BOARD MEETING DATE: September 5, 2008
AGENDA NO. 36

REPORT:

Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee

SYNOPSIS:

Below is a summary of key issues addressed at the MSRC’s August 21, 2008 meeting. The MSRC’s next meeting is Thursday, September 18, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. in Room CC8.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.
 

Michael D. Antonovich
AQMD Representative on MSRC

Alternative Fuel School Bus Incentive Program

As part of the FY 2007-08 Work Program, the MSRC allocated a total of $1.78 million for an Alternative Fuel School Bus Incentive Program to provide buydown incentives for school districts. Through an RFQ process, A-Z Bus Sales and BusWest were qualified as vendors to implement the Program. In July 2008, A-Z Bus Sales requested an additional $600,000 for purchase orders from two school districts. At its August 21, 2008 meeting, the MSRC unanimously approved $600,000 for an Alternative Fuel School Bus Incentive Program as part of their FY 2008-09 Work Program and awarded A-Z Bus Sales this $600,000 in order to provide the full incentives for the ordered buses. The AQMD Board will consider this award at its September 5, 2008 meeting.
 

CNG Home Refueling Unit Incentive Program

As part of its FY 2003-04 Work Program, the MSRC allocated $400,000 for the implementation of a CNG Home Refueling Unit Incentive Program. A single manufacturer, FuelMaker Corporation, developed such an apparatus which they launched into the retail marketplace under the brand name “Phill” in spring 2005. Considerable demand to purchase the Phill units continues. At its August 21, 2008 meeting, the MSRC considered further participation in the CNG Home Refueling Unit Incentive Program, and approved $296,000 for a CNG Home Refueling Unit Incentive Program as part of its FY 2008-09 Work Program. The MSRC also awarded a $296,000 sole-source contract to FuelMaker, with an incentive level of $2,000 per unit. The AQMD Board will consider this award at its September 5, 2008 meeting.

Funding Additional Local Government Match Project

Under its FY 2007-08 Work Program, the MSRC released a $3 million Local Government Match Program Announcement. One of the eligible categories provided for a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $25,000 per vehicle, for heavy-duty alternative fuel vehicles. In June 2008 the MSRC approved funding totaling $4,189,435 for 29 applications (using the $3 million originally allocated in the FY 2007-08 Work Program plus $1,189,435 from the FY 2008-09 Work Program). It was subsequently determined that a portion of the City of Irvine’s request for funding, while received on the first day, was inadvertently misplaced and not included in the original funding consideration. The City had already been awarded $9,000 for remote vehicle diagnostics. On August 21, 2008, the MSRC unanimously approved augmenting the City of Irvine’s initial award for a total award of $59,000 for the remote vehicle diagnostics and two heavy-duty CNG vehicle purchases. The AQMD Board will consider this augmented award at its September 5, 2008 meeting.

Development of Future FY 2008-09 Work Program Elements

The MSRC discussed the potential development of additional FY 2008-09 Work Program elements to use the remaining revenue not yet allocated. The MSRC directed the MSRC-TAC and staff to seek input from local governments and bring forward candidate work program categories, including an evaluation of their potential for cost-effective NO_x and PM_2.5 reductions.

Received and Approved Final Reports
At its August 21, 2008 meeting, the MSRC received and approved four final reports, as follows:

1. San Bernardino Associated Governments Contract #MS03051, which provided $375,000 for freeway service patrol;
2. County of Riverside Contract #MS03067, which provided $62,396 for infill road paving;
3. City of Culver City Contract #MS03050, which provided $294,286 for the purchase of CNG buses and expansion of a CNG refueling facility; and
4. Orange County Transportation Authority Contract #MS04006, which provided $405,000 for the purchase of gasoline-hybrid electric buses.

All final reports are filed in the AQMD's library and a two-page summary of each closed project can be viewed in the electronic library on the MSRC's website.

Contract Modification Requests

At its August 21, 2008 meeting, the MSRC considered two contract modification requests and took unanimous action, as follows:

1. For Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Contract #PT05060, which provides $2,224,000 for the installation of diesel exhaust after-treatment devices, approval to extend the deadline for device installations to December 31, 2008; and
   
2. For Altfillisch Construction Inc. Contract #MS07064 (pending execution ), which provides $371,765 to demonstrate after-treatment devices on off-road vehicles, approval of a reduction in scope and vehicle and device substitutions, with a corresponding decrease in contract value to an amount not to exceed $160,000.

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 covering June and July is attached for your information.
 

Attachment (PDF, 222k)

Contracts Administrator’s Report