State of California
AIR RESOURCES BOARD
Summary of Board Meeting
May 22, 1997
Air Resources Board
Board Hearing Room, Lower Level
2020 "L" Street
Sacramento, California
MEMBERS PRESENT: | Hons. John D. Dunlap, III, Chairman Joseph C. Calhoun, P.E. Lynne T. Edgerton, Esq. William F. Friedman, M.D. M. Patricia Hilligoss Jack C. Parnell Sally Rakow Barbara Riordan Ron Roberts James W. Silva |
AGENDA ITEM # | |
97-4-1 | Public Meeting to Consider Approval of a Proposed Report to the
California State Legislature on Funding Sources of California's Air Pollution
Control Districts with Annual Budgets Exceeding One Million Dollars
SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM: |
97-4-2 | Public Hearing to Consider the Adoption of a Statewide Methodology
to Calculate the Value of Interchangeable Emission Reduction Credits
SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM: * General requirements and criteria that districts must meet in calculating, certifying, banking, and authorizing the use of credits to ensure that credits are granted only for emission reductions that are real, properly quantified, permanent, enforceable, and surplus to applicable federal and state requirements and district air quality plans. (The proposed regulation allows districts to maintain a separate pool of credits not affected by the proposed regulation to ensure that new industrial growth can be accommodated within existing State and federal new source review permit requirements.) * Annual performance audits by districts to ensure that implementation
of trading programs continues to comply with applicable State and federal
requirements. STAFF REPORT: Yes (56 pages) |
97-4-3 | Public Hearing to Consider a One-Year Postponement of the Requirement
that 1998 and Subsequent Model-Year Vehicles Produced by Ultra-Small Volume
Manufacturers Meet the Enhanced Evaporative Emission Requirements SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM: The ARB staff recommended that the Board amend Title 13, California Code of Regulations, section 1976, and the incorporated "California Evaporative Emission Standards and Test Procedures for 1978 and Subsequent Model Motor Vehicles," in order to allow ultra-small volume manufacturers (USVMs) a one-year delay in complying with the enhanced evaporative emission requirements. The ARB's current evaporative emission regulation requires that small-volume manufacturers (SVMs--manufacturers with California sales less than or equal to 3,000 vehicles per year) comply with the enhanced evaporative emissions test procedures for 100% of their vehicle fleet starting in the 1998 model year (MY). On December 13, 1996, representatives from the Coalition of Small Volume Manufacturers (COSVAM) met with ARB staff to request that the ARB allow USVMs (manufacturers with California sales less than or equal to 300 vehicles per year) to delay compliance with the enhanced evaporative emission requirements until the 1999 MY, which would harmonize with similar federal evaporative emission regulatory requirements for SVMs. COSVAM indicated that some USVMs would forgo sales of their 1998 MY vehicles in California if the ARB did not grant this delay. By granting COSVAM's request, ARB staff determined that the proposed regulatory amendments would result in a very small loss of the emission benefits that would otherwise result from imposition of the enhanced evaporative emission requirements on all SVMs in the 1998 MY. By granting a one-year delay for USVMs, the affected vehicles would be subject to a less stringent evaporative emissions requirement and, therefore, emit more evaporative emissions throughout their useful life. The estimated number of vehicles cited in the petition is very small--about 550. Testimony by COSVAM at the public hearing revised this estimate of affected vehicles to be approximately 150. Staff estimated that the increase in evaporative emissions projected to the year 2010, based on the revised number of vehicles, would be 3 lbs. per day of hydrocarbons. The Board adopted amendments which added a definition of USVM in the regulation and test procedures. USVM is defined as a manufacturer with California sales of less or equal to 300 new vehicles based on the average number of vehicle sales in the previous three consecutive MYs. The amendments also require that USVMs comply with the regulation with 100% of their vehicle fleet in the 1999 MY. ORAL TESTIMONY: Lance Tunick, Coalition of Small Volume Automobile Manufacturers, Inc.(COSVAM) Randal Busick, Aston Martin Lagonda Bruce Qvale, British Motor Car Dist. Ltd. Simon Rodd, Aston Martin Lagonda Tim Holland, Lotus Cars Ltd. Bill Fink, Morgan Motor Co. Ltd. U.K. BOARD ACTION: Approved Resolution 97-20 by an 8-2 vote. RESPONSIBLE DIVISION: MSCD STAFF REPORT: Yes (27 pages) |
97-4-4 | Public Meeting to Consider the Role of Fuel Cell Technologies in
the Low- and Zero-Emission Vehicle Program
SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM: The ARB's Low-Emission Vehicle program requires that automobile manufacturers introduce progressively cleaner light- and medium-duty vehicles with more durable emission controls. Also, in 2003, ten percent of the largest manufacturers' light-duty vehicle fleets must be comprised of Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs). H2-powered fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) produce water as the only exhaust constituent and therefore are expected to meet the ZEV standard. In fact, on-board stored-H2 fuel cell technology has experienced rapid progress in the recent past, and has resulted in the demonstration of prototype vehicles by Daimler-Benz AG and Toyota Motor Corporation. Further, according to Dr. Larry Berg of Ballard Power Systems Inc. (BPS), BPS and Daimler-Benz have agreed to invest over $450 million to develop and commercialize fuel cell engines. Dr. Berg has also indicated that Daimler plans to introduce over 100,000 FCVs by the year 2005. Lack of a H2 refueling infrastructure seems to be a strong issue for commercialization of stored H2 fuel cells. While the H2 refueling issue may be addressed by using an on-board fuel processor that generates H2 from another fuel (e.g., gasoline, methanol), this approach could lead to emissions, add complexity, and perhaps reduce the energy efficiency unacceptably. These factors, however, vary with the fuel being utilized. Basically, the choice of fuel will affect the level of emissions, the pace of introducing fuel cell vehicles into the market place, their durability, and their cost-effectiveness. ORAL TESTIMONY: Jim McDowell, Nova BUS FORMAL BOARD ACTION: None. RESPONSIBLE DIVISION: MSCD |
97-4-5 | Consideration of Research Proposals The Board approved Resolutions 97-21, 97-22, 97-23, 97-24, 97-25, 97-26, 97-27 by unanimous approval. |