BOARD MEETING DATE: July 10, 2009
AGENDA NO. 6

PROPOSAL:

Recognize Revenue and Appropriate Funds for PM2.5, NATTS and Enhanced Particulate Monitoring Programs, Recognize Revenue and Reallocate Unspent Funds for PAMS and U.S. EPA Community-Scale Air Toxics Monitoring Programs, and Issue Purchase Order and RFQs

SYNOPSIS:

EPA has allocated Section 103 funds in the amount of $807,165 for the PM2.5 program and $158,950 for the NATTS (National Air Toxics Trends Stations) program. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has allocated $2,173,177 for the Enhanced Particulate Monitoring Program. Also, unspent FY 2008-09 funds from other U.S. EPA programs need to be carried over to the FY 2009-10 Budget. As such, this action is to: (1) recognize revenue and appropriate funds for the PM2.5, NATTS and U.S. DHS programs; (2) recognize revenue and reallocate unspent 17th year PAMS (Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations) funds and U.S. EPA Community-Scale Air Toxics Monitoring Program funds to the FY 2009-10 Budget; and (3) issue purchase order and RFQs for budgeted fixed assets.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, June 12, 2009, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

  1. PM2.5
    1. Recognize $207,566 in revenue of the total $807,165 U.S. EPA Section 103 Grant for the PM2.5 Monitoring program in the FY 2009-10 Budget. (Revenue recognized in this action excludes $599,599 already included in the FY 2009-10 Budget).
    2. Appropriate from the Undesignated Fund balance $273,000 to the Major Objects in Science & Technology Advancement's FY 2009-10 Budget as set forth in Attachment 1 for the PM2.5 Monitoring program. (Expenditure appropriations exclude $534,165 in Salary and Employee Benefits already included in the FY 2009-10 Budget.)
  1.  NATTS (National Air Toxics Trends Stations)
    1. Recognize $1,270 in revenue of the total $158,950 U.S. EPA Section 103 Grant for the NATTS program in the FY 2009-10 Budget. (Revenue recognized in this action excludes $157,680 already included in the FY 2009-10 Budget).
    2. Upon receipt of award, appropriate from the Undesignated Fund balance $107,500 to the Major Objects in Science & Technology Advancement's FY 2009-10 Budget as set forth in Attachment 2 for the NATTS program. (Expenditure appropriations exclude $51,450 in Salary and Employee Benefits and indirect costs already included in the FY 2009-10 Budget).
  1. Enhanced Particulate Monitoring Program
    1. Recognize $693,177 in revenue of the total $2,173,177 U.S. DHS Grant for the Enhanced Particulate Monitoring program in the FY 2009-10 Budget. (Revenue recognized in this action excludes $1,480,000 already included in the FY 2009-10 Budget).
    2. Upon receipt of award, appropriate from the Undesignated Fund balance $412,878 to the Major Objects in Science & Technology Advancement's FY 2009-10 Budget as set forth in Attachment 3 for the Enhanced Particulate Monitoring program. (Expenditure appropriations exclude $1,760,299 in Salary and Employee Benefits and indirect costs already included in the FY 2009-10 Budget).
  1. PAMS

Recognize revenue of $94,500 in the FY 2009-10 Budget and reallocate unspent funds of $94,500 from the U.S. EPA Section 105 Grant for the 17th year PAMS program to the Major Objects in Science and Technology Advancement’s and Planning, Rule Development, and Area Sources’ FY 2009-10 Budgets as set forth in Attachment 5.

  1. Community-Scale Air Toxics Monitoring

Recognize revenue of $440,941 in the FY 2009-10 Budget and reallocate unspent funds of $94,000 from the U.S. EPA Community-Scale Air Toxics Monitoring program to the Major Objects in Science and Technology Advancement’s FY 2009-10 Budget as set forth in Attachment 7. (Expenditure appropriation excludes $346,941 in Salary and Employee Benefits and indirect costs already included in the FY 2009-10 Budget).

  1. Authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a sole source purchase order with Magee Scientific for an amount not to exceed $12,000 for the purchase of one (1) Lab-based Black Carbon Analyzer as budgeted in the PM2.5 Monitoring Program award.
     
  2. Release the following Request for Quotations:
    1. RFQ #Q2010-04 for one (1) Thermogravimetric Analyzer at a cost not to exceed $92,500 as budgeted in the FY 2009-10 Budget.
    2. RFQ #Q2010-02 for one (1) X-ray Diffractometer System at a cost not to exceed $150,000 as budgeted in the FY 2009-10 Budget.
    3. Release RFQ #Q2010-03 for one (1) Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer at a cost not to exceed $170,000 as budgeted in the FY 2009-10 Budget.
    4. Release RFQ #Q2010-01 for eight (8) Clean Air Generators at a cost not to exceed $56,000 as budgeted in the FY 2009-10 Budget.

