moyer Program

Fred Minassian presented this item that would award projects under “Year 8” of the Carl Moyer Program.  A total of $30.5 million in project awards was approved.  In addition it was approved to: a) use a back-up list of projects in case of availability of returned funds; b) modify an existing contract with Pacific Harbor Line from “Year 7” awards; and c) re-issue the agricultural assistance portion of the Carl Moyer Program Announcement making $3.4 million available on a first-come first-served basis till the end of the year.

Roy Wilson, Jane Carney and Jim Silva recused themselves from this item and Jane Carney and Jim Silva left the room during the presentation and discussion.  Jan Perry communicated concurrence.  Counsel advised that due to the nature of the conflict, Dr. Wilson was not required to leave the room.

3. Approve Grants to Purchase New CNGSchool Buses and RetrofitSchool Buses with Particulate Traps

Mr. Minassian presented this item on the Lower-Emission School Bus Program.  This item is to approve the award of $19.3 million for replacement of 133 pre-1987 school buses with new CNG buses owned by public school districts, and to award $5.47 million for retrofit of 452 newer diesel buses with PM traps owned by public school districts and private operators.  One question was asked regarding the pool of remaining pre-1987 buses.   The answer was that based on AQMD’s school bus inventory survey of six years ago there are still about 800 pre-1987 school buses owned by public school districts, but a new survey is underway to update our database for more accurate information.

Jim Silva moved for approval of this item and Jane Carney seconded the motion.  There was no objection.

INFORMATION ITEMS:

4. Status Report on 2007 AQMP

Mr. Cassmassi provided an update on the progress made towards establishing carrying capacities for 8-hour ozone and PM2.5 to reach attainment.  The recently established federal 24-hr PM2.5 standard was also discussed, which represents nearly 50% increase from the previous standard.   The presentation illustrated selected changes in the NOx and VOC inventories between the 2003 AQMP and Draft 2007 AQMP.  A preliminary estimation of the PM2.5 carrying capacity to attain the standard in 2015 showed that NOx emissions reductions of more than 50 percent and SOx emissions reductions of more than 65 percent in excess of the 2014 baseline inventories would be required to attain the PM2.5 standard.   The choice for controlling NOx and SOx reflected the likelihood for cleaner low sulfur fuel penetration and the available technology to lower NOx emissions.  The first glimpse of the 2020 ozone carrying capacity suggests that reductions of 50 percent of both VOC and NOx will be necessary to reach attainment.  The presentation ended with a tentative update of the AQMP schedule whereby a draft plan would be released in early October.

5. Status Report on 2007 AQMP Mobile Source and Transportation Strategies

Staff provided the status of the mobile source control strategy development for the upcoming 2007 AQMP.  In 2014, mobile sources are estimated to account for 89% and 59% of NOx and VOC emissions in the Basin, respectively.  Despite the overall downward emissions trend for mobile sources due to existing regulations, significant additional reductions from mobile sources will still be required for the PM2.5 and 8-hour ozone attainments in 2015 and 2021/2024.  Total reductions targets are in the range of about 380 tons per day (t/d) of NOx, 25 t/d of SOx, and 90 t/d of VOC in 2014 and 320 t/d of NOx and 290 t/d of VOC in 2020.

CARB, having the primary authority for mobile sources (along with the U.S. EPA), is currently in the process of developing its draft mobile source strategy for the upcoming AQMP.  However, CARB’s draft proposed strategy is not expected to be available in time for the release of the draft AQMP in early October.  Instead, CARB is proposing to release its proposed concepts for major mobile source categories in advance of its control strategy symposium in early October before developing its draft mobile source strategy.  CARB’s approach is concerning staff because the proposed concepts lack the details necessary for public review, the estimated overall reduction benefits from these concepts fall short of the reductions needed for PM2.5 attainment in 2015 (i.e., about 200 t/d of NOx), and the proposed scheduled release of the draft mobile source strategy (i.e., later this year or in January 2007) will not provide adequate time for inclusion into the draft final AQMP which is scheduled for Board adoption in March/April 2007.

Therefore, for the draft AQMP, the District staff is proposing to develop a number of specific mobile source measures which would provide the level of reductions needed for attainment.  These measures rely on a combination of strategies such as accelerated retirement and replacement of high-emitting mobile sources, increased penetration of PZEVs and ZEVs, fleet modernization for on-road and off-road diesel fleet, use of low-sulfur fuel for ships main engines, shore-based power for ships, and more stringent emissions standards.  Following the release of the draft AQMP, these measures are expected to be further developed and refined for inclusion in the final AQMP. 

The Draft AQMP will also include SCAG’s 2004 Regional Transportation Plan and 2006 Regional Transportation Improvement Program with the associated emission benefits.  For the 8-hour ozone attainment in 2021/2024, staff is considering additional strategies for achieving further mobile source reductions including expanded fleet modernization, advanced cargo transportation technologies, advanced VOC controls.  Concurrent reductions from climate change strategies will also be credited toward long-term reduction targets.  Key issues for the mobile source control strategy include: inventory uncertainties, additional NOx reductions needed for PM2.5 attainment (beyond those expected from CARB’s proposed concepts), funding availability, and shared responsibility for reducing emissions to attainment levels. Finally, in view of the magnitude of reductions needed for the 8-hour ozone attainment, the District is considering to bump up to an “extreme” non-attainment classification (from “severe-17” classification) with an attainment date of 2024.  The “extreme” classification will allow the District to rely on new technologies and improvement of existing technologies which are anticipated to be available in the future (i.e., Black Box reductions). 

   6.    Rule 2202 Activity Report

          Written report submitted.  No comments.

7. Monthly Report on Environmental Justice Initiatives – CEQA Document Commenting Update.

Written report submitted.  No comments.

8. Report on Scientific, Technical & Modeling Peer Review Group

          Written report submitted.  No comments.

8.  Other Business

            None.

1.  Public Comment

A member of the public asked if, in addition to the low-emission leaf blower program, there was anything being done about the dust nuisance from their use.  Henry Hogo indicated that the District was not but that some cities have ordinances pertaining to the noise levels and hours of operation.

The meeting adjourned at 10:35 a.m.

Attachment
 

Attendance Roster