Other Board Action

The Southland's clean air agency has approved nearly $3 million in incentive funding to help purchase more than 300 new, clean-fueled airport taxis.

"Between aircraft, ground equipment and vehicles delivering passengers and freight, airports are one of our region's largest source of air pollution," said Barry Wallerstein, executive officer of the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

"By replacing more than 300 gasoline-fueled taxis with low-emitting compressed-natural gas models, we will significantly cut air pollution around airport terminals, where thousands of travelers and transportation workers breathe vehicle exhaust every day," he said.

Under funding approved on Dec. 21 by AQMD's Governing Board, six taxicab operators will purchase the new CNG Ford Crown Victoria sedans and use them at Los Angeles International Airport, John Wayne, Burbank and Long Beach airports and Ontario International Airport starting early next year.

Starting Jan. 1, airport taxicab operators in the region will be required to purchase clean-burning taxis under AQMD's Rule 1194 when they replace older gasoline-power models or add new vehicles to their fleets. Operators are exempt if sufficient funding cannot be secured to reduce the cost to a taxi owner to $10,000 per vehicle.

Funding for the taxi purchases comes from AQMD's Rule 2202 Air Quality Investment Fund. Employers with more than 250 employees at a work site must reduce vehicle emissions, and one option for doing so is to pay into the investment fund.

Compared to existing gasoline-powered Crown Victorias, the new CNG models will reduce smog-forming emissions by 88%.

Under the Board’s action, taxi companies will pay $10,000 for each vehicle; AQMD will provide $9,543 and the remaining cost will be covered by manufacturer incentives and buy-down programs from the California Energy Commission and the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee.

In other action on Dec. 21, AQMD's Governing Board:

• Adopted Rule 1178 — Further Reductions of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Emissions from Storage Tanks at Petroleum Refineries. The rule will reduce smog-forming VOC emissions by 1.4 tons per day by 2009 by requiring operators to upgrade storage tanks or build aluminum geodesic domes on top of them. The measure applies to about 1,400 tanks at 41 facilities including oil refineries, bulk terminals, "tank farms" and oil and gas wells. AQMD will monitor dome construction and availability of gasoline during rule implementation;
• Amended Rule 444 — Open Burning, and Rule 208 — Permit and Burn Authorization for Open Burning to further control smoke, particulate and smog-forming emissions from open fires;
• Amended Rule 518.2 — Federal Alternative Operating Conditions to address concerns raised by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The rule allows large plants classified as Title V facilities to obtain a variance from AQMD rules from the AQMD Hearing Board;
• Executed contracts totaling $3.45 million to help pay for liquefied natural gas (LNG) refueling stations; and
• Approved four initial work orders totaling $152,000 for ethnic community outreach projects.

AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

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This page updated: February 27, 2004
URL: http://www.aqmd.gov/news1/Governing_Board/2001/Bs12_21_01.htm