Here’s what you need to know
- The board voted to appoint Fresno County Supervisor Buddy Mendes as the interim governing board vice chair until a successor is selected through formal procedures.
- The board approved project plans for Shafter and Stockton to utilize clean air resources available under AB 617. The projects include transit vehicle replacement, as well as road, sidewalk, and bike lane improvements in Shafter; $1 million for a State Route 43 project; $1.5 million for a project in Mexican Colony and partial funding for a car-share program in Stockton.
- During public comment, an Avenal resident expressed concerns about the odor of the Avenal landfill impacting homes, families and healthcare facilities.
Follow-up Questions
- What planning efforts and progress for federal particulate matter and ozone standards will be shared in the next meeting?
The Scene
The meeting began on Thursday, August 18, 2022, at 9 a.m. available via Zoom Webinar. The Governing Board met both virtually and in person.
One of the committee members conducted a roll call and pledge of allegiance and ran through the procedures.
The consent calendar was approved unanimously.
Governing Board
Craig Pedersen, Chair Supervisor, Kings County
Lloyd Pareira, Vice Chair Supervisor, Merced County
Drew M. Bessinger Mayor, City of Clovis
Vito Chiesa Supervisor, Stanislaus County
David Couch Supervisor, Kern County
Christina Fugazi Council member, City of Stockton
Buddy Mendes Supervisor, Fresno County
Tania Pacheco-Werner, PhD. Appointed by Governor
Alvaro Preciado Mayor Pro Tem, City of Avenal
Monte Reyes Vice Mayor, City of Porterville
Robert Rickman Supervisor, San Joaquin County
Alexander C. Sherriffs, M.D. Appointed by Governor
Amy Shuklian Supervisor, Tulare County
Tom Wheeler Supervisor, Madera County
Deborah Lewis Council member, City of Los Banos
Samir Sheikh Executive Director Air Pollution Control Officer
Public Comment
Connie Young is a Fresno resident. She says that congress is finally taking action on climate change. On September 17 at UCSF Fresno, there will be a meeting to talk more about this plan. For more information talk to Dr. Sheriffs or Google “Air Symposium Fresno.”
Veronica Aguirre is an Avenal resident. She wants to emphasize a growing problem in her community. The problem is the Avenal landfill and odors that affect the houses, families, and healthcare facilities. The complaint process is a broken system and will not help. She asks that this issue is looked over and revisited.
Janet Dietzkamei is a Fresno resident. She shares that she has asthma and wants to address climate change.
Appoint Vice-Chair
- There is a vacancy for a vice-chair.
- This is a temporary position, just for the end of the year.
- Many board members agree on appointing Supervisor Buddy Mendes for the position. Mendes is willing to take on the position temporarily until the commission is able to find a successor through formal procedures.
- Mendes was voted into office through a roll call vote that was unanimously approved.
Report on District Citizens Advisory Committee Activities
- The activities of the District Citizens Advisory Committee have been going in a good direction lately.
- The speaker wanted to say thank you to the board for their work.
S.T.A.R Recognition (Service, Teamwork, Attitude, Respect)
- The Director of Personnel said that she wanted to formally recognize employees who have gone above and beyond to perform in their roles in the second quarter of 2022.
Receive and File the California Department of Finance Fiscal Compliance Audit
- Ryan Buchanan is the controller for the district who presented.
- Importance of audits
- The district welcomes and supports audits as an agency that is entrusted with large sums of public funds.
- Audits enhance public accountability and transparency
- The district always strives to be a role model for good government
- Audited annually by leading CPA firms
- Department of Finance Audit
- Fiscal compliance audit of CARB air pollution reduction incentive programs
- The audit evaluated whether incentive program revenues and expenditures were in compliance
- A risk assessment conducted on district internal controls
- Audit report
- On July 20, the audit was completed. The audit was found to be clean with no deficiencies in internal controls and no recommendations.
- Dr. Sheriffs wanted to second the presenter’s comments.
- Public Comment
- Christian A. wanted to commend the district for the successful audit process.
- This plan has been unanimously approved.
Approved Project Plans for Implementation of Incentive Programs within AB 617 Communities of Shafter and Stockton
- Todd D. Young is the presenter today.
- Background
- Communities of Shafter and Stockton are 2 of 4 valley communities prioritized by the district and subsequently selected by CARB as communities in San Joaquin Valley to receive clean air resources available under AB 617
- Funding process
- Provided by the community air protection (CAP) guidelines
- Guidelines contain pre-approved project types.
