BOARD MEETING DATE: November 5, 2010
AGENDA NO. 28
REPORT:
Mobile Source Committee
SYNOPSIS:
The Mobile Source Committee met Friday, October 15, 2010. 9;Following is a summary of that meeting.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive and file.
Jane Carney, Acting Chair
Mobile Source Committee
Attendance
Acting Chair Jane Carney called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Present at the AQMD was Committee Member Josie Gonzales. Attending via videoconference was Committee Member John J. Benoit. Chair Ronald Loveridge, Committee Members Bill Campbell and Jan Perry were absent. The following items were presented:
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS:
- Status Report on 2010 Update to Ports’ Clean Air Action Plan
Peter Greenwald, Senior Policy Advisor, provided a status report on the 2010 Update to the Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) for the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The CAAP was adopted in 2006 and included control measures to reduce emissions at the ports from ships, cargo handling equipment, trucks, harbor craft, and locomotives. The 2010 CAAP Update incorporates comments and changes to the plan and was developed with significant input from AQMD, CARB, and EPA. AQMD staff has some concerns with the draft document and proposed strengthening amendments for locomotives and railyards, electrification, oceangoing vessels, risk reduction standard, 2014 NOx San Pedro Bay standard, and San Pedro Bay Standards implementation. The 2010 CAAP Update was considered for adoption at a joint hearing of the Harbor Commissions on October 6, 2010. Testimony was heard from industry and environmental groups who requested more time to review the document. Consideration of the Update was continued to November with port staff to provide further explanations to stakeholders and the Harbor Commissions. AQMD staff will continue to participate.
- Report on Senate Bill 375 Implementation
Mark Butala, Manager of Comprehensive Planning for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), was invited by staff to provide a report on the strategy development and technical analysis for Senate Bill 375 (SB 375) implementation. Dr. Elaine Chang, Deputy Executive Officer, explained that SCAG staff will be providing periodic updates to the Mobile Source Committee on the status of the Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) development and the development of the 2012 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) as this data will be incorporated into the next Air Quality Management Plan.
- Mr. Butala’s presentation focused on statutory components and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategies for the SCS. The strategies to reduce GHG emissions have been divided into two categories, land use and transportation. Land use strategies include infill development, transit oriented development (TOD), and mixed use developments. Transportation strategies include infrastructure investments, transportation demand management and transportation system management policies. In addition, SCAG will be looking at current programs in which GHG reductions can be claimed. For example, 80 Compass Blueprint Projects have been completed or are in development. In addition to the Compass Blueprint Projects there are also pedestrian and bicycle initiatives, green building programs, and projects that will be completed under Measure R.
Mr. Butala discussed a number of challenges for implementation of an SCS. There is no additional funding for the planning and implementation of SCS projects. This is to be completed under the current funding structures. Time, particularly as it relates to the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) process, will be an issue. SCAG is also still waiting for the California Air Resources Board to complete their evaluation of SCAG’s proposed methodologies; and two sub-regions, Orange County Council of Governments (OCCOG) and Gateway Cities Council of Governments (Gateway COG), are going to develop their own SCS’s which will need to be incorporated into the regional SCS.
- SCAG local sustainability planning tool will soon be available for local government use, and the first round of SCS development workshops will be held in December 2010/January 2011. Other workshops and development activities will follow, with the draft 2012 RTP/SCS scheduled for release in November 2011. It is planned that public hearings will be held November 2011 to January 2012, with the final 2012 RTP/SCS released in April 2012.
Supervisor Josie Gonzales was interested in seeing SCAG’s plan for outreach to the local governments. She is concerned because planning decisions are made through different processes among local governments and she wants to ensure that the correct planning structures have been identified.
Ms. Jane Carney suggested that SCAG try to identify funds for a study to look at the completed Compass Blueprint projects to determine what has and has not worked to reduced vehicle miles traveled.
- 2010 Ozone Season and Ongoing Air Quality Trends
Joe Cassmassi, Planning and Rules Manager, provided an update of the ozone air quality season through mid-October. The trend of Basin days exceeding the federal 75 ppb standard has continued to show progress with 2010 having the lowest total to date. Peak concentrations are also lower than previous years. The trend was evaluated to discuss the potential influence of seasonal weather conditions on ozone formation and the impact of the economic downturn on the pattern. In general, the mid-summer months did not show any significant weather bias toward ozone formation. The sensitivity analysis addressing the economic slowdown suggested that lower overall concentrations in the Basin would likely result but the mix of VOC and NOx could force more frequent impacts to areas closer to the emissions source region. Observations of ozone concentrations and patterns supported this postulation.
Ms. Carney asked staff to clarify the definition of the monsoon in southern California, and Mr. Cassmassi responded that the typical flow in the late summer is from the south and it draws moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf of Baja to increase desert precipitation probability. Mr. Cassmassi, pointed out that the monsoonal flow was very weak this year and more stable conditions due to the lack of monsoon may have lead to a nominal increase in ozone for the Coachella Valley. In closing, Mr. Cassmassi pointed out that the 2010 smog season still has a few weeks left and that staff will continue to monitor the air quality and augment the analysis at the end of the year.
- Rule 2202 Activity Report
Written report submitted. No comments.
- Monthly Report on Environmental Justice Initiatives – CEQA Document Commenting Update
Written report submitted. No comments.
- Other Business
None
- Public Comment
None
The meeting adjourned at 10:20 a.m.
Attachment (DOC, 50k)
Attendance Roster