Air Resources Board

2001 Accomplishments and Priorities

The Air Resources Board promotes and protects public health, welfare, and ecological resources through the effective and efficient reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering the effects on the economy of the State.

Control Measures

ARB is responsible for reducing emissions from motor vehicles, off-road equipment, fuels, consumer products, and air toxics. ARB also recommends pollution control measures for the industrial and commercial sources under the jurisdiction of California's 35 local air districts.

Accomplishments during the First Half of of 2001

1. Diesel Risk Reduction Plan Implementation: ARB conducted eight consultation meetings with the agricultural community in early 2001 to discuss how our Diesel Risk Reduction Plan might impact agricultural operations. Participants were particularly concerned about the cost of retrofitting equipment that is used only seasonally or for only a few hours a year. We will consider the relative costs and benefits in determining which equipment will be affected. ARB has formed an Agricultural Working Group to address these concerns and to help keep the agricultural community informed of implementation activities. ARB also began developing a regulation to reduce diesel particulate emissions from the existing fleet of trash trucks.

2. Gas Can Regulations: Effective January 1, 2001, new portable fuel containers commonly used to refuel lawn and garden equipment must meet standards to reduce fuel evaporation and spillage. Currently an estimated 9.2 million residential gas cans and 600,000 commercial gas cans emit about 87 tons per day of reactive organic gas (ROG) in California. By 2010, ARB's gas can regulations are projected to reduce ROG emissions by 78 tons per day (tpd) statewide.

3. Clean Air Plan Workshops: In early 2001, ARB conducted several public workshops to kick off the development of ARB's Clean Air Plan: Strategies for a Healthy Future. In May 2001, staff held a four-day workshop in Sacramento to discuss specific control strategy concepts. Additional workshops will be held throughout the State once a draft plan has been completed. This Plan will describe both near-term measures and ARB's long-range vision for reducing emissions that contribute to ozone, inhalable particulates, carbon monoxide, and air toxics.

4. Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether Phase-Out: ARB is continuing to implement Governor Davis' Executive Order to eliminate methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) from California's gasoline in order to protect the State's drinking water supply. Between December 2000 and March 2001, ARB and Energy Commission staff jointly held meetings with individual refiners to discuss implementation.

Priorities for the Second Half of 2001

1. Heavy-Duty Diesel Truck Standards: ARB is scheduled to consider emission standards for new diesel engines, like those adopted earlier this year by U.S. EPA. These limits, to be phased-in between 2007 and 2009, are 90 percent below the current particulate matter limit and 95 percent below the current nitrogen oxides (NOx) limit.

2. Evaporative Controls for Lawn and Garden Equipment: ARB will consider a control measure to further reduce evaporative emissions from fuel tanks in new lawn and garden equipment. The proposed control measure will likely consist of two components: a system evaporative emission standard (engine and fuel tank) for walk-behind lawn mowers, and a fuel tank permeation standard for all other small equipment under ARB's jurisdiction.

3. Marine Inboard and Sterndrive Gasoline Engine Standards: ARB will consider regulations to establish emission standards and requirements for inboard and sterndrive gasoline-powered engines in recreational marine vessels.

4. Trash Truck Particulate Retrofits: ARB will consider a regulatory item requiring particulate matter retrofits for diesel-powered trash trucks as part of the Diesel Risk Reduction Plan. These regulations are expected to reduce toxic diesel particulate emissions in communities throughout the state.

5. Automotive Refinishing Toxics Measure: ARB will consider a measure to prohibit the use of hexavalent chromium and cadmium in automobile and mobile equipment coatings. Because our work in communities like Barrio Logan has shown that small plating and auto refinishing operations are frequently located near residential and mixed-use areas, this measure is expected to reduce cumulative risks from these sources.

6. Asbestos-Construction/Quarries Toxics Measure: ARB will consider a measure for construction and quarrying in areas where naturally occurring asbestos is found or is likely to be found. The proposed regulation will require the best dust mitigation practices whenever motorized equipment is used to disturb asbestos-containing soils. The goal was accomplished in July 2001 after the close of the time period for this report, but before this document went to press.

7. Clean Air Plan; Strategies for a Healthy Future: ARB will consider approval of its 2001 Clean Air Plan to reduce ozone, particulate, and air toxics across California. The Plan will include a comprehensive assessment of emission reduction opportunities for all sources under State and federal control. Selected strategies in the approved Plan will then form the basis for new State commitments and federal measures in upcoming revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP).

8. MTBE Phase-Out: We will continue to work closely with refiners, permitting agencies, and interested parties to monitor and facilitate the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), permit, and refinery modification processes to assist with timely implementation of the California Reformulated Gasoline Phase 3 (CaRFG3) regulations.

Community Health And Environmental Justice
ARB is advancing a new agenda to ensure that all California communities have clean, healthful air -- by addressing not only the regional smog that hangs over our cities, but also the more localized impacts of pollution from industrial and commercial operations, freeways, and other local sources that may impact specific communities.