 

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

PM2.5 Program
Since 1998, U.S. EPA has provided funds under a Section 103 Grant for a comprehensive PM2.5 air monitoring program. To date, there are 19 ambient monitoring stations operating 22 PM2.5 samplers under U.S. EPA funding. In addition, U.S. EPA has supported the expansion of the network to collect continuous PM2.5 mass and chemical speciation at several sites within the South Coast Air Basin. This augmentation substantially adds to the fine particulate data which will help in the characterization of PM2.5 sources, air quality conditions, and health impacts.

NATTS Program

There are currently 188 hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), or air toxics, regulated under the Clean Air Act that are associated with a wide variety of adverse health effects, including cancer and neurological effects. The U.S. EPA Government Performance Results Act commitments specify a goal of reducing air toxics emissions by 75% from 1993 levels to significantly reduce the health risks. The National Air Toxics Trends Station (NATTS) program was developed to fulfill the need for long-term national HAP monitoring data. In Calendar Year 2007, the U.S. EPA expanded the NATTS program and awarded Section 103 funds to conduct monitoring for toxic air contaminants at two existing AQMD monitoring sites: Downtown L.A. and Rubidoux. The air toxics data serve as a continuum between past and future air toxics measurements programs such as MATES and allow for more accurate evaluation of toxic trends on a regional basis. Since this is a long-term trends monitoring program, it is anticipated that NATTS funding will be granted annually for the foreseeable future.

Enhanced Particulate Monitoring Program
The AQMD has been providing enhanced particulate monitoring support as part of a national monitoring program since 2003. Sample collection began in early February 2003 and will continue for the foreseeable future. Initially, the U.S. EPA provided funding for training, sampling instruments, associated consumables, and labor resources. The U.S. DHS is now funding the enhanced monitoring program and continues to cover all costs associated with the program.

PAMS Program
In February 1993, the U.S. EPA promulgated the PAMS regulations for areas classified as serious, severe or extreme non-attainment for ozone. These regulations require AQMD to conduct monitoring for ozone precursors with enhanced monitoring equipment at a total of seven sites. The PAMS program is also funding the meteorological upper air profilers sited at LAX and Ontario airports, Moreno Valley in Riverside County, Irvine in Orange County, and Whiteman Airport in the San Fernando Valley. Since the onset of the PAMS program, U.S. EPA has annually allocated Section 105 supplemental funds in support of this requirement.

Community-Scale Air Toxics Monitoring Program

In November 2008, the Board recognized an award from a U.S. EPA Section 103 Grant for a Community-Scale Air Toxics Monitoring study. The objective of this two-year study is to further characterize ambient air toxics levels in communities surrounding large commercial airports in the South Coast Air Basin. The study focuses on two of the Basin’s large and expanding commercial international airports, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Long Beach Airport. The work will supplement a concurrent Los Angeles World Airport air quality study by providing additional capabilities for air toxics monitoring at multiple locations in the surrounding communities. The monitoring efforts at both airports will be accomplished with a unique set of rapidly deployable mobile air toxics monitoring platforms using the latest technologies for air toxics measurements, including continuous instrumentation. The mobile platforms will be deployable on the time scale of hours rather than weeks, allowing for more spatial coverage and rapid adjustment to locations based on monitoring results. The platforms and equipment will have sufficient flexibility to operate on both land-based power and self-contained generator or battery power. A variety of traditional time-integrated methods will be combined with newer continuous low power methods for air toxics measurements. When the U.S. EPA-funded study is complete, AQMD will deploy these two new monitoring platforms to address AQMD and community concerns related to local impacts of pollution sources.

Proposal

PM2.5 Program
U.S. EPA has provided funding in the amount of $807,165 in Section 103 grant funds for the continuation of the PM2.5 Program through March 31, 2010. Revenue in the amount of $599,599 for this grant has already been included in the FY 2009-10 Budget. This action is to recognize the remaining revenue in the amount of $207,566 in the FY 2009-10 Budget. An additional action is proposed to appropriate $273,000 to the Major Objects in the Science and Technology Advancement FY 2009-10 Budget as set forth in Attachment 1. An amount of $534,165 associated with Salary and Employee Benefits was previously included in the Board approved FY 2009-10 Budget. The allocation includes funds for an upgraded PM2.5 filter weighing room environmental control system, a lab-based black carbon analyzer, and funds for equipment upgrades. The U.S. EPA concurs with staff’s proposed allocation.

