BOARD MEETING DATE: November 2, 2007
AGENDA NO. 6

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

1. Recognize $712,000 from CARB and place this amount in the Lower-Emission School Bus Fund to fund PM trap retrofits on diesel school buses.
2. Authorize the Chairman to execute grant award from the Lower-Emission School Bus fund, as set forth in Table 2 in the attachment 1, with the following public school districts:
   1. Bassett Unified School District to retrofit 1 diesel school bus with PM trap in an amount not to exceed $17,150
   2. Coachella Valley Unified School Districts to retrofit 56 diesel school buses with PM traps in an amount not to exceed $1,093,900.
3. Authorize the Chairman to execute grant awards from the backup list of unfunded projects as listed in Table 3 in attachment 1, should additional funds become available from the state, accumulated interest, or turn-back projects.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

Exhaust emissions from high emitting diesel-fueled school buses present a risk to children and are a source of public exposure to toxic diesel particulate matter and smog-forming pollutants. To date, AQMD has funded the retrofit of over 2,500 public and private diesel school buses with particulate (PM) traps. Over 50 percent of the funds have been awarded to school districts that operate school buses in communities meeting legislated criteria for disproportionately impacted areas, as set in Health and Safety Code Section 43023.5 (AB 1390, Firebaugh).

At its May 5, 2006 meeting, the Board issued Program Announcement #2006-09 that made available $5,449,000 in state funds to retrofit diesel school buses. On October 6, 2006, the Board awarded 452 PM traps to public schools and private operators. Since then CARB has allocated additional $712,000 in state funds for PM trap retrofits. Along with interest monies and unused funds from previous PM trap awards, the total amount of available funds is $1,111,050 as outlined in Table 1 in Attachment 1.

Proposal

On August 3, 2007, the Board approved the re-issuance of PA#2006-09 seeking additional applications for PM traps from public school districts and private operators, with the condition that all awarded PM traps be retrofitted by June 2008. By the September 7, 2007 deadline, applications were received for 454 PM traps, for a total request of $4,491,600.

Staff recommends the Board’s approval to award 57 PM traps to Bassett and Coachella Valley unified school districts as outlined in Table 2 in Attachment 1, in an amount not to exceed $1,111,050 from the Lower-Emission School Bus Program Fund. Should more funds become available from the state, accumulated interest, or unused awards, staff recommends to utilize the projects listed as backup in Table 3 in Attachment 1, for expending the funds expeditiously. Upon availability of funds, public school districts will be awarded first and any remaining funds will be distributed proportionally among private operators with preference to those with particulate traps manufactured by Cleaire.

AQMD Incentives for PM traps

AQMD award covers the cost of a purchasing, installing and sales tax for all Level 3 PM traps. Some active PM traps, such as Cleaire, need electrical outlets to regenerate the PM traps at least every other day. AQMD funds cover the cost of the electrical outlets. In addition, $1,200 is also offered to assist applicants to de-ash their filters over each trap’s lifetime, defined as 11 years. This sum should cover the cost of de-ashing traps every other year. In lieu of contracting out the de-ashing, school districts and private operators can use their award for maintenance funds to purchase their own PM trap cleaning machines.

Outreach

In accordance with AQMD’s Procurement Policy and Procedure, a public notice advertising the program announcement and inviting bids was published in the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register, the San Bernardino Sun, and Riverside County Press Enterprise newspapers to leverage the most cost-effective method of outreach to the entire South Coast Basin.

Additionally, potential bidders may have been notified utilizing AQMD’s own electronic listing of certified minority vendors. Notice of the program announcement was mailed to the Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses and various minority chambers of commerce and business associations, the State of California Contracts Register website, and placed on the Internet at AQMD’s Web site (http://www.aqmd.gov). Information was also available on AQMD’s bidder’s 24-hour telephone message line (909) 396-2724.

The program announcement was also mailed directly to the Directors of Transportation at public school districts within the AQMD’s jurisdiction.

Benefits to AQMD

The successful implementation of the Lower-Emission School Bus Program will provide less polluting and safer school transportation for school children, and will reduce public exposure to toxic diesel particulate matter emissions.  In addition, these awards will comply with AB 1390 requirements, such that it would reduce air pollution in low-income, high-diesel and high-PM10 exposure areas as well as enhance the objectives of the Environmental Justice and Children’s Health Initiatives adopted by the Board.

Resource Impacts

Total funding for the retrofit of 57 school buses with Level 3 PM traps shall not exceed $1,111,050 from the Lower-Emission School Bus Fund.

Attachment  (DOC 51kb)

Attachment 1: Tables 1 - 3