BOARD MEETING DATE: December 7, 2007
AGENDA NO. 24

REPORT:

Mobile Source Committee

SYNOPSIS:

The Mobile Source Committee met Friday, November 16, 2007. 
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., with Board Members Roy Wilson and Bill Campbell participating via video conference. Jan Perry joined the meeting at 9:30. The following items were presented:

INFORMATION ITEMS:

1. Status Report on Opt-In to State Surplus Off-Road Opt-In for NOx Program and Adopt Proposed Rule 1197 – Control of Oxides of Nitrogen from Off-Road Diesel Vehicles

Staff provided a report on this item to set a public hearing for February 2008 for the Board to consider opting-in to the state Surplus Off-Road Opt-In for NOx (SOON) program. Under the state regulation, air districts must formally opt-in to the SOON program and develop additional administrative guidelines to implement the SOON program. To implement the SOON program, staff is proposing a rule that would incorporate by reference the state regulation. The rule language is similar to Regulation X, where federal regulations are incorporated by reference. Staff indicated that the proposed rule is assigned to “2449” rather than “1197” to more closely mimic the applicable section of the state regulation. As such, Proposed Rule (PR) 2449 simply incorporates by reference the SOON provision.

Staff indicated that a draft PR 2449 Administrative Guidelines has been prepared for public comments. The PR 2449 Administrative Guidelines use the Carl Moyer Program Guidelines and the AQMD Policies and Procedures as the basis for the SOON program. Additional administrative guidelines are proposed to reflect the criteria of the SOON program. These criteria include vehicle qualification/eligibility, reporting requirements, operational requirements, and project award.

As part of the early activities staff has undertaken, which include the formation of an implementation working group, staff received comments relative to the SOON program. The three main concerns are on the proposed contract length, ability to move off-road diesel vehicles in and out of the Basin, and setting funding priorities. Staff indicated that they will continue to discuss these issues through the working group and will be soliciting further comments as part of the public process for the proposed rule. A Public Workshop has been scheduled for December 4, 2007. Staff indicated that comments received will be provided as part of the set hearing package that will be agendized for the January 4, 2008 Board meeting.

Board Member Campbell inquired about the industry’s concerns regarding the SOON Program. Staff responded that concerns were expressed regarding the cost impacts to the construction industry (in addition to issues concerning contract life and operational flexibility), which would be addressed as part of the public process.

Board Member Campbell also inquired about the source of funding for the SOON Program as well as the industry’s cost to comply with CARB’s statewide regulation. Staff responded that the funding for the SOON Program is expected to come from the Carl Moyer Program. Staff also indicated that the total cost of compliance with the statewide regulation was estimated at $3 billion for the state (and about $1.2 billion for South Coast).

2. Update on Recent Air Pollution and Health Studies

Staff presented a summary of a recently published study (Corbett, 2007) that estimated global health impacts from shipping emissions.  The study used global aerosol models and 2002 emissions inventories to calculate the contribution to ambient particulate matter from shipping, and used populations from urban centers (greater than 100,000 population) and published PM2.5 related estimates of health effects to estimate contributions to premature mortality.  The study estimated that global shipping emissions could be linked to 19,000 - 64,000 premature deaths per year.  Greatest impacts were found in populated coastal areas with high amounts of shipping.  The study also included estimates for premature mortality in California, which were 350 – 460 per year.  A separate analysis recently done by AQMD staff found mortality benefits from controlling shipping emissions in the South Coast of about 719 – 908 per year for the year 2014.  The staff estimates are somewhat higher than those from Corbett, and can be attributed in part to using more recently published dose-response estimates – which are higher than that used by Corbett - as the basis of estimating the effects, and including projected increases in shipping in 2014 compared to 2002.

Board Member Campbell inquired about the specific health studies AQMD staff relied on to derive the health effects and requested to receive a copy of these reports.

3. Status Report Regarding Port and Goods Movement Emissions Reduction Activities

Peter Greenwald, Senior Policy Advisor, provided a status report regarding the impacts from goods movement.  He described key international, federal, state, regional and local emissions control activities to which AQMD is providing input to carry out the Chairman’s Clean Port Initiative to meet the needs of this region.

Board Member Campbell commented on the California Transportation Commission’s position on grade separation in allocating Proposition 18 funding and asked the staff to continue stressing the benefits of grade separation for local congestion relief.

4. Rule 2202 Activity Report

Written 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 9:44 a.m.

Attachment
Attendance Roster

SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
MOBILE SOURCE COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 16, 2007
ATTENDANCE ROSTER