BOARD MEETING DATE: September 7, 2007
AGENDA NO. 33

REPORT:

Technology Committee

SYNOPSIS:

The Technology Committee met on July 27, 2007. Major topics included Technology Advancement items reflected in the regular Board Agenda for the September Board meeting. A summary of these topics with the Committee's comments is provided. The next Technology Committee meeting will be on September 28, 2007 at 12:00 p.m. in CC-8.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.

Roy Wilson, Chair
Technology Committee

Attendance: Committee Chair Roy Wilson participated by video-teleconference. Committee member Dennis Yates was in attendance at District headquarters.

In the absence of William Burke, Miguel Pulido and Tonia Reyes Uranga, and pursuant to the Procedures for Standing Committees of the Governing Board, adopted March 8, 1996, Chairman Roy Wilson appointed Board Members Joseph Lyou and Gary Ovitt ad hoc Members of the Technology Committee for the meeting of July 27, 2007 only.

SEPTEMBER BOARD AGENDA ITEMS

1. Approve Update to Advanced Air Pollution Research Plan - In November 2003, the Board approved an Advanced Air Pollution Research Plan Update for FYs 2003 to 2006 as part of the Strategic Alliance Initiative No. 5 – Strategic Alliance for Advanced Air Pollution Research. The initiative calls for updates to the three-year Plan to reflect progress in conducting proposed research activities, available resources, additional research projects, and revisions to the schedule for future research studies. Staff has prepared an update to the plan for FYs 2007 to 2010. This research plan update contains research study proposals that would be initiated in-house or through extramural contracts over the next three years. Upon Board approval, staff will proceed with the implementation of the research plan.

Moved (Yates) seconded (Ovitt), and unanimously recommended for approval.

2. Execute Contract to Demonstrate NOx and PM Emissions Control on Construction Equipment - Diesel-powered construction equipment contributed approximately 120 and 7.5 tons per day of the total Basin NOx and PM emissions, respectively, in 2006. Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology has been shown to reduce NOx emissions from stationary sources and on-road vehicles, and because it works as an oxidation catalyst, it is also capable of reducing PM, hydrocarbons, and toxics contaminants. This action is to request award of a contract to Engine, Fuel, and Emissions Engineering, Inc. to design, install, quantify emissions of, and demonstrate SCR technology on at least two heavy-duty construction equipment engines at a cost not to exceed $135,830 from the Clean Fuels Fund. The total cost of the proposed project is $330,850 and Engine, Fuel, and Emissions Engineering, Inc. and the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County will provide $195,020 in in-kind contributions.

Moved (Ovitt) seconded (Lyou), and unanimously recommended for approval.

3. Execute Agreement to Cosponsor City of Los Angeles Initiative to Plant One Million Low VOC Emitting Trees - The Center for Urban Forest Research (CUFR) reported in a recent study that trees can remove significant amounts of particulate matter, carbon dioxide, ozone precursors, and other gaseous contaminants from the atmosphere. Encouraged with these results, CUFR is joining efforts with cities and local communities in California to apply, on a broader scale, the lessons learned from this study. In support of this effort, the City of Los Angeles has initiated a program to plant one million low VOC emitting trees within the City’s jurisdiction. This action is to execute an agreement with the City of Los Angeles to cofund this initiative at a cost not to exceed $1,000,000 from the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) Settlement Projects Fund which are restricted for use in the LADWP service area. The monies are from LADWP Settlement funds which had been previously transferred to the Clean Fuels Fund.

Moved (Yates) seconded (Ovitt), and unanimously recommended for approval.

4. Transfer and Appropriate Funds and Execute Contract to Develop and Demonstrate Diesel Particulate Filter on Pacific Harbor Line Switch Locomotive - In September 2006, the Board approved execution of a contract with Miratech Corporation to develop and demonstrate a diesel particulate filter on a Pacific Harbor Line switch locomotive. That action also recognized the receipt of revenues from U.S. EPA and Caltrans. A contract with Miratech was unable to be executed in FY 2006-07 due to a number of delays including receipt of the U.S. EPA and Caltrans grant awards and a final agreement for critical subcontractor participation in the project. This action is to transfer $107,125 from the Rule 1309.1 Priority Reserve Fund, recognize $100,000 revenue from U.S. EPA and $380,000 from Caltrans, appropriate funds from the Undesignated Fund Balance and execute a contract with Miratech Corporation in an amount not to exceed $307,125.

Moved (Ovitt) seconded (Lyou), and unanimously recommended for approval.

