Title
El Dorado County Air Quality Management District (AQMD) recommending the Board, acting as the AQMD Board of Directors:
1) Award the following school bus projects:
a) Lake Tahoe Unified School District for $663,326.00;
b) Buckeye Union School District for $419,999.22;
c) Gold Trail Unified School District for $279,999.48;
d) Mother Lode Union School District for $165,333.78;
e) Placerville Union School District for $140,000.00; and
2) Authorize the Air Pollution Control Officer to execute agreements, related documents and any amendments to the funding agreements, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management, which do not increase the funding amounts in excess of the awards.
FUNDING: AQMD AB923 special revenue fund and the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program ("Moyer") special revenue fund. (No Federal Funding)
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
El Dorado County Air Quality Management District (AQMD) recommending the Board, acting as the AQMD Board of Directors, award five eligible projects for the replacement or repower of ten public school buses, and for related electric bus charging infrastructure, and authorize the Air Pollution Control Officer to execute agreements with school districts.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On February 8, 2018, AQMD issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for El Dorado County public school districts to apply for FY2018/19 AB923 and Moyer funds to replace old high polluting buses with new lower emission buses. The application period closed April 13, 2018. Twenty qualifying applications from nine school districts were received, requesting a total of $3,092,397. AQMD evaluated and ranked the applications (Attachment B) pursuant to 2008 Lower-Emission School Bus Program (LESBP) Guidelines.
AQMD funding is limited to maximums of $165,000 per diesel powered bus and $400,000 per electric bus. School districts are required to provide a minimum match of $25,000 per bus. Funding for electric bus charging infrastructure projects is limited to a maximum of $20,000 per electric bus. In the FY2018/2019 AQMD Budget, the Board allocated a total of $1,950,000 of AB923 and Moyer funds for school bus replacement projects. AQMD is recommending approval of funding for the following ten eligible bus projects and one electric bus charging infrastructure project.
1. Lake Tahoe USD Bus #24 $374,589.00 (E Bus)
2. Lake Tahoe USD Bus #12 $248,737.00 (E Bus)
3. Buckeye USD Bus #20 $140,000.00
4. Buckeye USD Bus #27 $139,999.61
5. Buckeye USD Bus #7 $139,999.61
6. Mother Lode USD Bus #5 $138,452.00
7. Mother Lode USD Bus #2 $26,881.78 (Repower)
8. Placerville USD Bus #46 $140,000.00
9. Gold Trail USD Bus #7 $139,999.74
10. Gold Trail USD Bus #2 $139.999.74
Lake Tahoe USD 2 Electric Bus Chargers $ 40,000.00
Total: $1,668,658.48
Minimum expected total annual emission reductions will be: Reactive Organic Gases (ROG) 33lbs, nitrogen oxides (NOx) 1391lbs, and particulate matter (PM2.5) 27lbs. These reductions are based on old bus emissions minus new bus emissions using the historic three-year annual average mileage of the old buses. This is a conservative estimate as the new buses will become the most heavily used buses in the school districts' fleets, resulting in greater emission reductions due to reduced use of other higher emitting buses.
On March 21, 2006, the AQMD Board approved a two dollar DMV registration surcharge and the acceptance of AB923 funding (Resolution #079-2006). The AB 923 legislation stipulates that the funding may be used by air districts for projects in four different clean air categories, including the purchase of new school buses. AQMD receives approximately $400,000 of AB923 funding annually.
On February 10, 2015, the AQMD Board approved the acceptance of annual Moyer funding from the California Air Resources Board. Funding is derived from smog abatement fees and tire fees paid by California residents. Moyer funding may be used by air districts for cleaner trucks, off road equipment, marine vessels, locomotives, lawn mowers and buses. AQMD receives approximately $350,000 of Moyer funding annually.
To date AQMD has funded the replacement of 20 buses and emission control retrofits on 18 buses at a total cost of $3,184,317. School districts Countywide have benefitted from the replacements and retrofits.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may decide to fund all, some, or none of the proposed diesel bus replacement/repower projects.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding for the proposed school bus replacements is included in the adopted Fiscal Year 2018/19 AQMD Budget. There is no change to Net County cost.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Clerk to forward signed Minute Order to AQMD.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Healthy Communities
CONTACT:
Dave Johnston
Air Pollution Control Officer