MINUTES
REGIONAL
AIR QUALITY COUNCIL
Thursday,
December 9, 1999
MEMBERS
PRESENT:
Shirleen Tucker, CHAIRMAN
Dennis Arfmann, Holme Roberts & Owen
/ CACI
Theresa Donahue, City & County of Denver
Tom Norton, Colo. Dept. of Transportation
Jane Norton, Colo. Dept. Public Hlth & Env.
Don Parsons, City of Northglenn / DRCOG
Jim Scherer
Sharon Votruba, City
of Thornton
Melanie Worley, Douglas County
MEMBERS
NOT IN ATTENDANCE:
--
OTHERS
PRESENT:
Ken
Lloyd, RAQC; Misty Howell, RAQC; Patrick Cummins, RAQC; Gerald Dilley, RAQC;
Laura Hagg Neslon, RAQC; Annmarie Jensen, RAQC; Rick Barrett, APCD; Doug
Benevento, CDPHE; George Gerstle, CDOT;
Carol Maclennan , Tri-County Health; Dennis Creamer, Conoco Inc.; Bob Farmer;
Doug Lempke, AQCC; Jeff Houk, EPA; Mark Komp, EPA; Tim Russ, EPA; Anju Fritz,
EPA; Jim Ives, City of Aurora; Stan Dempsey, Colorado Petroleum Association;
Dave Yamada, City of Thornton; Larry Gupton, State Auditor’s Office; Jerry
Fauldel, Frontier Oil; Margy
Christiansen; and Heidi Heltzel, CACI.
The meeting was called to order at 3:15 p.m.
A quorum was present.
Approval
of the Agenda
There was a request to change the order of agenda
items. Items 8, 9 and 10 will be
discussed before items 6 and 7. Informational
items will be moved to the end of the meeting.
Dennis
Arfmann moved to approve the agenda as modified.
Seconded by Don Parsons. Motion passed without objection.
Approval
of the Minutes
Theresa
Donahue moved to accept the minutes. Seconded
by Sharon Votruba. Motion passed
without objection.
Public
Comment
Bob Farmer thanked Council and Misty Howell for
agreeing to include flyers on the Smart Sign Program in the January meeting
packet.
1999
Audit of the Colorado AIR Program
Larry Gupton, Deputy State Auditor, gave Council an
overview of the 1999 audit report for the Colorado Automobile Inspection and
Readjustment (AIR) program. The
audit concluded that if the AIR and Oxygenated Fuels programs are discontinued
in 2001, there will be little short or long-term impact on carbon monoxide,
hydrocarbon, and nitrogen oxide emissions in the Denver metro area.
This is because vehicle new technology and fleet turnover will continue
to reduce vehicle emissions.
Patrick Cummins, who served on the technical review
panel for the report, expressed different conclusions from those presented in
the audit. He said unlike the analysis in the audit, SIP compliance planning
is based on worst case meteorological conditions.
That leads to different conclusions on the future need for the
programs.
Rick Barrett from APCD, who also served on the
technical review panel, questioned the model used in the audit to determine
carbon monoxide emissions. The
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment distributed a response
paper regarding the 1999 audit of the Colorado AIR program to Council.
In the paper, the APCD cautioned that eliminating the inspection and
maintenance program and oxygenated fuels program in 2001 may jeopardize
compliance with the requirements for the State Implementation Plan.
It may also leave Colorado unable to demonstrate compliance with
federal transportation conformity requirements.
There was discussion on using the Serious CO Model
for the Carbon Monoxide Maintenance Plan rather than Mobile 5 (or 6 when
available). Ken Lloyd explained
the Serious CO model was considered during the maintenance plan process, but
Mobile 5 was the only approved model that could be used in the time frame for
developing the plan. It was
determined that in order to continue with the current schedule, a new model
could not be used. In addition,
other areas mentioned in the auditor’s report that are using the Serious CO
model have not yet attained the CO standard and need to adopt additional
measures. The situation in Denver
is different since we are trying to reduce measures.
Patrick Cummins and Rick Barrett indicated that
despite the differences in conclusions from the report,
the audit report has useful information and analysis that can be
utilized in future planning efforts.
Revisions
to Carbon Monoxide Maintenance Plan
Patrick Cummins gave Council an overview of the
changes to the Carbon Monoxide (CO) maintenance plan. He indicated that the AQCC has begun its pre-hearing status
conferences. A number of
parties have filed party status. Currently,
there have been three status conferences to discuss issues. Patrick explained that parties will have an opportunity to
submit rebuttal statements after the RAQC submits its alternate proposal.
The AQCC hearing is scheduled for January 10, 2000.
Patrick indicated that the proposed changes to the
CO maintenance plan and redesignation request have come from discussions at the
status conferences and with EPA. He
reviewed the specific changes to the document.
One concern from EPA was that the document contained
unnecessary information. However,
in previous discussions, Council determined it was important that there be one
document with complete information. In an effort to satisfy both concerns, the document has be
separated into two parts. Part I
contains background information that will not be submitted as part of the SIP
for any action by EPA. Part II,
which is chapters 3 and 4 as well as appendices,
is the formal SIP submittal.
There was discussion on Regulation 17 concerning the
Clean Fuel Fleet program. Changes
to this regulation or a replacement program must be approved before EPA can
approve the CO maintenance plan and redesignation request.
