State of California
AIR RESOURCES BOARD

Summary of Board Meeting
April 26, 2001

California Environmental Protection Agency
Air Resources Board
Central Valley Auditorium, Second Floor
1001 I Street
Sacramento, California

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

01-3-1 Public Hearing to Consider the Status of the Carl Moyer Air Quality Standards Attainment Program

SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM:

Staff requested approval of the status report on the Carl Moyer Program for transmittal to the Governor and the Legislature. The Carl Moyer Program is in its third year of implementation. Initial program guidelines were approved in February 1999 and revised guidelines were approved on November 16, 2000. For the three years, the Carl Moyer Program is providing $98 million in incentives to substantially reduce emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from mobile source diesel engines. The program also reduces the fine particulate component of diesel exhaust, which contributes to particulate matter (PM) air pollution and is a toxic air contaminant.

Over 80 percent of first and second year state funds (close to $40 million) have been committed to engine, infrastructure, and advanced technology development projects. Third year funds ($45 million for engine projects and $5 million for infrastructure and advanced technology projects) have already been allocated to local district programs.

The successful implementation of this program has resulted in state funds paying for almost 1,900 cleaner burning heavy-duty engines such as refuse haulers, urban transit buses, school buses, agricultural irrigation pumps, marine vessels, and forklifts. In two years, the program has resulted in about 2,500 tons per year of NOx and 70 tons/year of PM reductions statewide. These reductions will continue for a minimum of 5 years, with some projects providing continued benefits for a decade. The emission reductions from this program helps California to meet its clean air commitments under the State Implementation Plan and local air districts meet local transportation conformity plans, thus preventing the loss of federal highway dollars for local areas throughout California.

ARB's goal is to reduce exposure to pollutants throughout California. This is especially important to residents in low-income, inner-city communities that are often disproportionately impacted by air pollution. Through the Carl Moyer Program, ARB is conducting focused outreach and strengthening district coordination to increase the number of projects that could specifically benefit communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution.

Emission reductions from this program are proving to be a critical element in alleviating California's energy crisis. In response to Executive Order D-24-01, Air Resources Board (ARB) has established an emissions reduction credit (ERC) bank to provide emissions offsets for the establishment of additional peaking power capacity. The Governor directed ARB to use all sources of available emission reductions to "fund" the ERC bank through 2003. ARB will borrow emission reductions from the first two years of the Carl Moyer Program to "fund" the ERC bank. The immediate availability of these reductions will enable additional generating capacity to come on-line quickly to meet summer power demand.

ARB staff will also implement a second program -- "The NOx and PM Emission Reduction Program" - currently proposed in the Governor's 2000/2001 fiscal year budget. If approved, this new program will provide additional NOx and PM emission reductions to
fund the ERC bank through 2003. After 2003, emission reductions generated to "fund" the ERC bank will return to air quality benefits, replenishing the Carl Moyer Program at that time.

Demand for project funds continues to grow beyond the amount of funds that the program has received. In order to maintain program continuity; create a market for low-emission engines enabling advanced technology to be available earlier than expected; and provide a method for repayment of borrowed emission reductions from the Carl Moyer Program, it is important to secure a source of continued funding beyond the third year.



ORAL TESTIMONY:
 
Peter Rooney Pony Pack, Inc. 
Teresa Moren Diverse Strategies for Organizing 


FORMAL BOARD ACTION:

The Board approved Resolution No. 01-8 by a unanimous vote.


RESPONSIBLE DIVISION: MSCD

STAFF REPORT: Yes (40 pages + appendices)
   
01-3-2 Public Meeting to Consider an Informational Update on Current Activities, Issues, and Recommendations on Indoor Air Quality

SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM:

Staff updated the Board on current activities and issues regarding indoor air quality, and discussed conclusions and suggestions from an Indoor Air Quality Symposium sponsored by the ARB last year. Staff also discussed planned activities and possible future actions for the Board's consideration, including development of an Air Toxics Control Measure for reducing formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products. The Board expressed concern regarding indoor exposures that cannot be, or are not being, addressed, and asked for clarification regarding ARB's authority in this area. Members also discussed the new indoor air quality guideline on chlorinated chemicals and a proposed study of children's exposures during their school bus commutes.


ORAL TESTIMONY: None.

FORMAL BOARD ACTION: None.

RESPONSIBLE DIVISION: RD


STAFF REPORT: There was no staff report. However, copies of several documents were distributed, including the Proceedings from the Indoor Air Quality Symposium, a new indoor air quality guideline entitled "Chlorinated Chemicals in Your Home," a brochure on the California Portable Classrooms Study, and a brochure from the Collaborative for High Performance Schools. All of these are available to the public on request. Additionally, the slides and text from the staff presentation to the Board, the Symposium Proceedings, the new guideline, and information on the California Portable Classrooms Study and the Collaborative for High Performance Schools can be found on ARB's website at http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/indoor/indoor.htm.
   
01-3-3 Public Hearing to Consider Amendments to the Assessment of the Impacts of Transported Pollutants on Ozone Concentrations in California



SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM:

The ARB staff first presented a summary of the last 10 years of transport assessments, which have been required by the California Clean Air Act. Secondly, the staff presented several regulatory proposals based on their most recent transport assessment for three districts. The staff recommended that two new transport couples be added to the transport identification regulation: the San Francisco Bay Area/North Coast couple and the San Francisco Bay Area/South Central Coast couple. The ARB staff also recommended the following new transport classifications based on transport assessments:

(1) "overwhelming" transport from the San Francisco Bay Area Air Basin to the northern Sonoma County portion of the North Coast Air Basin,

(2) "significant" transport from the San Francisco Bay Area Air Basin to the San Luis Obispo County portion of the South Central Coast Air Basin, and

(3) "inconsequential" transport from the Broader Sacramento Area to the Upper Sacramento Valley.

Also, based on their current transport assessment, the staff concurred with previous transport findings that transport is inconsequential and significant for the couple San Joaquin Valley Air Basin to South Central Coast Air Basin. Finally, based on the recommendation of "overwhelming" transport from the San Francisco Bay Area Air Basin to the northern Sonoma County portion of North Coast Air Basin, staff recommended that conforming notational changes be made to the mitigation regulation to reflect this transport classification.

The staff also presented a non-regulatory informational report entitled Ozone Transport: 2001 Review. The report summarizes transport in each of the air basins in California.


ORAL TESTIMONY:

Robert W. Carr, APCO San Luis Obispo County APCD


FORMAL BOARD ACTION:

The Board unanimously approved Resolution No. 01-9, with several revisions. First, the Board directed the staff to report to the Board by July 2001 on the availability and potential air quality benefits of additional mitigation measures that could be considered by upwind contributors to reduce the impact of their emissions on downwind districts. The mitigation measures suggested by the Board include all feasible control measures, new source review thresholds, a mitigation bank, and Smog Check II. Secondly, the Board directed the staff to consider and bring before the Board updates to the transport mitigation requirements.

RESPONSIBLE DIVISION: PTSD

STAFF REPORT: Yes (38 pages + appendices)
   
01-3-4 Public Meeting to Consider Research Proposals

The Board approved Resolution Nos. 01-10 through 01-18 by a unanimous vote.