5. Execute Contracts for Renewable Energy Projects in Communities Surrounding Electrical Generating Facilities - In September 2006, the Board directed staff to use one-third of the mitigation fees collected pursuant to Rule 1309.1 to fund renewable energy projects, including solar power, in communities located as close as possible to the new or modified power plant projects.  On February 2, 2007, the Board approved the release of a RFP for solar and other renewable energy projects in communities surrounding ten electrical generating facilities.  The RFP was issued in an amount up to $5,262,484, which included one-third of the current balance of mitigation funds in the Rule 1309.1 Priority Reserve.  The RFP closed on April 27, 2007.  The program was oversubscribed with over three hundred individual projects submitted, most of which consisting of solar photovoltaic residential projects.  This action is to execute contracts for renewable energy projects in an amount not to exceed $5,262,484 using Rule 1309.1 mitigation funds.

Moved (Yates) seconded (Ovitt), and unanimously recommended for approval.

6. Execute Contract to Cosponsor Demonstration of Advanced Fuel Cell Bus - The AQMD has long supported fuel cell transit bus projects in order to accelerate their development and expose the widest possible ridership to this clean, zero-tailpipe emission technology. Sunline Transit Agency and their partners were recently awarded a grant from the Federal Transit Administration, as part of the National Fuel Cell Bus Program, to design, develop, and demonstrate an advanced technology American Fuel Cell Bus. This action is to award a contract to Sunline Transit Agency to conduct this project in an amount not to exceed $400,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund. The remainder of the $5.4 million project costs will be funded by the other project partners: FTA/CALSTART CARB, ISE, New Flyer, Sunline, and UTC.

Moved (Yates) seconded (Ovitt), and unanimously recommended for approval.

7. Execute Contract to Cosponsor Demonstration of Heavy-Duty Hybrid Vehicle - As part of the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) Action Plan adopted by the Board in April 2007, staff was directed to evaluate pathways to PHEVs. One pathway is to replace existing diesel applications with hybridized gasoline engines and further investigate duty-cycles appropriate for the plug-in technology. This action is to award a contract to WestStart-CALSTART and its partners to develop and demonstrate a heavy-duty gasoline hybrid for use in the FedEx fleet and evaluate heavy-duty applications for plug-in technology in an amount not to exceed $325,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund. The remainder of the $595,000 total project costs will be supported by FedEx and NREL.

Moved (Lyou) seconded (Ovitt), and unanimously recommended for approval.

8. Transfer Funds from Carl Moyer Program Fund SB 1107 Account to FY 2007-08 Budget of Science & Technology Advancement - To support AQMD’s outreach and administrative activities directly related to the Carl Moyer Program, it’s necessary to transfer funds from the administrative portion of the Carl Moyer Program Fund SB 1107 Account to the General Fund. This action is to transfer $300,000 from the Carl Moyer Program Fund SB 1107 Account to the FY 2007-08 Budget of Science & Technology Advancement, Services and Supplies Major Object, Professional and Special Services Account to support Carl Moyer Program outreach and administrative activities.

Moved (Yates) seconded (Ovitt), and unanimously recommended for approval.

9. California Fuel Cell Partnership Steering Team Report and Activity Report - On April 6, 2007, the Board approved the proposal to renew membership in the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) for 2007. This report summarizes the California Fuel Cell Partnership Steering Team meeting held June 19-20, 2007 and provides an activity report for the period beginning January 2007.

This was a receive and file item only.

OTHER BUSINESS - There was no other business.

Public Comment Period - Kelly Andrews and Joseph Blackburn, Jr. expressed their concerns regarding odors emanating from Gregg Industries. Both Committee members Yates and Lyou explained the status of this issue and the steps being taken to address it.

The meeting was adjourned.

Attachment
A. Attendance

Attachment A – Attendance

Roman Nava, Board Assistant ..................................................................AQMD

Paul Garza, Board Assistant ....................................................................AQMD

Bob Ulloa, Board Assistant ......................................................................AQMD

Chung Liu, DEO, S&TA ..........................................................................AQMD

Kurt Wiese, District Counsel ...................................................................AQMD

Jean Ospital, Health Effects Officer  ..........................................................AQMD

Sam Atwood, Media Manager ..................................................................AQMD

Philip Fine, S&TA ................................................................................AQMD

Dean Saito, S&TA ............................................................................... AQMD

Fred Minassian, S&TA  ..........................................................................AQMD

Matt Miyasato, S&TA  ...........................................................................AQMD

Mike Bogdanoff, S&TA ..........................................................................AQMD

Vicki White, S&TA ...............................................................................AQMD

Dipankar Sarkar, S&TA .........................................................................AQMD

Lisa Mirisola, S&TA .............................................................................AQMD

Phil Barroca, S&TA ..............................................................................AQMD

Geri Bowen, S&TA ...............................................................................AQMD

Adewale Oshinuga, S&TA .......................................................................AQMD

Penny Shaw Cedillo, S&TA ......................................................................AQMD

Dory Kilgour, S&TA ..............................................................................AQMD

Anne Wu, Governing Board Intern .............................................................AQMD

Russell Vare ......................................................................................CaFCP

Roy Kim  ..........................................................................................CaFCP