HomeMy WebLinkAboutI- 6 Authorization to accept Grant Award from South Coast AQMD for Participation in the PM Retrofit ProgramCONSENT CALENDAR
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: BILL NAKASONE, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
VIA: RICK COLE, CITY MANAGER A2�
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.