NATTS Program

The U.S. EPA has provided funding in the amount of $158,950 to continue the NATTS program for the July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010 time period. Revenue in the amount of $157,680 for this grant has already been included in the FY 2009-10 Budget. This action is to recognize the remaining revenue in the amount of $1,270 in the FY 2009-10 Budget. An additional action is proposed to appropriate $107,500 to the Major Objects in the Science and Technology Advancement FY 2009-10 Budget as set forth in Attachment 2. An amount of $51,450 associated with Salary and Employee Benefits and indirect cost was previously included in the Board approved FY 2009-10 Budget. The allocation includes funds to be used towards the purchase of a new ICP-MS system for air toxic metals analysis. The U.S. EPA concurs with staff’s proposed allocation.

Enhanced Particulate Monitoring Program

The U.S. DHS allocated $2,173,177 for the ongoing Enhanced Particulate Monitoring Program for FY 2009-10. Revenue in the amount of $1,480,000 for this grant has already been included in the FY 2009-10 Budget. This action is to recognize the remaining revenue in the amount of $693,177 in the FY 2009-10 Budget. An additional action is proposed to appropriate $412,878 to the Major Objects in the Science and Technology Advancement FY 2009-10 Budget as set forth in Attachment 3. An amount of $1,760,299 associated with Salary and Employee Benefits and indirect costs was previously included in the Board-approved FY 2009-10 Budget. The proposed allocations have been discussed with and accepted by U.S. DHS.

PAMS Program
U.S. EPA has provided funding in the amount of $1,239,740 for the 17th year PAMS program (FFY 2009). As in previous years, there is a need to reallocate unspent PAMS funds from FY 2008-09 to the FY 2009-10 Budget to cover costs for the fourth quarter of FFY 2009. As shown in Attachment 4, a balance of $94,500 from the 17th year PAMS program is proposed for carryover to the FY 2009-10 Budget. The proposed reallocation of these 17th year PAMS funds is provided in Attachment 5. The U.S. EPA concurs with staff’s proposed reallocation.

Community-Scale Air Toxics Monitoring Program
U.S. EPA has provided funding in the amount of $697,669 for a multiyear Community-Scale Air Toxics Monitoring Program. There is a need to reallocate unspent funds from this grant from FY 2008-09 to the FY 2009-10 Budget to cover continuing program costs. As shown in Attachment 6, a balance of $440,941 from FY 2008-09 is proposed for carryover to the FY 2009-10 Budget. $346,941 in Salary and Employee Benefits and indirect costs from this program has already been included in the FY 2009-10 Budget. This proposed action reallocates the remaining $94,000 to the Major Objects in Science and Technology Advancement’s FY 2009-10 Budget as set forth in Attachment 7. The U.S. EPA concurs with staff’s proposed reallocation.

Issue Purchase Order for One (1) Lab-based Black Carbon Analyzer Under the PM2.5 Program

Estimating diesel PM contributions to ambient samples is critical for AQMP planning as well as air toxics assessments. Currently, diesel PM estimates derive from chemical speciation sampling during special studies such as MATES, or at a few permanent speciation sites. A new lab-based instrument using the principle of light absorption allows for rapid, low-cost estimates of black carbon on multiple filter types consistent with other field-based measurements of black carbon. Black carbon is closely related to elemental carbon which is a key diesel PM component. This relatively inexpensive tool will allow black carbon measurements, and thus diesel PM estimates, on all Teflon filters already being collected as part of the AQMD PM2.5 air monitoring network. This essentially increases our PM speciation network for black carbon to 20 sites from the current 4 sites, and allows daily analysis at some sites vs. less frequent sampling at our current speciation sites. Therefore, staff recommends that the Board authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a sole-source purchase order with Magee Scientific for an amount not to exceed $12,000 for the purchase of one (1) Lab-based Black Carbon Analyzer as budgeted in the PM2.5 Monitoring Program Award.

Issue RFQ for One (1) Thermogravimetric Analyzer

AQMD Rules 314 and 1113 will necessitate VOC content analysis of low-VOC architectural coatings. The current method utilizing GC/MS is labor intensive and time-consuming. An alternative method using a Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) is being investigated since it may provide a simpler and less time-consuming, yet equally accurate, method of VOC determination. The TGA operated by the AQMD Laboratory has provided many years of service, but is not sensitive enough to meet the current need. Therefore, staff is requesting the Board to release RFQ #Q2010-XX (Attachment 8) for one (1) Thermogravimetric Analyzer at a cost not to exceed $92,500 as budgeted in the FY 2009-10 Budget.

