State of California
AIR RESOURCES BOARD
Summary of Board Meeting
January 27, 2000
South Coast Air Quality Management District
| MEMBERS PRESENT: | Hons. | Alan C. Lloyd, Ph.D., Chairman |
| Joseph C. Calhoun, P.E. | ||
| Doreen D'Adamo | ||
| Mark DeSaulnier | ||
| William F. Friedman, M.D. | ||
| Matthew R. McKinnon | ||
| Barbara Patrick | ||
| Barbara Riordan | ||
| Ron Roberts |
| 00-1-1 | Public Meeting to Consider a Status Update on the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program;
Incentives for Lower Emission Heavy-Duty Engines (The Carl Moyer Program) SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM: Staff presented the status of the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program (the Carl Moyer Program) - a heavy-duty incentive program approved in February 1999. The Carl Moyer Program provides grants for the incremental cost of cleaner on-road heavy-duty vehicles, off-road equipment, marine vessels, locomotives, agricultural pumps, forklifts, and airport ground support equipment. The Carl Moyer Program is designed to help California meet its 1994 Ozone State Implementation Plan clean air goals, achieve early oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emission reductions, and reduce the fine particulate component of diesel exhaust, which contributes to particulate matter (PM) air pollution and is a toxic air contaminant. The Governor and the Legislature appropriated $25 million through the 1998/1999 fiscal year budget process, and $23 million ($19 million for ARB and $4 million to CEC for advanced technology and infrastructure) during the 1999/2000 fiscal year budget process to the Carl Moyer Program. In summer 1999, ARB distributed $24.5 million among the 16 air pollution control and air quality management districts participating in the Carl Moyer Program. Over $80 million in project funding was requested in the first year of the program. By March 31, 2000, approximately 97 percent of the first year's funds will be obligated to qualifying projects. Statewide NOx reductions from this program are estimated to be approximately four tons per day, with average program cost-effectiveness ranging from $1,100 to $4,600 per ton of NOx reduced. If funding for the Carl Moyer Program were to continue at $30 million per year through 2005, this program would achieve approximately 20 tons per day of NOx reduced. The overwhelming request for funding and the potential for additional reductions in NOx emissions have demonstrated a need for continued funding. Staff recommended the Board approve the continuation of the Carl Moyer Program and the status report be submitted to the Legislature, the Governor, and the Carl Moyer Advisory Board, as required in AB 1571. ORAL TESTIMONY:
FORMAL BOARD ACTION: Approved Resolution 00-1 by a unanimous vote. RESPONSIBLE DIVISION: MSCD STAFF REPORT: Yes (40 pages) |
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| 00-1-2 | Public Hearing to Consider the Adoption of a Public Transit Bus Fleet Rule and Emission Standards for New Urban
Buses SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM: The proposal contains two complementary elements designed to reduce emissions from urban transit buses: a multi-component transit bus fleet rule applicable to transit agencies, and more stringent emission standards for engines used in new urban buses, applicable to engine manufacturers. The proposal is designed to encourage transit agencies to operate low-emission, alternative-fuel urban buses. However, to provide transit agencies with flexibility in determining their optimal fleet mix, the fleet rule would allow transit agencies to choose between two paths to reduce emissions - a diesel path and an alternative-fuel path. More stringent emission standards for oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) would be implemented for model years 2004 through 2006 diesel and dual-fuel urban bus engines, and for all 2007 and subsequent model year urban bus engines. The proposal would also reduce emissions from in-use urban buses. Transit agencies would be required to meet a NOx fleet average standard by October 2002 and perform retrofits to reduce PM emissions from 2003 and earlier model year diesel buses. To ensure effectiveness of retrofit and emission control aftertreatment devices, transit agencies using diesel fuel would be required to use low-sulfur diesel fuel beginning in July 2002. To ensure long-term emission reductions, the proposal includes a zero-emission bus (ZEB) component. Large transit agencies on the diesel path would be required to perform a ZEB demonstration project in 2003. By January 2006, the Board would be required to review the status of ZEB technology and the feasibility of implementing ZEB purchase requirements. Based on the outcome of the Board's feasibility review in 2006, ZEB purchase requirements would begin in 2008 for large transit agencies on the diesel path and in 2010 for large transit agencies on the alternative-fuel path. The proposed fleet rule and emission standards for new urban buses would reduce emissions of NOx and toxic diesel PM statewide. Additional emission reductions would occur from the voluntary operation of alternative-fuel buses in lieu of diesel buses. The cost-effectiveness of the proposed new emission standards and the ZEB purchase requirements compares favorably with the cost-effectiveness of other mobile source and motor vehicle fuels regulations adopted by the ARB over the past decade. The official public record was closed and the hearing was continued to February 24, 2000. ORAL TESTIMONY:
