Title
Air Quality Management District (AQMD) recommending the Board of Supervisors, acting as the AQMD Board of Directors, consider the following:
1) Award the eligible AB 2766 Fiscal Year 2016/17 projects in response to a Request For Proposals issued by AQMD in November 2015;
2) Authorize the Air Pollution Control Officer to execute project agreements with the applicants for the amounts requested (up to $400,692), pending approval of County Counsel and Risk Management; and
3) Change the Drive Clean program by expanding eligibility to include all County residents.
FUNDING: California Department of Motor Vehicles AB 2766 Subvention Funds.
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Air Quality Management District (AQMD) recommending the Board, acting as the AQMD Board of Directors, consider the following:
1) Award the eligible AB 2766 Fiscal Year 2016/17 projects in response to a Request For Proposals issued by AQMD in November 2015;
2) Authorize the Air Pollution Control Officer to execute project agreements with the applicants for the amounts requested (up to $400,692), pending approval of County Counsel and Risk Management; and
3) Change the Drive Clean program by expanding eligibility to include all County residents.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
El Dorado County is nonattainment for the federal ozone standard. Motor vehicle emissions are the primary contributor to ozone. In 1990, AB 2766 authorized air districts to assess motor vehicle registration fees to reduce motor vehicle emissions and implement the California Clean Air Act. On December 11, 1990, the Board of Directors adopted Resolution #90-488 that set the motor vehicle registration fee at $2.00 per registered vehicle. On June 14, 2001, the Board of Directors adopted Resolution #01-21 increasing the fee from $2.00 to $4.00 per registered vehicle. To date these funds have been awarded for the implementation of 79 motor vehicle emission reduction projects in the County.
On 11/18/15, AQMD released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for projects to be implemented during 2016 and 2017. Five proposals were submitted. The proposals were evaluated for eligibility, cost effectiveness and preferred project type in accordance with the ranking criteria established by the Board. All proposed projects were determined to be eligible. Projects, with applicants and amounts requested, in rank order are:
1) Electric Motorcycles for Recreational Area Patrol - EDC Parks, $24,000
2) Coloma Shuttle - American River Recreation Association, $159,200
3) Cameron Park Summer Spectacular Shuttle - Cameron Park Community Services District (CSD), $2,763
4) Stay and Play Shuttle - EDC Chamber of Commerce, $151,000
5) County Fair Shuttle - EDC Transit Authority, $63,729
The proposed EDC Parks project will replace two quad All Terrain Vehicles (ATV's) currently used by the Sheriff’s Department to patrol the Sacramento Placerville Transportation Corridor and other recreational areas. The quads with be replaced with electric motorcycles that have zero emissions, produce significantly less dust and are nearly silent, reducing disturbance of nearby residents. The proposed Coloma Shuttle project will be expanded from the Chili Bar to Skunk Hollow recreational boating shuttle, to include shuttle service for the new recreational boating flows on South Fork Silver Fork Creek and mountain biking and hiking on the trail system along the river corridor.
The proposed Cameron Park CSD project will provide shuttle service during the annual Independence Holiday Summer Spectacular event. Event attendees will be transported from several nearby parking areas to Cameron Park Lake. The proposed County Fair Shuttle project will transport attendees from parking areas on Missouri Flat Road and the County government center (Fair Lane facilities) to the fairgrounds. The proposed Chamber of Commerce Stay and Play Shuttle project will again transport visitors to events located throughout the County. In addition, the Stay and Play shuttle project will provide transport to attendees of the 2016 World Gold Panning Championship to be held in mid September.
On 4/1/14, the Board approved the implementation of the Drive Clean electric vehicle purchase/lease incentive program and authorized the use of AB2766 funds for the program. To date 83 residents have received pre-approval for the $1,000 per vehicle incentive. These residents meet the current eligibility requirement for commuting on the segment of Highway 50, from Cameron Park to the western County line that has HOV lanes. Changing the program by eliminating the Highway 50 HOV lane commute eligibility requirement will result in higher participation and greater motor vehicle emission reductions.
ALTERNATIVES
Alternatives the Board may take in lieu of approving the recommendations include:
1) Not awarding some or all of the proposed projects. This alternative would require the AB2766 funds be allocated for other motor vehicle emission reduction activities.
2) Not approving the recommended change to the Drive Clean program. This alternative would prevent other residents, such as those in South Lake Tahoe and other areas that do not commute on the Highway 50 HOV segment, from participating in the program.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Chief Administrative Office concurs with staff's recommendations.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The total amount of AB2766 funds requested for the five proposed projects is $400,692. If approved as proposed, funds anticipated to be expended in Fiscal Year 2016/17 will be included in AQMD's proposed 2016/17 budget for AB2766 funds. Any amounts anticipated to be expended in the following fiscal year will be included in future proposed budgets.
In the 2015/16 budget, $100,000 of AB2766 funds were allocated for Drive Clean. If the changes to program eligibility requirements are approved, AQMD staff will recommend allocating additional AB2766 funding to Drive Clean in the proposed 2016/17 budget.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Forward one (1) signed copy of Minute Order to AQMD
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
These projects and the Drive Clean program will contribute to achieving the Healthy Communities strategic plan goal.
CONTACT
Dave Johnston
Air Pollution Control Officer