2000 Accomplishments and Priorities

Air Resources Board

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.

Accomplishments during First Half of 2000

1. MTBE Phase-Out. The Air Resources Board (ARB), the State Water Resources Control Board, and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment prepared reports on the environmental fate and transport of ethanol in air and water (surface and ground), and health effects of using ethanol in gasoline. Based on the findings in these reports, the California Environmental Policy Council on January 18 concluded ethanol use in gasoline did not pose a significant environmental risk. While the Board continues to lobby for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) approval of California's request for a waiver from the federal mandate requiring oxygenates in reformulated gasoline, the Board is also evaluating the impact of proposed federal legislation to require that gasoline in smog impacted areas contain 1.2 percent renewable fuels (ethanol).

2. New Mobile Source Emission Standards. In January, the Board approved more stringent standards for off-road diesel engines that will phase-in beginning in 2000, several years earlier than expected in the California Ozone State Implementation Plan (SIP). In February, the Board approved a public transit bus fleet rule and emissions standards for new urban buses that provide both immediate and long-term emission reductions and require the introduction of zero-emissions buses into the fleet by the end of the decade. Both of these rules fulfill emission reduction commitments in the Ozone SIP and reduce public exposure to toxic particulates in diesel exhaust.

3. Enhanced Vapor Recovery Program. In March, the Board adopted more stringent standards and new equipment specifications for vapor recovery systems. These improvements will reduce spillage and evaporation from gasoline nozzles, make vapor recovery systems compatible with the on-board vapor recovery systems on motor vehicles, and require monitoring to ensure vapor recovery equipment systems work in the field.

4. Improvements to Smoke Management Program. In March, the Board adopted revisions to California's smoke management regulations. These changes are meant to reduce the impacts of smoke from crop and forestry burning. Most of the changes address the use of prescribed burning in forests or rangelands. The regulatory changes will require consideration of the cumulative impacts of all fires within an airshed; increased coordination between air quality, fire agencies, state and federal land managers, farmers and ranchers, both within and between airsheds; and ensure that prescribed burners evaluate and use techniques to minimize smoke.

5. Chlorinated Toxic Control Measure. In April, the Board adopted a new air toxic control measure to eliminate the use of the toxic air contaminants perchloroethylene, methylene chloride, and trichloroethylene in automotive consumer products such as brake cleaners, carburetor cleaners, engine degreasers, and general purpose degreasers. The control measure will reduce emissions of these toxic compounds by about five tons per day (TPD) in California.

6. Architectural Coatings Measure. In June, the Board adopted lower emission limits for 11 architectural coating categories as revisions to ARB’s suggested control measure for these sources of air pollution. These changes will reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by 10 TPD statewide (excluding the South Coast Air Basin which already has the same standards in place). The measure will be used as a model for air districts when they adopt and amend their local architectural coatings rules.

7. Health Research – Vulnerable Populations Program. The ARB is continuing to pursue a new program to better understand how pollution affects the most vulnerable segments of our population. In January, the Board approved funding for one of the first parts of this effort – the Fresno Asthmatic Children’s Environment Study. This study will provide information on how asthmatic children in Fresno are affected by air pollution.

8. New Mobile Source Emission Model. In May, the Board approved a new motor vehicle emissions inventory called EMFAC 2000 for estimating on-road mobile source emissions. EMFAC 2000 provides better estimates of the actual emissions from vehicles as they are driven. These improvements increase the total estimated emissions from motor vehicles substantially, by as much as 30 to 70 percent per pollutant. Although overall emissions from mobile sources are continuing to decline, these higher estimates mean that motor vehicles contribute more to air pollution than previously thought. The Board plans to use EMFAC 2000 in the next update to ARB’s motor vehicle control strategy in 2001.

9. California Fuel Cell Partnership. The ARB continues to participate in the California Fuel Cell Partnership to place about 50 fuel cell powered cars and buses on the road between 2000 and 2003 and to test them under real world driving conditions. In April, the California Fuel Cell Partnership broke ground in West Sacramento for its state-of-the-art facility to house the fuel cell cars and buses that will start arriving later this year. The facility includes hydrogen and methanol fueling stations, test bays, administrative offices, and a public gallery. The Partnership’s steering committee also held its quarterly meeting in April to discuss commercialization of fuel cell vehicles.

10. Central California Ozone Study. In June, the ARB began a major field study as part of the Central California Ozone Study. The field study will cover nearly all of northern and central California. Data from this study will improve understanding of how much and where pollution is generated and transported, and support the next round of state and federal ozone attainment plans.

11. South Coast Ozone Plan. In January, ARB approved the 1999 SIP for the South Coast and submitted the plan to U.S. EPA as a revision to the 1994 California Ozone SIP. The plan provides additional near-term emission reductions by accelerating the rulemaking schedule for a number of South Coast Air Quality Management District rules and reflects the District’s adoption of over 150 TPD of new emission reductions since the 1994 SIP. This plan is an interim step before a comprehensive revision to state and local control strategies planned for early 2001.

12. Air Quality and Agriculture Forum. In June, ARB and the California Department of Food and Agriculture hosted the "2000 Air Quality and Agriculture Forum" in Tulare. The forum brought together key people from the agricultural industry and government agencies to discuss air quality issues related to agriculture. The forum featured presentations on local, state, and national efforts to reduce air pollution from agricultural operations through voluntary strategies, as well as related research.