Accomplishments during the First Half of 2001

1. Environmental Justice Action Plan: ARB's 2001 Draft Environmental Justice Action Plan emphasizes assessing and reducing exposures to air pollution in environmental justice communities, adding environmental justice analysis to ARB proposals, and increasing community outreach. ARB has held numerous community meetings, initiated the Neighborhood Assessment Program, begun Children's Health Monitoring, focused diesel truck enforcement in communities, and prioritized air toxics strategies with environmental justice considerations in mind.

2. Smoke Inspection Program for Diesel Trucks: ARB staff inspected over 3,000 trucks for excess smoke in communities with a high density of truck traffic. We are refocusing this ongoing program from highway weigh stations to concerned communities, with the goal of reducing neighborhood exposure to toxic diesel particulate.

3. Air Monitoring at Schools: Senate Bill 25 (Escutia, 1999) requires ARB, in cooperation with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), to determine whether State air quality standards adequately protect the health of infants and children. As part of this effort, we are conducting air monitoring in Barrio Logan, San Diego and Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. This monitoring will help assess whether the existing monitoring network adequately measures children's exposure to air pollution and identifies localized impacts.

4. Children's Health Initiative: An early 2001 report from ARB's Children's Health Study on 5,000 children in Southern California identified increased school absence rates among children in higher ozone areas. In the Central Valley, investigators enrolled 450 local children in the Fresno Asthmatic Children's Exposure Study. The first phase of this five-year study is expected to shed light on some of the environmental factors that influence childhood asthma.

5. Cleaner School Buses: The Fiscal Year 2000-2001 State budget includes $50 million to reduce children's exposure to diesel exhaust from school buses. Under guidance adopted by ARB, school districts will use these funds to replace 350 high-polluting buses with new, cleaner diesel or alternative fuel buses, and to add diesel particulate traps to an additional 2,000 buses. We completed distribution of these funds in late June.

6. Outreach to Communities near Refineries: The full Board held meetings in Richmond and Huntington Park so residents could share their concerns about the impacts from local refineries that will be manufacturing California's Phase 3 Reformulated Gasoline.

7. Indoor Air Quality: A joint U.S. EPA/ARB study determined that Californians may be at greater risk from exposure to indoor levels of particles and air toxics than to outdoor levels. This indoor pollution comes mostly from indoor building materials, carpets, and consumer products. The Indoor Air Program is currently assessing children's exposures to air pollutants in portable classrooms and school buses.

8. Haagen-Smit Symposium: ARB held the first annual Haagen-Smit Symposium in Lake Arrowhead, California in April 2001 to discuss air quality and public health issues, as well as potential policy implications. This three-day summit, which focused on ozone and particulate matter, convened scientists and policymakers from around the world to share results of their cutting-edge research and discuss common air quality concerns.

Priorities for the Second Half of 2001

1. Environmental Justice Guidelines: ARB will consider guidelines intended to turn environmental justice principles into action at both the state and local level. The guidelines will describe actions ARB intends to take, as well as goals for air districts and local government agencies as they relate to air quality and environmental justice. The guidelines will provide a framework for action, to be followed by technical documents and other forms of ARB assistance to local agencies.

2. Refinery "Good Neighbor Policy" Guidelines: ARB staff will present a recommended approach for districts to evaluate and, if needed, improve fenceline monitoring around refineries to assess the risk to nearby neighborhoods. ARB will also consider a proposal to establish a uniform state penalty structure for refineries. This project was initiated in response to community concerns expressed at ARB neighborhood outreach meetings.

3. Children's Health Initiative: ARB staff will continue to study the impact of air pollution on the health of children in the Los Angeles area and in the San Joaquin Valley throughout 2001.

4. Air Monitoring at Schools: Monitoring is underway at a middle school in Boyle Heights in Los Angeles, and will begin at schools in Fruitvale in Oakland, and Wilmington in the Los Angeles area during the second half of 2001. We will continue to conduct extensive outreach meetings in affected communities, including the next areas to be monitored -- Crockett and Fresno.

5. Air Quality Standards Review: ARB and OEHHA are reviewing all health-based California ambient air quality standards for their adequacy to protect the public, especially infants and children. OEHHA's initial report indicates that State standards for inhalable particulate matter (PM10) and sulfates, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide may not be adequate at their present levels to protect infants, children, and other vulnerable populations. ARB and OEHHA plan to release a staff report and present prioritized recommendations for standards review to the Air Quality Advisory Committee in Fall 2001.

Zero Emission Technology
A number of technological innovations have resulted from the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program. ARB is pursuing zero and near zero emission technologies in all sectors. Progress on hybrid and fuel cell vehicles, and cars free of evaporative emissions are the result of efforts to meet ZEV requirements. Fuel cell technology is also being developed for industrial, commercial, and residential applications.

Accomplishments during the First Half of 2001

1. Zero Emission Vehicle Program: In January 2001, ARB reduced the number of ZEVs required in the near-term, while increasing the number of hybrid electric and super ultra low emission vehicles that must be produced. These modifications ensure the program's long-term success while recognizing constraints due to cost, lead-time, and technological challenges.

