• Contracts Approved for Natural Gas Fueling Stations
• Funds Approved to Mitigate Peaker Power Plant Emissions
• In Other Action

In an action that will significantly expand the region's alternative fueling network, SCAQMD's Board approved contracts totaling $4.6 million to help fund 21 natural gas fueling stations.

The equipment, at stations from Burbank to Temecula, will fuel public and some private fleets of transit buses, refuse trucks, school buses and heavy-duty trucks with liquefied or compressed natural gas. Some of the new units will replace existing natural gas fueling equipment.

SCAQMD will provide 30% to 70% of the cost of the stations, depending on their total cost, and organizations receiving the equipment will pay the balance.

While dedicated primarily to servicing fleet vehicles, some of the stations will be accessible to private motorists as well.

The new natural gas fueling stations will help implement SCAQMD's clean fleet rules, which require a gradual shift among the region's fleets of transit buses, refuse trucks, school buses and other vehicles from diesel to cleaner-burning and alternative fuels.

Funds to help pay for the new stations will come from two sources: a $17 million air pollution penalty settlement last year with AES Alamitos LLC, a Long Beach power plant; and $988,710 from the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program.

Contracts were approved for:

• Omnitrans, $1.15 million for L/CNG (liquefied/compressed natural gas) stations at its bus yards in Montclair and San Bernardino;
• Foothill Transit, $700,000 for a CNG (compressed natural gas) fueling system;
• City of Long Beach, $500,000 for an LNG (liquefied natural gas) production facility;
• Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, $500,000 for an L/CNG fueling system in Santa Monica;
• County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles, $258,750 for an LNG fueling system at the Puente Hills Landfill;
• Downs Commercial Fueling Inc., $250,000 for a CNG fueling system at its Temecula facility;
• Pinnacle CNG Company, $230,000 for a CNG fueling system at Ware Disposal;
• City of Burbank, $230,000 for a CNG fueling system at its city yard;
• City of Placentia, $200,000 for a CNG fueling system at its city yard;
• Taormina Industries, $200,000 for an LNG fueling system at its Anaheim facility;
• Valley Vista Services, $200,000 for a CNG fueling system at its City of Industry waste transfer facility;
• Riverside County Waste Management District, $148,350 for an LNG fueling system at its Agua Mansa Road facility;
• Fullerton Joint Union High School District, $137,300 for a CNG fueling system at its school bus lot in Fullerton;
• Jurupa Unified School District, $125,000 for a CNG fueling system for 34 school buses;
• Pickens Fuel Corporation, $106,450 for a CNG fueling system at Administrative Services Co-Op in Gardena;
• Pickens Fuel Corporation, $106,000 for an L/CNG fueling system at Poma Distributing Company;
• Pickens Fuel Corporation, $88,800 for a CNG fueling system at Waste Management of the Inland Empire, Moreno Valley;
• City of Monterey Park, $59,000 for a CNG fueling system at its city yard;
• CALSTART/WestStart, $10,350, for a Fuelmaker natural gas fueling unit;
• Sysco Food Services, $200,000 for an LNG fueling facility; and
• Albertson's, $188,710 for an LNG fueling facility.

FUNDS APPROVED TO MITIGATE PEAKER POWER PLANT EMISSIONS

The Board approved 16 emission reduction projects totaling $12.5 million to offset emissions from new peaker power plants in the Southland.

The projects include replacing diesel engines in agricultural equipment, fork lifts and tugboats with cleaner models, as well as purchasing new natural gas-powered heavy-duty trucks.

SCAQMD will receive $30 million from the California Air Resources Board to reduce nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions from new peaker units under Gov. Davis' plan to expedite construction of the units to mitigate the state's energy crisis.

New facilities, including power plants, need to purchase emissions offsets when they start up. Gov. Davis created a statewide offset bank funded by $68 million from the Legislature because offsets currently are difficult to obtain. Peaker plants, which typically generate electricity with natural gas-powered turbines, are eligible to purchase offsets from the bank if they are operational by the end of this summer.

• Set a public hearing for Aug. 17, 2001, to amend Rule 1122 -- Solvent Degreasers;
• Awarded 10 contracts and modified three existing contracts totaling $4.5 million for electric and natural gas fueling stations, electric forklifts and other projects to reduce vehicle emissions under the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program;
• Executed a contract for $1.6 million in vehicle emissions reductions programs under SCAQMD's Rule 2202 Air Quality Investment Program;
• Approved in concept a nearly $14 million budget for the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee's 2001-02 work program; and
• Amended Rule 1113 -- Architectural Coatings, to create a new category for clear wood finish brushing lacquers.

AQMD Home Page
This page updated: August 13, 2004
URL: http://www.aqmd.gov/news1/Governing_Board/Bs7_20_01.htm