FORMAL BOARD ACTION: None. RESPONSIBLE DIVISION: MSCD STAFF REPORT: Yes (102 pages) |
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| 00-1-5 | Public Hearing to Consider Approval of the 1999 Amendment to the South Coast Air Quality Management District's
1997 Air Quality Management Plan as a Revision to the California State Implementation Plan for Ozone SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM: The Board approved the proposed "1999 Amendment to the 1997 Air Quality Management Plan" for the South Coast Air Basin (SCAB), and approved the submittal of the 1999 Amendment to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) as a revision to the California State Implementation Plan (SIP) for ozone. In 1994, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) and the Air Resources Board (ARB) adopted a comprehensive ozone attainment plan for the SCAB, which demonstrated attainment of the ozone standard by 2010, as required by the federal Clean Air Act. U.S. EPA subsequently approved this plan as a revision to California's SIP. In 1997, the SCAQMD adopted an Air Quality Management Plan (1997 AQMP) to update portions of the 1994 Ozone SIP. The 1997 AQMP contained a revised ozone attainment demonstration based on improved modeling, an updated emissions inventory, and a revised local control strategy. U.S. EPA proposed to disapprove the revised local ozone control strategy, and consequently the attainment demonstration, in the 1997 AQMP. The SCAQMD's 1999 Amendment revises the local ozone control strategy in the previously submitted 1997 AQMP, but does not modify the State and federal measures in the 1994 SIP. (Emission reductions assumed for State and federal measures have changed as a result of the more current emission inventories used in the 1997 AQMP.) If approved by U.S. EPA, the 1997 AQMP, as revised by the 1999 Amendment, will replace the 1994 plan as the "applicable" (federally enforceable) ozone SIP for the SCAB. At the hearing, the South Coast Air Quality Management District representative testified in support of plan approval. ORAL TESTIMONY:
FORMAL BOARD ACTION: Approved Resolution 00-4 by a unanimous vote. RESPONSIBLE DIVISION: PTSD STAFF REPORT: Yes (21 pages) |
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| 00-1-6 | Public Meeting to Consider the Approval of a Report to the California Legislature on the Potential Health and
Environmental Impacts of Leaf Blowers SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM: The staff proposed that the Board approve a report to the California Legislature on the potential health and environmental impacts of leaf blowers. California Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 19 (SCR 19) requested the ARB to prepare and submit a report summarizing potential health and environmental impacts of leaf blowers on operators and the public-at-large, considering exhaust emissions, noise, and blown dust. SCR 19 specified that ARB summarize existing information, and include recommendations for alternatives to the use of leaf blowers and alternative leaf blower technology, if the ARB determines that alternatives are necessary. ARB's report concluded that there was evidence to raise concern about the potential impacts of leaf blower use on operators from exposures to carbon monoxide, fine particulate matter, and noise. For the public-at-large, staff concluded that many people are highly annoyed by leaf blower-caused noise and dust, and that some sensitive individuals may suffer respiratory symptoms from exposure to dust. Because of limited data available, staff concluded that additional studies were necessary to answer the questions raised by SCR 19 and to determine if alternatives to the use of leaf blowers were necessary. In addition, staff concluded that leaf blower operators should wear personal protective gear - ear plugs or muffs, respirators or dust masks, and eye protection - to reduce their potential for adverse health impacts, and that operators should be educated on how to limit noise and dust generation while using the blowers, to reduce adverse impacts on bystanders. The Board approved the report for transmittal to the California Legislature, with minor changes to clarify that ARB has already taken strong action to minimize health impacts from exhaust emissions and the addition of a benchmark comparison between leaf blower emissions and passenger car emissions. ORAL TESTIMONY:
FORMAL BOARD ACTION: Approved Resolution 00-5 by a unanimous vote. RESPONSIBLE DIVISION: MSCD STAFF REPORT: Yes (160 pages) |
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| 00-1-7 | Consideration of Research Proposals The Board approved Resolution Nos. 00-6 and 00-7 by a unanimous vote. |