BOARD MEETING DATE: March 1, 2002
AGENDA NO. 34

Legislative Committee

SYNOPSIS: 

The Legislative Committee considered agenda items including the following draft federal Legislative Concepts for 2002 which the Board will consider for approval:
Concept #1 - Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure Project
Concept #2 - Transition Assistance for Dry Cleaning Operations 
Concept #3 - Natural Gas Engine Research, Demonstration, and
                  Deployment
Concept #4 - Homeland Security/Air Contaminant Monitoring
                  Equipment

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Approve the Legislative Concepts recommended below.

Beatrice J.S. LaPisto-Kirtley, Chair
Legislative Committee

Attendance

The Legislative Committee met on February 8, 2002. Present were Committee Chair Beatrice LaPisto-Kirtley, Vice-Chair Jane Carney, and Committee members Michael Antonovich, Cynthia Verdugo-Peralta and Roy Wilson (by videoconference). [Attachment 1]

Sacramento Update

Allan Lind, AQMD Sacramento Legislative Representative, reported that all AQMD legislative proposals have been submitted to Legislative Counsel and efforts continue to secure authors. The deadline to introduce new bills is February 22. [Attachment 2]

The Legislature passed and the Governor recently signed SBX3 1 (Peace), which outlines approximately $2.2 billion in budget reductions from the 2001-02 state budget. Efforts to retain $14.1 million of appropriated funds for air districts to implement diesel mitigation projects were successful.

Speaker Herb Wesson recently announced new leadership changes. Some of these changes include: Assemblyman Marco Firebaugh as new Majority Floor Leader; Assemblywoman Christine Kehoe as Speaker pro Tempore designee; Assemblywoman Wilma Chan as Majority Leader designee; and Assemblyman George Nakano as Caucus Chair designee. Speaker Wesson also announced some new Committee assignments. Assemblywoman Jenny Oropeza becomes the chair of the Budget Committee; Assemblyman Jerome Horton is the new chair of the Governmental Organization Committee; Assemblyman Darrell Steinberg becomes chair of the Appropriations Committee; and Assemblyman Joe Nation is the new chair of the Rules Committee.

Federal Update

Lynnette Jacquez, Lance Larson, and Jeff Shockey of Copeland, Lowery & Jacquez, Washington Legislative Representatives, reported on the President’s proposed budget and shared with the Committee areas where there may be possible funding opportunities for AQMD projects. There has been much discussion on a variety of energy and fuel efficiency related issues, especially the Freedom Car Cooperative Automotive Research Program recently announced by the Department of Energy. The program aims to enable mass production of affordable hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles and enable hydrogen-fueling infrastructure. Monies have been shifted in the Department of Energy’s budget for this program. Another program of interest is the Clean Cities Program, also sponsored by Department of Energy. This program supports public-private partnerships that deploy alternative fuel vehicles and build supporting infrastructure. The Washington Legislative Representatives will work closely with staff to identify possible funding opportunities for AQMD’s federal funding concepts.

Draft 2002 Federal Funding Concepts

Dr. Wallerstein stated that Board Chair Norma Glover and staff met with the AQMD’s new Washington Legislative Representatives to discuss various concepts, review what was done last year, and discuss what direction to take this year. As a result of that meeting, the following proposed federal funding concepts were developed. [Attachment 3]

Federal Concept #1 – Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure Project. This concept seeks funding to enhance the hydrogen fueling infrastructure underway in the South Coast Air Basin, help demonstrate the feasibility of hydrogen fueled vehicles and help accelerate the use of these vehicles nationwide. This effort is consistent with the Administration’s recently announced Freedom Car Program.

Chair LaPisto-Kirtley asked whether increasing fuel economy would be achieved sooner than commercialization of fuel cell vehicles. Ms. Jacquez responded that the Department of Energy is still focused on improving fuel economy through a variety of technologies, but their research focus is toward the hydrogen fuel cell. Dr. Wallerstein added that the primary environmental benefit of increasing fuel economy is reducing CO₂ emissions, which is a global warming gas. Fuel cells will reduce both the criteria pollutants related to local air quality problems and global warming gas emissions. The Legislative Committee unanimously approved Federal Funding Concept #1.

Federal Concept #2 - Transition Assistance for Dry Cleaning Operations. The core objective of this concept is to assist dry cleaners in transitioning to either the wet cleaning process or to alternative, less-polluting, processes that are less toxic than perchloroethylene. This is timely in that AQMD staff is currently working on revisions to Rule 1421 – Control of Perchloroethylene Emissions from Dry Cleaning Systems. The Legislative Committee unanimously approved Federal Funding Concept #2.

Federal Concept #3 - Natural Gas Engine Research, Demonstration, and Deployment. This concept involves the research, demonstration, and new engine platform deployment of alternative fuel technologies and an enhanced alternative-fuel refueling infrastructure to support new and existing vehicles.

Dr. Wallerstein stated natural gas engines are cleaner than diesel engines. Chair LaPisto-Kirtley inquired about the emphasis on natural gas technology. Dr. Wallerstein replied that the natural gas engines today are not only cleaner, but new engines coming on line in the next year will continue to be cleaner than diesel. But, there is still a need to look down the road in developing the next generation of vehicles and that requires research and demonstration monies and test fleets. The Legislative Committee unanimously approved Federal Funding Concept #3.

Federal Concept #4 – Homeland Security/Air Contaminant Monitoring Equipment. This concept would seek funding to enhance the AQMD’s Laboratory, primarily the mobile Emergency Response Unit, with the appropriate state-of-the-art equipment designed to monitor and perform analyses.

Dr. Wallerstein stated that this concept stems from the September 11 events. The AQMD’s laboratory is very sophisticated and analyzes many samples. With enhanced laboratory capabilities, the AQMD could provide assistance to other agencies in the state in the event of an emergency situation. The Legislative Committee unanimously approved Federal Funding Concept #4.

Proposition 40 – California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhoods and Coastal Protection Act of 2002
After brief Committee discussion, staff withdrew this item because of concerns expressed by committee members concerning the limited commitment to air quality programs in the proposition.

OTHER BUSINESS:

No other business

PUBLIC COMMENT:

John Billheimer, Enviro Reality, distributed to the Committee information on Proposition 40 as it relates to toxic noticing requirements. [Attachment 4]

Attachments

1. Attendance Roster
2. State 2002 Legislative Proposal Matrix
3. Draft Federal Funding Concepts
4. Draft Paper on Proposition 40 and Toxic Noticing Requirements

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