Summary of AQMD Governing Board Actions

January 21, 2000

• AQMD Chairman Proposes "Adopt-a-School-Bus" Program
• Rule Will Reduce Emissions from Area Refineries
• Solvent Use Recordkeeping to be Streamlined
• Goals for Coming Year Set for Hearing Next Month
• Board Approves Technology Contracts
• AQMD Selects New Washington Representative

• Symposium Set on Diesel Emissions as Toxic Air Pollutant
• Strong Response to Diesel Replacement Program

• Public Meetings Set on Toxics Plan, Toxics Rule Amendments

AQMD Governing Board Chairman William A. Burke today proposed an "Adopt-a-School-Bus" program to help pay the cost of reducing cancer-causing diesel emissions from Southland school buses.

"I want to create a win-win, partnering opportunity for existing school bus operators to get that extra help they need to run a cleaner fleet – and a cleaner ride to and from school for our children," Burke said.

Under the program, individuals or corporate sponsors could help pay the cost of retrofitting diesel buses to cleaner-burning technologies, or even purchasing new natural gas-powered buses.

The project would be similar to Caltrans’ Adopt-a-Highway program, in which individuals and businesses sponsor the ongoing cleanup of roadways, Burke said.

Electric school buses and clean-burning compressed natural gas engines now are commercially available, but they cost more than diesel buses and engines. In addition, school districts using natural gas buses may need to install natural gas fueling stations. A recent landmark study by AQMD showed that diesel soot in the region is responsible for about 71% of the total cancer risk from air pollution. Most school buses are diesel powered.

Burke will convene a meeting next month with school district officials, business stakeholders, environmental groups and other interested parties to discuss details of the program. The initiative could assist school districts in complying with AQMD’s proposed Rule 1190, which would require public fleet operators to purchase clean-fueled vehicles when old ones are replaced.

There are existing funding sources to help school districts pay the cost of converting school buses to clean fuels, including the Carl Moyer and AB2766 programs. Several school districts in Southern California already have participated in those programs and have purchased electric and compressed natural gas-powered school buses. In addition, Gov. Gray Davis has proposed $50 million in this year’s state budget to replace diesel buses.

"Unfortunately, that amount isn’t enough to complete the whole job," Burke said. "AQMD’s Adopt-a-School-Bus program would have the potential to provide vital supplemental dollars to address the urgent public health risk from diesel exhaust emissions."

RULE WILL REDUCE EMISSIONS FROM AREA REFINERIES

The South Coast Air Quality Management District Governing Board approved a new rule today that will reduce emissions from hydrogen-making equipment at oil refineries and chemical plants. Rule 1189 – Emissions from Hydrogen Plant Process Vents will reduce emissions of methanol and other volatile organic compounds from 14 plants operated at nine different facilities by 603 tons a year beginning in 2003. For further information, contact Elaine Chang at (909) 396-3186.

The Governing Board today approved recommendations to develop amendments to regulations aimed at easing the recordkeeping burden for businesses that use solvent and other materials containing volatile organic compounds. The amendments will carry out the recommendations of the Monitoring, Recordkeeping, and Reporting Task Force, which was established by the Board last April. Specifically, the goals are to:

• Provide an alternative to daily recordkeeping for facilities not subject to daily mass or usage limits;
• Provide monthly limits as an alternative to daily limits in VOC rules allowing small quantity usage of high-VOC materials;
• Provide a procedure for those who wish to change daily emission limits to monthly limits, such that a best available control technology analysis will not be required if there is no emissions increase; and
• Ensure continued enforceability of AQMD requirements.

The public will have a chance to comment on AQMD’s goals and objectives for the coming fiscal year at a public hearing at next month's Governing Board meeting. The hearing is one of the first steps in developing an AQMD budget for fiscal year 2000-01. AQMD’s proposed goals emphasize:

• Continued implementation of Board initiatives on Environmental Justice, Inland Empire priorities, the Children’s Air Quality Agenda, Seniors’ Air Quality Initiatives and Board’s Millennium Retreat Goals;
• Achieving a balanced budget for future years and improving efficiency and productivity;
• Continuing to work with the federal Environmental Protection Agency and state Air Resources Board to implement air quality management plans and other programs;
• Implementing the recommendations of AQMD’s Permit Streamlining and Recordkeeping Task Forces;
• A rulemaking calendar related to reaching the goals outlined in the latest revision of the air quality management plan; and
• Continued implementation of particle pollution and community-level air quality monitoring.

