BOARD MEETING DATE: July 9, 2010
AGENDA NO. 33
REPORT:
Mobile Source Committee
SYNOPSIS:
The Mobile Source Committee met Friday, June 18, 2010.
Following is a summary of that meeting.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
Receive and file the attached report.
Ronald O. Loveridge, Chair
Mobile Source Committee
Attendance
Chair Ronald Loveridge called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Present at the AQMD were Committee Members Jane Carney and Josie Gonzales. Attending via videoconference were Vice-Chair Marion Ashley, and Committee Members Bill Campbell and Jan Perry (arrived at 9:30 a.m.). The following items were presented, with agenda item 2 taken up first:
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS:
2) Status Report on CARB’s Draft Railyard-Specific Commitment Language
Henry Hogo, Assistant Deputy Executive Officer, provided an overview of the CARB staff proposed railyard-specific commitment language to reduce particulate emissions at the four railyards with the highest levels of estimated cancer risk located in the South Coast Air Basin (BNSF San Bernardino, BNSF Hobart, UP Commerce, and UP ICTF/Dolores). Staff provided an overview of the public process to date and indicated that the CARB Board will be considering the commitment language at its June 24, 2010 meeting in Sacramento. Staff provided comments at the two public workshops held on June 7, 2010 and June 9, 2010.
Staff indicated that the commitment language is provided for the railroads to take voluntary actions to reduce particulate emissions from the four railyards and meet specific particulate emissions reduction targets. Overall particulate emissions would be reduced by 85 percent by 2020 from 2005 emission levels under the CARB proposal. The 85 percent reduction equates to residual risk levels of 75 in a million (at the BNSF Hobart and UP ICTF railyards) to 400 in a million at the San Bernardino railyard. Staff indicated that the residual risks are unacceptable given that the largest stationary sources are around 10 in a million. Staff recommended that acceptable risk reduction targets should be established along with the PM emission reduction targets. In addition, staff recommended that actions must be taken to reduce exposure as early as possible, consider and implement “best available control technologies” for all sources as early as possible, and public meetings regarding the railyards should be held in the South Coast Air Basin.
The Committee members expressed their concerns regarding the high level of remaining risk and the need to take actions to reduce emissions and exposure as early as possible including actions that can be taken at the local level. A question was asked about the urgency of having a commitment in place. Mayor Loveridge indicated that the urgency is the high risk levels and the community concerns and the Board’s desire to reduce risk as early as possible. He expressed the concerns related to getting emissions reductions through regulations or through a commitment approach. Staff indicated that there is a need to have all stakeholders working together at the highest levels.
Staff indicated that they are planning to provide oral testimony at the CARB Board meeting. Mayor Loveridge commented that staff should provide comments on the most important points regarding the commitment language. Staff indicated that the comments to the CARB Board will focus on the high residual risk and the need to maximize risk reduction, the minimal rate of emission reductions, the rate of introduction of Tier 4 locomotives and zero-emission technologies, and the need to take actions as soon as possible. Supervisor Gonzales expressed the need to protect the public health to the maximum extent possible and the need to do better than the CARB proposal.
1) Update on Proposed Amendments to Rule 1193 – Clean On-Road Residential and Commercial Collection Vehicles
Henry Hogo provided an update on activities since the April 2010 Committee briefing on proposed amendments to Rule 1193. Staff has been meeting with individual waste collection fleets and associations regarding the proposed amendments. Based on comments received, staff is proposing additional compliance flexibility in the early years.
The current staff proposal would require governmental agencies to contract for alternative fueled refuse vehicles when a new contract is executed or an existing contract or franchise agreement is renewed. For new residential collection contracts, 100 percent of the collection vehicles must be alternative fueled at the start of the collection service. For new commercial contracts or renewed residential or commercial contracts, the private fleet operator would be allowed to phase-in the use of alternative fueled vehicles either through a 5-year phase-in path or a 12 model year rolling retirement path. All refuse vehicles providing collection services would be alternative fueled by January 1, 2020.
Additional compliance flexibility is allowed for fleets that have a larger number of alternative fuel vehicles in the entire fleet compared to the number needed in an individual contract. Private fleet operators that choose the 5-year phase-in would be allowed up to two one-year extensions if the operators demonstrate that the percentage of alternative fueled vehicles in the entire fleet meets or exceeds the minimum percentage requirements in any given year of the phase-in. For example, if 25 percent of the total number of refuse vehicles in a fleet are alternative fueled vehicles and the first year of a contract renewal requires a minimum of 20 percent, the fleet operator may apply for a one-year extension.