- Measures not pre-approved must receive CARB approval
- Car share program – Stockton
- Stockton AB 617 CSC identified a partnership opportunity to leverage existing efforts to bring the car-share program to the community.
- In 2019 San Joaquin County received $2.3 M HUD jobs plus a grant
- However, this funding is insufficient to implement the program.
- $1.6M necessary
- $544,000 available
- Need $1M
- Road, sidewalk, and bike lane improvements – Shafter
- 659 miles of roads in Shafter community and surrounded 7-mile radius including 109 miles of major roads and 550 miles of minor roads
- Projects will reduce emissions of windblown dust and activity-related fugitive dust and reduce exposure to residents
- Projects will facilitate safely
- Project #1 State Route 43
- Funding: $1M
- Agency: City of Shafter
- Project #1 Mexican Colony
- Funding $1.5M
- Agency: Kern County
- Selection criteria and process
- Projects were identified and prioritized for potential
- If approved, the district will enter into funding agreements with the City of Shafter and Kern County for the work specified in the proposals.
- Transit Vehicle Replacement Program – Shafter
- Funding amount in approved CERP: $400K
- Goal: replace existing higher-polluting Dial-A-Ride transit vehicles with new electric/hybrid vehicles.
- Next steps
- Approval of today’s items will authorize the district to work to launch these CERP measures within various communities immediately upon CARB approval of project plans.
- Public Comments include providing much support for the funding of these programs.
- This plan was unanimously approved.
Accept and Appropriate $12.9 million in Additional Revenue from the California Air Resources Board to Fund the Replacement of HeavyDuty trucks with zero and near-zero emission technology
- Here is more information
- Public comments include expressing support for the adoption of this plan.
- In response to a couple of issues, Sheikh says that funding is available, so the first-come, first-serve will not be a problem.
- This plan was passed.
Update on planning efforts for federal particulate matter and ozone standards
- There have been major reductions in air pollution from 1980 to 2021.
- 93% reduction in stationary source emissions.
- There has been progress in the 8-hour ozone design value improvement
- There are timely EPA actions needed to protect public health and avoid CAA consequences
- EPA disapproval or inaction can result in devastating consequences to public health and the economy.
- EPA has approved some key PM 2.5 actions, but significant pending actions remain with EPA.
- There is still work to be done with the cooperative federalism component.
- District working closely with CARB to prepare contingency package- anticipated District/CARB consideration in fall 2022
- Joint district/CARB public meeting to be scheduled in September
- 2022 ozone plan control strategy
- Plan shows 62% reduction in NOx emissions by 2037 target
- Plan relies on extensive scientific foundation
- There will be continuing conversation on this topic.
Receive and file the 2022 annual report on the district’s indirect source review program
- Indirect Source Review Rule (ISR)
- First in nation to adopt indirect source requirements to help mitigate emissions from new development projects (implemented since 2006)
- ISR applicability
- Development projects requiring discretionary land use approval from a public agency
- Large development projects requiring any land use approval from a public agency
- Transportation and transit projects
- Emission reductions through project design
- Emission reductions through off-site fees
- Off-site fees are applied to achieve the remaining emissions reductions required by the rule.
- Funds are invested in cost-effective programs
- 2022 annual ISR report
- 355 project applications received
- The district continues to conduct outreach to land use agencies to assist project developers to comply with ISR requirements
- The motion to approve has passed.
Approved amended emission reduction agreement with Kern County to offset emissions from county-permitted oil and gas.
- Recommendation: authorize and approve the reduction agreement with Kern County.
- Board members have shared that they have no issue with this and expressed their gratitude for all the staff efforts.
- This motion was passed.
Verbal report on CA Air Resources Board (CARB) activities
- The presenter has left the meeting at this point. There is a detailed informational item on this packet.
Executive director/APCO comments
- The Annual Report for the 30th Anniversary is available on the District Webpage.
- The president did sign an inflation act that includes a lot of funding and will come with lots of opportunities–$70 billion dollars for climate change.
Governing board member comments
- Supervisor Mendes shared that last week he talked to the Attorney General twice. He says it was very sad that someone in his position was uninformed about what his staff was doing.
- Preciado talked about the importance of equity and transparency.
- Lewis wanted to give a shout-out to one of her staff members.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at noon. The meeting lasted three hours.
If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at Documenters-admin@fresnoland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.