Dennis
Arfmann moved to accept the December 1, 1999 draft of the Carbon Monoxide
Maintenance Plan with the amendments as presented by Patrick Cummins.
Seconded by Jim Scherer.
There was discussion on the costs of the Clean
Screen program contained on page 2-12 of the plan. Staff is confident in the estimates, especially since the
State Audit Report showed similar cost savings.
A request was made to change the second sentence on
page 1-2 to read as follows: "The RAQC consists of a
nine-member board appointed by the Governor."
The
motion passed unanimously.
Patrick Cummins will make the changes and submit the
revised plan to the AQCC on Friday, December 10, 1999.
White
Paper on High Emitting and Smoking Vehicles
Patrick Cummins reviewed the White Paper on High
Emitting and Smoking Vehicles with Council.
Council had a discussion on the level of detail that
should be included in the White Paper. Council
made the following suggestions for modifying the White Paper:
It needs to
be clear on the problem, the benefits, cost components and who would pay for
the program(s).
A
problem statement, audit report findings concerning unresolved failures and
legislative changes needed to implement the options should be included.
To
determine the level of detail to be included, Council needs to decide
whether it will be used to be proactive or just helpful.
It should
outline the RAQC’s level of concern, the effects, and the order of
magnitude of the problem. The
paper should not include so much detail that it appears prescriptive.
RAQC staff
should not be burdened with additional analysis at this time, but should
work with interested Legislators on further analysis needed.
"Options
to address" should be dropped from the title.
Patrick Cummins expressed that his biggest concern
with the suggested approach is subjectivity.
Also, cost/benefit analysis requires significant research.
He suggested that Council may want to set up a committee process to look
at these issues.
Don Parsons informed Council that he, Ken Lloyd and
Annmarie Jensen are scheduled to meet with Senator Doug Linkhart on December 15th
to discuss some of these issues. Don
would like to meet with Senator Linkhart before Council makes a final decision
on the level of detail to include in the White Paper. If Senator Linkhart is interested in these issues, he may
have some suggestions.
Council decided that staff should revise the paper
as suggested and share the next draft with Melanie Worley, Jane Norton, Theresa
Donahue and Dennis Arfmann before the January meeting.
2000
Work Program and Budget
Ken Lloyd reviewed the 2000 work program and budget.
Don
Parsons moved to adopt the 2000 work program and budget.
Seconded by Melanie Worley.
Jane Norton expressed that the APCD staff believes
that the goal of a completed revision using the new EPA models by the end of
2000 is overly optimistic. The
APCD staff recommends the goal be revised to state that the technical and
policy analysis will be well underway by the end of 2000, with a
completed revision by mid-2001.
Jane
Norton made a friendly amendment to change page 3, item B, timing, to include
the following language from the December 8, 1999, CDPHE memo, "the
technical and policy analysis will be well underway by the end of 2000, with a
completed revision by mid-2001." This
change was acceptable to Don and Melanie.
The motion passed unanimously.
Cost-of-living
adjustment for staff salaries
Ken Lloyd explained to Council that according to the
RAQC’s Personnel Policies and Procedures, each year the RAQC establishes an
across-the-board cost-of-living adjustment for staff salaries.
The adjustment is based on a comparison of similar adjustments granted by
local governments in the metro area.
Ken
recommended a 3.0% cost-of-living adjustment for eligible employees, effective
with pay period beginning December 9, 1999.
Council concurred.
Contract
for legislative liaison services
Ken Lloyd reviewed the contract with Margy
Christiansen for legislative liaison services.
Jane
Norton moved to approve the contract provisions as submitted.
Seconded by Jim Scherer. The
motion passed without objection.
Reid
Vapor Pressure Waiver for Summertime Gasoline
Dennis Creamer, Conoco, Inc., asked Council to
support extending the current RVP waiver for summertime gasoline.
He indicated the waiver is for 2001, 2002 and 2003.
The industry’s deadline for the waiver approval by EPA is June 1, 2000.
Dennis explained that with the RAQC’s support, the petroleum industry
will make their waiver request to the AQCC.
Jim
Scherer moved to send a letter supporting the extension of the current waiver to
the AQCC. Seconded by Dennis
Arfmann.
There was discussion on when the request for the
waiver extension needs to be submitted. Dennis
Creamer stressed the importance of starting the process early.
There was also discussion about obtaining
commitments from refiners to continue the voluntary 8.5 RVP program next summer.
Ken Lloyd stated that there have been, and will continue to be,
discussion with individual refiners on this issue.
Council members indicated a strong desire for refiners to continue the
voluntary program.
Dennis Creamer indicated Conoco will continue the
8.5 RVP program. Jerry Faudel of
Frontier Oil stated that his company will also voluntarily continue the 8.5 RVP
program. He indicated Conoco and
Frontier now supply more than 60% of the gasoline in the Denver market.
The
motion, as clarified, is to send a letter to the AQCC supporting the extension
of the RVP waiver and encouraging petroleum companies to consider continuing the
voluntary program of 8.5 RVP in 2000. The
motion passed with no objections.
Informational
Items
Executive
Director:
Ken Lloyd introduced Laura Hagg Nelson to the
Council. Laura is the RAQC’s new
Public Involvement/Communications Specialist.
Ken also thanked Annmarie Jensen for covering the
communications work until Laura was hired.
There being no further business before the Council,
the meeting was adjourned at 5:35
p.m.