Issue RFQ for One (1) X-ray Diffractometer System

An X-ray Diffractometer (XRD) System is essential for the analysis of compliance samples and fallout identification in response to public complaints. The XRD System is the only instrument used for the analysis of crystalline silica, identification of crystalline phases (i.e., cement and ambient fallout) and metallic coatings (SCAQMD Regulation XI). It is also the U.S. EPA recommended instrumentation for the confirmation of asbestos results in bulk samples (SCAQMD Rule 1403). The AQMD Laboratory currently has an XRD System that was purchased from Siemens (now Bruker) 16 years ago. Due to the age of the instrument, Bruker will not offer service of the XRD after 2009. Therefore, in order to retain the necessary XRD capabilities, staff is requesting the Board to release RFQ #Q2010-02 (Attachment 9) for one (1) X-ray Diffractometer System at a cost not to exceed $150,000 as budgeted in the FY 2009-10 Budget.

Issue RFQ for One (1) Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer

An Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) is used by the AQMD Laboratory for the analysis of toxic metals as part of the NATTS program and the ambient lead (Pb) monitoring program as required by U.S. EPA. The Laboratory has been notified by the instrument manufacturer that service for its current ICP-MS may not be available after 2010. Furthermore, while the instrument represented the state-of-the-art when purchased, NATTS detection limit requirements are difficult to meet with the current ICP-MS, and a newer, more sensitive ICP-MS would meet those requirements. Therefore, staff is requesting the Board to release RFQ #Q2010-03 (Attachment 10) for one (1) Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer at a cost not to exceed $170,000 as budgeted in the FY 2009-10 Budget.

Issue RFQ for Eight (8) Clean Air Generators

Clean Air Generators are deployed throughout the AQMD Air Monitoring Network to provide clean air for automated daily and weekly zero, span and precision checks. The new U.S. EPA requirements for NCore sites include more sensitive trace-level analyzers that require cleaner air specification for these automated checks. In addition, older Clean Air Generators in the Network are in need of replacement to meet tighter specifications as more trace-level instruments are planned for deployment. Therefore, staff is requesting the Board to release RFQ #Q2010-01 (Attachment 11) for eight (8) Clean Air Generators at a cost not to exceed $56,000 as budgeted in the FY 2009-10 Budget.

Sole Source Justification

A sole source award is authorized under Sections IV.B. of the Procurement Policy and Procedure when a purchase does not lend itself to substitution. Section VIII.B.2 of the Procurement Policy and Procedure identifies four major provisions under which a sole-source award may be justified.

The request for sole-source purchase of the Lab-based Black Carbon Analyzer is made under Section VI.A.4.a of the Procurement Policy and Procedure; the item is available from only one source, and under Section VIII.B.2.d (6) of the Procurement Policy and Procedure; the item requires compatibility with existing specialized equipment. This Lab-based Black Carbon Analyzer is made by the same manufacturer as the Aethalometer, a continuous field-based black carbon analyzer that uses the same light absorption principle and wavelength of light. In order to ensure comparability of data with the current set of AQMD Aethalometers, the same measurement parameters are required for the lab-based instruments. The only manufacturer of compatible lab-based systems is Magee Scientific.

Resource Impacts

Federal grants are funded on a reimbursement basis, thus requiring appropriations from the Undesignated Fund Balance to the Budget in order to implement the programs. The Undesignated Fund Balance is fully reimbursed by the Federal grants once expenditures have been made and work has been completed.

U.S. EPA Section 103 Grant funding will support the continuation of the PM2.5, NATTS, and Community-Scale Air Monitoring Programs, including equipment, contracts, temporary services, and supplies necessary to meet the objectives of the program.

U.S. DHS funding will fully support the Enhanced Particulate Monitoring Program.

U.S. EPA Section 105 Grant funding supports the 17th year operation of the PAMS program, including equipment, contracts, temporary services, and supplies necessary to meet the objectives of the program.

The RFQs are budgeted fixed assets included in the FY 2009-10 Budget.

Attachments (EXE 1.6MB)

1 – Proposed PM2.5 Program Expenditures FY 2009-10
2 – Proposed NATTS Expenditures FY 2009-10
3 – Proposed DHS Enhanced Particulate Monitoring Program Expenditures FY2009-10
4 – PAMS 17th Year Budget and Estimated Remaining Balance as of 6/30/2009
5 – Proposed PAMS 17th Year Carryover Budget to FY 2009-10
6 – Community Scale Air Toxics Budget and Estimated Remaining Balance as of 6/30/2009
7 – Proposed Community Scale Air Toxics Carryover Budget to FY 2009-10
8 – RFQ #Q2010-04 for one Thermogravimetric Analyzer
9 – RFQ #Q2010-02 for one X-ray Diffractometer System
10 – RFQ #Q2010-03 for one Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer
11 – RFQ #Q2010-01 for eight Clean Air Generators


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