13. Local Elected Officials Conference. In May, the ARB held it's second air quality conference for California’s local elected officials. The conference provided an opportunity for elected officials and other government representatives to share information on emerging air quality issues and the role of local officials in improving California’s air quality. The conference also helped to strengthen the state and local partnership needed to attain mutual clean air goals.

14. Indoor Air Quality. In May, ARB and the California Department of Health Services sponsored a symposium to examine the relatively high public health risk posed by indoor air pollution and discuss actions needed to address this major environmental problem. In April, ARB staff updated the Board on current activities and issues in indoor air quality. The Board asked staff to provide additional information on opportunities for risk reductions that the Board could pursue this year.

15. Aerosol Coatings Reactivity Regulation. In June, the Board adopted amendments to ARB’s aerosol coatings regulation that replace the January 1, 2002, VOC content limits with photochemical reactivity-based limits that achieve equivalent air quality benefits. Reactivity-based VOC limits also provide more flexibility for manufacturers while efficiently reducing the ozone formed from aerosol coatings.

16. Carl Moyer Incentive Program. In March, the Carl Moyer Program Advisory Board released a report recommending that the program, which provides funds to reduce emissions from diesel engines, receive continued funding at a level of at least $100 million per year through 2010. In June, ARB distributed $24.5 million in fiscal year 1999-2000 funds to 16 air districts. The program continues to be a success, with funding requests exceeding available funds by more than a factor of three.

Priorities for Second Half of 2000

1. MTBE Phase-Out. In July, ARB staff updated the Board on the progress of phasing out MTBE. Through monthly workshops, the ARB will continue to work with industry and other interested parties to implement the phase-out of MTBE from gasoline by the end of 2002 as required by the Governor’s Executive Order. In November, the Board will consider follow-up adjustments to the Phase III gasoline regulation to address specific ethanol blending requirements and small refiner concerns. The Board will also continue to lobby for U.S. EPA approval of the state's request for a waiver from the federal mandate requiring oxygenates in reformulated gasoline.

2. ZEV Biennial Review. In September, the Board will conduct a biennial review of the Zero Emission Vehicle program. The Board will consider the status of ZEV technology, the electric vehicle market, and the environmental and energy benefits of ZEVs. This review will address the next major milestone in program implementation – the requirement that at least 4 percent of all new vehicles offered for sale by major automakers in 2003 have zero emissions that damage air quality. ARB has already held two public workshops as part of the review. In May, ARB released a draft staff report that concludes reliable battery-powered vehicles are available, vehicle performance can meet the needs of specialized applications, and that there are sufficient markets to absorb the required number of ZEVs.

3. Emission Reductions from School Buses. In December, the Board will consider guidelines for implementing a program designed to replace older diesel school buses with new, lower polluting school buses or install diesel particulate matter traps on existing fleets. The governor has proposed $50 million in the fiscal year 2000-2001 budget for this program. The school bus replacement program will reduce emissions of NOx and diesel particulates.

4. Diesel Risk Management. In September, the Board will consider two reports being developed as part of ARB’s diesel risk management program. The risk management plan will: identify the current public health impact of particulate emissions from diesel-fueled engines; assess the effectiveness of programs currently in place; and determine what technically and economically feasible strategies could be pursued to further reduce emissions. The second report, risk management guidelines, will assist local air districts in permitting new and modified stationary sources that operate diesel-fueled engines.

5. Asbestos Control Measure. In July, the Board will consider updating its asbestos airborne toxic control measure (ATCM) to prohibit the use of naturally occurring asbestos-containing materials in surfacing materials. The ARB is also continuing to work with industry on the development of a separate ATCM for quarrying/surface mining operations and construction/grading activities. The Board will consider this measure in November.

6. Control Technology Guidance for Stationary Internal Combustion Engines. The ARB will continue to work with industry and the air districts on proposed guidance on reasonably available control technology and best available retrofit control technology to reduce emissions from existing stationary internal combustion engines. The guidance would assist districts in establishing effective, consistent emission standards for these engines. The California Clean Air Act requires areas that do not attain the state ozone standard to apply either reasonably available or best available retrofit control technology to stationary sources. In November, the Board will consider guidance for gasoline-powered engines. Diesel engines will be considered as part of the diesel risk management efforts.

7. Indoor Air Quality. This fall, the Board will consider staff recommendations on opportunities that ARB could pursue to reduce the health risk from indoor air pollution. Although ARB has no authority to regulate indoor air quality, the recommendations will lay out actions that can and should be taken in California to reduce indoor pollution and related health risk.

8. Health Research – Vulnerable Populations Program. ARB staff will begin recruiting children for the Fresno Asthmatic Children’s Environment Study in August or September as part of the Board's new program to better understand how pollution affects the most vulnerable segments of our population.

9. California Fuel Cell Partnership. The ARB will continue to participate in the California Fuel Cell Partnership to place about 50 fuel cell powered cars and buses on the road in 2000-2003 and to test them under real world driving conditions. Fuel cell cars and buses are expected to arrive later this year at the new West Sacramento facility.

10. Carl Moyer Program. In November, the Board will consider several modifications to the Carl Moyer Heavy-Duty Vehicle Incentive Program guidelines including adding requirements, goals, and methodologies for particulate matter emission reductions.

11. Rice Straw Conditional Burn Regulation. In September, the Board will consider a rice straw conditional burn permit regulation that defines what farmers must do to verify disease infestation before they can get a permit to burn rice straw. State law requires that, beginning in September 2001, Sacramento Valley air districts may grant rice straw burning permits only if the county agricultural commissioner finds that a farmer’s rice fields are likely to experience a quantifiable and significant reduction in yield resulting from a rice disease.

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