Additional compliance flexibilities are proposed relative to the delivery of alternative fueled vehicles and ability to construct alternative fuel refueling stations at the start of the contract services. In addition, staff is proposing to allow up to three refuse vehicles providing services under contracts to remain diesel powered for fleets with fewer than 50 vehicles. For fleets with greater than 50 vehicles, staff is proposing to allow up to 3 percent of the affected solid waste collection vehicles (i.e., providing contract services to governmental agencies) to be diesel-powered and up to 20 percent of the affected rolloff and transfer vehicles to be diesel powered.
Staff provided NOx emissions comparisons between the current staff proposal and the proposal released in May 2010 during the public comment period. The comparisons show that both proposals would realize additional NOx emissions benefits compared to the current rule.
Staff indicated that there are still outstanding issues with the ability for some fleets to procure alternative fueled vehicles at an accelerated rate as proposed by staff and that a 10-year phase-in would achieve the same result by 2020 of having 100% alternative fueled vehicles in contract service. Specifically, three fleets have approached staff regarding their concerns. Staff has met with two of the three private fleets and discussed their specific contracts and their concerns regarding the 5-year phase-in. Staff will be meeting with a third fleet to discuss their specific contracting arrangements and the number of vehicles affected by the proposed amendments. Staff indicated that the California Refuse and Recycling Council (CRRC) submitted a letter to the Board requesting the consideration of a 10-year phase-in.
Four members from the public provided comments. Mr. David Fahrion, President of CRRC spoke in regards to the accelerated schedule to replace vehicles indicating that a 10-year phase-in would achieve the goal of 100 percent alternative fueled vehicles by 2020. Given the current economic situations, cities are reluctant to increase refuse collection rates, which are the only source of revenue for the private fleet operators to purchase a large number of vehicles. He requested the Board’s consideration of the 10-year phase-in. Mr. Paul Ryan, representing CRRC, indicated that there could be a synergistic impact of the proposed amendments in that neighboring cities to those jurisdictions that have alternative fueled vehicle collection services would also want to have alternative fueled vehicles. As such, private fleets would need to purchase additional vehicles. Mr. Ryan indicated that staff should analyze the additional vehicles private fleets may need to purchase beyond the phase-in requirements. Mr. Chuck Tobin of Burrtec commented that there are inequities between the two options proposed by staff. He indicated that the 12-model year rolling retirement option would allow newer diesel vehicles to stay in service longer than the 5-year phase-in (which would require 100% of the vehicles to be alternative fueled in five years). As such, having a 10-year phase-in would create a more level implementation. Mr. Harvey Eder representing a solar coalition commented on studies indicating that natural gas engines have higher hydrocarbon emissions, specifically methane, that impact climate change and going to solar powered hybrid vehicles would be more appropriate.
Supervisor Bill Campbell asked how the rule would affect public refuse collection fleets indicating that it does not seem fair for public fleets to do less. Supervisor Campbell also asked for clarifications on the proposed exemption to allow for diesel powered vehicles and the differences between fleets with fewer than 50 vehicles compared to the exemption for fleets with greater than 50 vehicles. In addition, Supervisor Campbell asked that staff analyze the 10-year phase-in and provide the analysis at the Board hearing on this item.
Councilwoman Jan Perry left the meeting at 10:05 a.m.
3) Update on U.S. EPA’s Final Revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Sulfur Dioxide
Jean Ospital, Health Effects Officer, presented an overview of the new primary standard for sulfur dioxide. A standard of 75 ppb (parts per billion) averaged over one hour was promulgated on June 2, 2010. A region is in compliance if the yearly 98th percentile (4th highest) daily maximum one-hour level, average over three years, is below 75 ppb. The standard also requires three ambient monitoring stations in the South Coast, which the current monitoring network satisfies. Based on levels recorded from the District’s current monitoring network, the South Coast shows a design value of 24 ppb over the years 2006 - 2008. Levels near sources of sulfur dioxide, however, may be higher. To determine compliance, the EPA is requiring a “hybrid” approach that, in addition to ambient monitoring, requires dispersion modeling of emissions from sources to demonstrate that the highest anticipated one-hour levels meet the standard. EPA will issue guidance for conducting the required air quality modeling. Staff expects that the District will initially be designated as “unclassifiable” in terms of attainment status, since the modeling of emissions will likely not be completed in time for the designations deadline, anticipated to be June 2012. The schedule calls for such “unclassifiable” areas to submit state plans by June 2013 showing attainment. The EPA attainment deadline is August 2017.
Mayor Ron Loveridge left the meeting at 10:15 a.m.
4) Impact of Higher On- and Off-Road Ammonia Emissions on Regional PM2.5
This item was deferred to the September 2010 meeting.
5) Rule 2202 Activity Report
Written report submitted. No comments.
6) Monthly Report on Environmental Justice Initiatives – CEQA Document Commenting Update
Written report submitted. No comments.
7) Other Business
None
8) Public Comment
None
The meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m.
Attachment
(DOC, 56k)
Attendance Roster