State of California
AIR RESOURCES BOARD

Summary of Board Meeting
September 28, 2000

Air Resources Board
Board Hearing Room, Lower Level
2020 "L" Street
Sacramento, California

     
MEMBERS PRESENT: Hons. Alan C. Lloyd, Ph.D., Chairman
    Dr. William A. Burke
    Joseph C. Calhoun, P.E.
    Doreen D'Adamo
    Mark DeSaulnier
    C. Hugh Friedman
    William F. Friedman
    Matthew R. McKinnon
    Barbara Patrick
    Barbara Riordan
AGENDA ITEM #

00-9-1 Public Meeting to Consider the Approval of the Proposed Risk Reduction Plan to Reduce Particulate Matter Emissions from Diesel-Fueled Engines and Vehicles

SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM:

Staff presented a report on the Proposed Diesel Risk Reduction Plan (Diesel RRP) which is a comprehensive plan to significantly reduce diesel particulate matter (PM) emissions from mobile, portable, and stationary diesel-fueled engines and vehicles. The basic premise behind the Diesel RRP is to require all new diesel-fueled engines and vehicles to use state-of-the-art catalyst-based diesel particulate filters (C-DPFs) and very low sulfur diesel fuel. Further, all existing vehicles and engines should be evaluated, and wherever technically feasible and cost-effective, retrofitted with C-DPFs. The plan recommends the development of specific airborne toxic control measures (ATCMs) and fuel or vehicular emissions regulations over the next several years designed to reduce diesel PM emissions. In developing rules to implement the Diesel RRP, staff will also consider alternative fuels and alternative methods of performing the function of the diesel engine application. ARB staff will develop the ATCMs and regulations with full public involvement and dialogue through public workshops and meetings with groups and individuals. The projected benefits associated with the implementation of the Diesel RRP are reductions in diesel PM emissions and associated potential cancer risk of 75% by 2010 and 85% by 2020. The Diesel RRP is non-regulatory.
   
  ORAL TESTIMONY:

Barbara Lee CAPCOA
Tim French EMA
Cynthia Cory California Farm Bureau Federation
Manual Cunha Nisei Farmers Association
Jeb Stuart Southern Ca. Contractors Assoc.
Michael Kelly Sukut Equipment Company
Mitch White Sukut Equipment Company
Philip Vermeulen Governmental Relations
Michael Lewis Mason Construction
Stephanie Williams California Trucking Association
Herbert Hunn Citizen
Elaine Chang SCAQMD
Peter Rooney Pony Pack
Tim Carmichael Coalition for Clean Air
David A. Smith WSPA
Janet Hathaway NRDC
Bonnie Holmes-Gen American Lung Association
Bruce Bertelsen Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association
Catherine Nyberg Agricultural Council of California
Terry Ellis Coalition of Petroleum Service CCTS
Duane Chamberlain Chamberlain Farms
Louie Brown Kahn, Soares & Conway, LLP
Dr. William Bunn Navistar
J.T. Ted Holcombe Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Sean Edgar Edgar & Associates, Inc.
Paul Ryan California Refuse Removal Council
Greg Gilbert Goalline Environmental Technology
Joe Kelly Kelly Farms
Christina Morgan CCRYX
 
FORMAL BOARD ACTION:

The Board approved the Diesel Risk Management Plan by adopting Resolution 00-30 by a unanimous vote

RESPONSIBLE DIVISION: SSD

STAFF REPORT: Yes (34 pages + appendices)
   
00-9-2 Public Meeting to Consider the Approval of the Proposed Risk Management Guidance for the Permitting of New Stationary Diesel-Fueled Engines

SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM:

Staff presented a report on the Proposed Risk Management Guidance for the Permitting of New Stationary Diesel-Fueled Engines, which provides guidance to assist local air pollution control districts in the permitting of new stationary diesel-fueled engines. The guidance document contains a recommendation that new stationary diesel-fueled engines meet specific technology requirements or an equivalent performance standard to reduce diesel particulate matter (PM). The suggested technology is a combination of a low emission engine, catalyst-based diesel particulate filter (C-DPF), and very low-sulfur fuel. Due to concerns that C-DPFs may not work as expected on emergency/standby engines, compliance with the requirement to install C-DPFs on new emergency/standby engines are not effective until March 1, 2002. In the interim, emergency/standby engines must be as clean as the low emission engines required for the other engine category. The Proposed Risk Management Guidance for the Permitting of New Stationary Diesel-Fueled Engines is non-regulatory.

ORAL TESTIMONY:

David A Smith WSPA
Terry Ellis Coalition of Petroleum Service CCTS

FORMAL BOARD ACTION:

The Board approved the guidance by adopting Resolution 00-31 by a unanimous vote.

RESPONSIBLE DIVISION: SSD

STAFF REPORT: Yes (25 pages + appendices)
   
00-9-3  Public Hearing to Consider the Adoption of a Regulation Pertaining to the Conditional Rice Straw Burning Program

SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM:

A local program must be adopted by the Basinwide Council in accordance with the provisions of the proposed conditional rice straw burning regulations.

Growers will have to submit conditional burning permit requests accompanied by field inspection reports. Reports must be verified and approved by local agricultural commissioners. Until May 30, 2003, determinations of the significance of disease impacts on rice yield must be made. After this time, only a determination of disease presence will be required. This 2003 program modification is based on staff's expectation that at least 25% of each grower's acreage has significant disease and, therefore, continued annual quantification is not necessary beyond 2003. Staff will analyze the first two years of disease quantification data to evaluate the need for continued disease quantification and report to the Board on the findings. If data indicates that quantification should be continued, this regulation would have to be amended to continue that provision. If staff's expectations are confirmed, no amendments will be necessary.

Field inspections must be made by qualified personnel. Accordingly, a training program to provide the necessary expertise for field inspectors is required by the proposed regulations.

Once approved by local agricultural commissioners, the permit and inspection reports will be submitted to local air pollution control officers who may then consider the issuance of a permit in accordance with the provisions of the Sacramento Valley Burn Plan and other applicable statewide burning provisions.

ORAL TESTIMONY:

Harry Krug Colusa County
Robert Sutton California Rice Commission
Robert Warkentin The Last Straw

FORMAL BOARD ACTION:

The Board approved Resolution 00-32 by a unanimous vote.

RESPONSIBLE DIVISION: PTSD

STAFF REPORT: Yes (36 pages)
   
00-9-4 Public Hearing to Consider the Adoption of Amendments to Regulations Regarding the Conflict of Interest Code of the Air Resources Board

SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM:

Staff presented to the Board amendments to ARB's Conflict of Interest Code Regulations. Staff explained that these regulations require certain staff to report financial interests as defined that could present conflicts of interest. The regulations specify both the officials and employees who must report and the types of interests that must be reported. The majority of employees who must report are listed in the regulation for "professional employees." The types of interests that must be reported are denoted in the regulations denoted as reporting categories. Category I includes upper echelons of ARB, professional employees and other staff, members of special scientific and regulatory advisory committees, and consultants. The amendments to the regulations reflect changes in the Chair's Office and in the reorganization of the Technical Support Division into the Planning and Technical Support Division. The amendments to the list of professional employees reflect a broadening of the titles of professional classifications so that the listing will remain robust even as specific titles for these classifications change over time.

ORAL TESTIMONY: None

FORMAL BOARD ACTION:

The Board approved Resolution 00-34 by a unanimous vote.

RESPONSIBLE DIVISION: Office of Legal Affairs, Executive Office.

STAFF REPORT: Yes (6 pages)