HomeMy WebLinkAboutVI- I Grant Award from South Coast AQMDCONSENT CALENDAR
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: BILL NAKASONE, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
VIA: RICK COLE, CITY MANAGER
JOE HSU, DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES
DATE: JANUARY 21, 2003
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO ACCEPT GRANT AWARD (GRANT # G03162) FROM SOUTH COAST
AQMD FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE PM RETROFIT PROGRAM.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council accept the grant award from South Coast Air Quality
Management District for participation in the PM Retrofit Program. AQMD will reimburse the City of
Azusa up to $36,000 for installation of particulate matter traps on six of the City’s diesel powered on road
trucks.
BACKGROUND
On August 12, 2002, The Public Works Department applied to the South Coast Air Quality
Management District for participation in the PM Retrofit Program. This program will reimburse the
City of Azusa up to $36,000 for installation of “Particulate Matter” traps on six City owned trucks
designated for off road use. The purpose of this device is to drastically reduce the emission of
particulate matter into the atmosphere resulting from diesel combustion. The cost to retrofit the
eligible trucks is estimated at $36,000. The AQMD grant would essentially make this retrofit
conversion a no cost proposition for the City of Azusa.
AQMD has identified diesel powered equipment as a primary source of air toxicity in the Los Angeles
Basin. There have been two recent legislative actions aimed at “cleaning up” the air toxicity
associated diesel combustion. The first action has been the mandated conversion to low sulfur
diesel. This has taken the sulfur content from 500 parts per million down to 150 parts per million.
The City of Azusa plans in the near future to convert to “ultra low sulfur diesel” fuel (which has a
sulfur content of 15 parts per million). This conversion to “ultra low sulfur diesel” is above and
beyond the current legislative requirement but we have been advised by the regulatory authorities
that this will become the required fuel in the near future. We expect to have this replacement fuel in
our tanks by March of 2003.
AQMD is also encouraging the installation of PM traps on 1996 and newer diesel powered trucks
designated for on road use (as evidenced by this grant program). It anticipated that this “request for
PM trap installation” will be followed up by an un-funded mandate in the near future requiring “PM
trap installation”. Staff felt it was prudent to both comply with the future directives aimed at
improving our air quality as well as simultaneously taking advantage of the cost reimbursement
incentive offered by this program.
FISCAL IMPACT
Since this grant will fully recover the cost of retrofitting particulate matter traps on six City owned diesel
powered trucks, there will be no fiscal impact on the Public Works Vehicle Maintenance budget.
Attachment: Grant Award and Authorization Form