Title
Air Quality Management District recommending acceptance of funding from the Proposition 1B Lower Emission School Bus Program in the amount of $2,100,000; adopt a resolution authorizing the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) or the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to administer the Program as outlined in the Program Guidelines; and authorize the Air Pollution Control Officer (APCO) to sign and submit the Grant Award & Authorization Form and all other necessary documents to implement and carry out the purposes of the Program.
FUNDING: Proposition 1B Lower-Emission School Bus Funding
Body
BUDGET SUMMARY: |
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Funding |
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$0 |
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New Funding |
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Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost:
No change to net county cost.
Background:
On November 6, 2006, California voters approved Proposition 1B, the Highway Safety, Traffic Reduction, Air Quality, and Port Security Bond Act of 2006, enacted into law as Senate Bill (SB) 88 which provides $200 million for replacing and retrofitting older and higher emitting public school buses. The state legislature appropriated $193 million of these funds to CARB in the 2007 Budget Act for the replacement of all pre-1977 model year public school buses and for allocation of the remaining funds to local and regional air pollution control districts on the basis of the number of 1977 to 1986 model year public school buses operating within each jurisdiction for the replacement of the oldest high polluting buses with new buses and for the retrofit of older buses with CARB verified technologies.
The grant program will be administered by CARB and implemented by the air pollution control districts in accordance with the Program Guidelines, as approved by CARB on March 27, 2008 and issued on April 15, 2008. The Program Guidelines allow a choice of AQMD implementation, regional implementation by a neighboring air district, or State level implementation. Proposition 1B funds spent within the AQMD must be the same regardless of the implementation option chosen.
Reason for Recommendation:
The AQMD was apportioned $2.1 million for use in El Dorado County. This grant, which must be fully expended by June 30, 2011, to either replace 1977-1986 buses or retrofit newer buses, will reduce emissions from school buses in El Dorado County and will provide health benefits to the schoolchildren as well as others who are exposed to school bus exhaust. The Executive Order S-02-07 and SB 88 require extensive Program oversight and accountability, such as development of a Policies and Procedures Manual and expansive retention and reporting requirements. Additionally, all implementing agencies will be regularly audited by CARB and the Department of Finance (DoF). The AQMD currently does not have resources for implementation of the Program.
The AQMD recommends that the Program be implemented for El Dorado County by SMAQMD. Local school districts have expressed a preference to work with SMAQMD based on past school bus experience. The SMAQMD has been administering El Dorado County Carl Moyer Program funds for at least 10 years and already has established policies and procedures required to administer State issued grants. The SMAQMD is in the process of updating their policies and procedures to comply with the strict requirements of the Program for their own implementation, as well as implementation for other interested air districts. To date at least two other air districts, in addition to the AQMD, are bringing forth resolutions to their Boards to approve implementation of their Program by SMAQMD.
The Program requires each participating air district to submit to CARB by June 6, 2008, a fully executed Grant Award & Authorization Form including a resolution adopted by its Governing Board. The AQMD has prepared for the Board's consideration and adoption, two separate resolutions authorizing the Program implementation by SMAQMD, as recommended by the AQMD, or alternately by CARB, if that is the decision of the Board. The Grant Award & Authorization Form (Attachment 1) will be completed and signed by the APCO based on today's Board decision.
County Counsel has approved both resolutions.
Action to be taken following Board approval:
1. Forward the adopted resolution to the AQMD for further processing.
2. The APCO to complete and sign the Grant Award & Authorization Form based on the Board's action and submit to CARB by June 6, 2008.
Contact:
Marcella McTaggart X5306