BOARD MEETING DATE: March 2, 2007
AGENDA NO. 27

Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee

SYNOPSIS:

Below is a summary of key issues addressed at the MSRC’s regular February 15, 2007 meeting. The MSRC’s next meeting is Thursday, March 15, 2007, at 2:00  p.m. in Room CC8.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.

Michael D. Antonovich
AQMD Representative on MSRC

Minutes

Minutes from the January 18, 2007 meeting were unanimously approved. They are attached for your information (Attachment 1).

Release of Solicitations to Implement “Showcase Program” in Partnership with CARB

As part of its Phase I FY 2006-07 Work Program, the MSRC set aside $1 million to implement an Off-Road Vehicle Diesel Emission Control System Demonstration Program. The “Showcase Program,” which is in partnership with CARB, is intended to demonstrate currently verified on-road or new emission control systems on off-road construction equipment with the goal of earning CARB verification as well as achieve significant near-term emission reductions from off-road construction equipment. The MSRC unanimously approved the release of two solicitations to implement this Showcase Program. The RFQ (#Q2007-08) will qualify diesel emission control manufacturers, and the Program Announcement (#PA2007-11) will allow off-road fleets to participate in the demonstration program. The PA has an application period from April 3, 2007 through June 29, 2007, and the RFQ, March 2, 2007 through May 31, 2007. Eligible fleets will receive funding up to 100% of the cost of purchasing and installing the retrofit devices. Funding is limited to a maximum of $200,000 per entity to ensure broad participation. Periodic device monitoring will be conducted by CARB at no cost to the participating construction equipment owner. CARB along with the MSRC will endeavor to match retrofit devices from manufacturers deemed qualified through the RFQ with owners and their off-road equipment. The AQMD Board will consider these solicitations at its March 2, 2007 Board meeting.

Contract Awards Providing Incentives for Transit Bus Engines Meeting 2010 Standards

Under the Phase I FY 2006-07 AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Work Program, the MSRC released a $2 million Program Announcement (#PA2007-06) on October 6, 2006, providing incentives toward the purchase of advanced low-emission heavy-duty natural gas engines for urban transit bus operators. The Program provided $20,000 on a first-come, first-served basis for bus engines certified to the 2007 optional 0.2 gram NOx per brake horsepower-hour standard, which will be the standard in 2010. Four applications were received by the PA closing date of January 19, 2007. At its February  15, 2007 meeting, the MSRC unanimously awarded full funding for the four applications totaling $3.34 million (using $2 million from funding originally allocated to this Program and an additional $1.34 million in unallocated funds), as follows:

1. $420,000 to City of Los Angeles World Airports for up to 21 new natural gas shuttles;
2. $2,040,000 to City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation for up to 102 new natural gas buses;
3. $800,000 to Orange County Transportation Authority for up to 40 new natural gas buses; and
4. $80,000 to Palos Verdes Transit up to 4 bus repowers.

The AQMD Board will consider these contract awards at its March 2, 2007 Board meeting.

Release of Program Announcement Providing Incentives for Refuse Hauler Engines Meeting 2010 Standards

Under the Phase II FY 2006-07 Work Program, the MSRC decided to expand the above program to offer incentives for refuse collection engines meeting the 2010 standard. At its February 15, 2007 meeting, the MSRC unanimously approved release of a Program Announcement (#PA2007-10) providing $1.728 million towards the purchase or repower of advanced low-emission heavy-duty natural gas engines certified to the 2007 optional 0.2 gram NOx per brake horsepower hour standard for solid waste collection vehicle operators. The Program Announcement application period is April 3, 2007, through June 29, 2007. There is a geographic minimum of $256,000 per county and funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The AQMD Board will consider this solicitation at its March 2, 2007 Board meeting.

Contract Modification Requests

At its February 15, 2007 meeting, the MSRC considered two contract modification requests and took unanimous action, as follows:

1. For Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, Contract #PT05060, which provides $2,244,000 for installation of 264 particulate reduction devices, approval of a six-month extension to the deadline for completing device installations; and
2. For City of Long Beach, Pending Contract #PT05058, which currently provides $144,000 for installation of 8 particulate and NOx reductive devices, approval of a contract modification that: 1) allows reimbursement of the incremental cost of the devices, calculated on a per-device basis as the actual installed cost of each device, not to exceed $18,000, minus $8,500, which is the cost of the mandated device; and 2) allows them to install 8 or more aftertreatment devices up to the original award of $144,000.

Contracts Administrator’s Report

The MSRC's AB 2766 Contracts Administrator provides a written status report on all open contracts from FY 2000-01 through the present. The Contracts Administrator’s Report for February 2007 is attached for your information (Attachment 2).

Attachments (EXE 314kb)
1)  Approved January 18, 2007 Minutes
2)  Contract Administrator’s Report