2. Fuel Cell Partnership: ARB continues its active leadership role in the California Fuel Cell Partnership, with Chairman Alan Lloyd participating on the Steering Team and ARB staff providing critical leadership for the Working Group and stakeholder outreach efforts. New members joining the Partnership in 2001 include Exxon and Mobil. The Partnership held a Technology Fair at its West Sacramento headquarters in April, followed by a Legislative Outreach Day, and continues to attract international interest and visitors. The Partnership was also instrumental in helping with Riverside County's SunLine Transit Agency place California's first fuel cell bus into service.

Priorities for the Second Half of 2001

1. Zero Emission Vehicle Program: To facilitate the placement of zero and near-zero emission vehicles in transportation systems, ARB staff is working to support "station car" projects through partnerships with public agencies, vehicle manufacturers, private industry, and researchers. "Station cars" are vehicles (preferably ZEVs), based at mass transit terminals, which are available to the public for reaching their final destinations.

2. California Fuel Cell Partnership: The California Fuel Cell Partnership will place about 50 fuel cell cars and buses on the road over the next three years for testing under real world driving conditions. Additional buses will be placed with the SunLine Transit Agency, and with AC Transit in the San Francisco Bay area. Fuel cell-powered cars will initially be tested by the Partnership in the Sacramento area. Hydrogen, methanol, and petroleum-based fuels will be utilized in the 2002 - 2003 timeframe.

3. The Stationary Fuel Cell Collaborative will promote stationary fuel cell commercialization in order to reduce air emissions, increase energy efficiency, and promote energy diversity. An advisory committee of key stakeholders will provide guidance to: facilitate the siting and testing of fuel cells for stationary source applications, fund demonstration projects, provide technical assistance to organizations developing fuel cells for distributed power generation, and increase public awareness of fuel cells.

California - Mexico Border
The U.S. and Mexico are developing tools and strategies to carry out environmental improvement on the U.S.-Mexico border. As part of this collaboration ARB is providing technical assistance with an emphasis on motor vehicle related issues.

Accomplishments during the First Half of 2001

1. Tijuana Smog Check Pilot Project: In coordination with Cal/EPA, the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR), and the City of Tijuana, ARB participated in the development of a pilot vehicle emissions inspection program for Tijuana. A cooperation agreement for the development of the pilot smog check program was signed as part of Mexican President Vicente Fox's March 2001 visit with Governor Gray Davis. Under this agreement, the State of California will donate emission inspection systems to Tijuana, provide training to Tijuana municipal employees, and assist the City of Tijuana in the planning and implementation of a testing center. ARB is responsible for the heavy-duty vehicle part of the project.

2. Spanish Video on Border Truck Inspections: ARB has been inspecting heavy-duty vehicles at the Otay Mesa and Calexico international points of entry since 1998. State law requires foreign commercial vehicles operating within California to meet the State's safety and emission standards. In January 2001, ARB released a Spanish language instructional video explaining the program. The video has been made available to fleet operators and government officials on the Mexican side of the border.

Priorities for the Second Half of 2001

1. Tijuana Smog Check Pilot Project: ARB staff will continue working cooperatively with the project participants to design a heavy-duty vehicle bay at the testing station, develop and translate training materials, and present a training course for inspecting diesel vehicles. The pilot program for passenger vehicles and heavy trucks is expected to begin operation by November 2001, and will initially apply to Tijuana's fleet of 10,000 city-owned vehicles. If the pilot program is successful, Tijuana officials hope to expand testing to the city's taxicabs and busses, and ultimately to privately owned vehicles.

Energy Issues
ARB is working closely with other state agencies to ensure reliability of the electrical grid and delivery of electricity to the State while minimizing the impact on air quality.

Accomplishments during the First Half of 2001

1. Implementation of Governor's Executive Orders: On February 8, 2001, Governor Gray Davis signed five Executive Orders to increase generating capacity at existing power plants, accelerate power plant construction, and streamline review process for new plants. ARB has begun working with local air districts and the California Energy Commission to develop and implement the Executive Orders while monitoring the impact on air quality. These activities include working with the air districts as they modify permit conditions and developing criteria for a State Emissions Credit Bank to provide offsets, required under both state and federal law, for "peaker" power plants.

Priorities for the Second Half of 2001

1. Power Plants: ARB staff is working closely with the air districts to modify permits at existing power generation facilities to help ensure a reliable supply of electrical power to the State. Staff also continues to develop and maintain the State Emission Reduction Credit Bank to provide offsets for peaking generating units. ARB is developing a program similar to the Carl Moyer program to supplement short-term offsets in the State Bank; $100 million in the proposed 2001-2002 State budget would fund this program. Funding for incentive programs is a key short-term measure to continue progress toward air quality standards while increasing power generation in the State.

2. Distributed Generation: In November 2001, ARB will consider a certification program and uniform emission standards for electrical generation technologies that are exempt from district permitting requirements, as required by State law. The law requires all electrical generation technologies either be certified by ARB or permitted by the local air districts.

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