For more information, see the full text of the goals and objectives.

BOARD APPROVES TECHNOLOGY CONTRACTS

The Board approved several contracts to develop clean technologies, including:

• Developing a very-low nitrogen oxide-emission engine powered by natural gas for transit buses to meet the California Air Resources Board’s proposed transit bus engine standard of 0.5 grams/brake-horsepower/hr in 2004 and 0.2 g/bhp-hr in 2007. AQMD’s Clean Fuels Program will provide $1 million, the U.S. Department of Energy $1 million and the California Energy Commission $500,000.  For more information, see the Board item.
• Assessing the durability of three-way emissions catalysts for off-road equipment, such as forklifts fueled by propane. AQMD will contribute $100,000 and CARB $250,000 for the project to be conducted by the Southwest Research Institute. For more information, see the Board item.
• Completing the relocation of a solar hydrogen refueling station from Xerox in El Segundo to a facility near Palm Desert, where it will refuel hydrogen-powered buses operated by SunLine Transit Agency. AQMD will fund $55,000 and the U.S. Department of Energy $270,000. For more information, see the Board item.
• Expanding an ongoing research project on the emissions reductions potential of biodiesel to include a low-sulfur fuel called EC-Diesel, and biodiesel made from recycled cooking oil. AQMD will contribute $90,531 and Southern States Power Inc. $25,000 for the project to be conducted by CE-CERT. For more information, see the Board item.

Patton Boggs, L.L.P. will begin representing AQMD in Washington, D.C., under a two-year contract not to exceed $125,000 approved by the Governing Board today. Patton Boggs was selected from 11 firms that responded to AQMD’s request for proposals for Washington representation. For more information, see the Board item.

A half-day symposium – Diesel Emissions as a Toxic Air Contaminant – will be held in AQMD’s auditorium from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 2. Experts from across the nation will give their perspectives on the health effects of diesel exhaust and the state of available technologies to reduce diesel emissions. The program is free. For further information, call (909) 396-3008.

AQMD has received more than $18 million in proposals for the $12 million currently available from the Carl Moyer Program to replace diesel engines with clean-burning equipment.

Proposals in six vehicle and equipment categories will be selected for funding this spring based on their cost-effectiveness.

AQMD allocated $3 million for heavy-duty trucks and received proposals for $8.2 million, primarily for natural-gas-powered refuse trucks. AQMD set aside $1.5 million for transit bus projects and received proposals for $5.4 million. Additional proposals were received for four other categories including alternative fuel stations, delivery trucks, shuttle buses, street sweepers and other equipment.

AQMD will accept proposals for $1.5 million in Moyer funds for marine projects this spring.

The statewide Carl Moyer Program offers funds to cover the cost difference between a diesel-powered vehicle or piece of equipment and one powered by a clean fuel such as natural gas or electricity. The program aims to reduce smog-forming nitrogen oxide emissions from diesels, as well as diesel soot, the source of about 71% of the cancer risk from air pollution in Southern California.

The Governing Board will consider Moyer project awards this spring. For more information, contact Cindy Sullivan at (909) 396-3249.

PUBLIC MEETINGS SET ON TOXICS PLAN, TOXICS RULE AMENDMENTS

AQMD will hold a series of public meetings over the next week dealing with its draft Air Toxics Control Plan. The workshops on the plan will be held:

• Monday, Jan. 24, 1:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.
  Riverside Holiday Inn, Empire B
  3400 Market St., Riverside
  

• Thursday, Jan. 27, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
  Council Chambers
  2535 Commerce Way, City of Commerce
  

• Friday, Jan. 28, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
  Council Chambers
  22 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana

A separate meeting on the proposed amendments to Rule 1402 – Control of Toxic Air Contaminants from Existing Sources and Rule 1401 – New Source Review of Toxic Air Contaminants will be held at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 26 at AQMD Headquarters, Room GB, 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar. For further information, contact: Susan Nakamura at (909) 396-3105. News media should call Bill Kelly or Sam Atwood at (909) 396-3456.

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