2004 AGN JUN 01 I14 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY OF COLTON AGENDA REPORT Council Meeting of June 1, 2004 TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members FROM: Daryl J. Parrish, City Manager Item #14 SUBJECT: Resolution of Support for Senate Bill 1397 (Escutia) Enacting a Locomotive Emissions Reduction and Mitigation Program DATE: May 25, 2004 BACKGROUND: In 1998, the California Air Resources Board entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroad Company and the Union Pacific Railroad Company, under which the railroads agreed to utilize locomotives in the South Coast Air Basin that would meet certain emissions limitations. In 2003, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) adopted the most recent revisions to its Air Quality Management Plan. The 2003 Plan includes stringent emissions standards for factories, power plants, on -road and off-road mobile sources and other sources that are within the regulatory jurisdictions of the SCAQMD and the California Air Resources Board — including sources like locomotives that are powered by diesel engines. The percentage of emission reductions that will be achieved by these significant sources subject to state and local authority is substantially greater than the percentage of emission reductions that will be achieved by locomotives under existing federal regulations and/or the existing MOU. Senate Bill 1397 as proposed will ensure that funding for mitigation measures to reduce emissions from trains and for programs to address accompanying heath effects from diesel emissions are made available in the South Coast Air Basin. DISCUSSION / ANALYSIS: Continual increases in emissions from mobile sources, including trains are preventing this region from achieving clean air standards by the legally mandated federal deadline. Funding proposed through SB 1397 will help implement control strategies to mitigate emissions from locomotives and establish other mitigation programs. We cannot ask local business to continually tighten their operations to further control emissions. The time is right to look to sources in this region that are not currently contributing their fair share of emissions reductions — those sources include locomotive operations, which are one of the single largest unregulated source of air pollution in the South Coast Air Basin. Staff from the SCAQMD approached the City of Colton recently and requested that this resolution of support for SB 1397 be placed on the agenda for City Council consideration. The City of Colton has recently had matters related to locomotive emissions brought to its attention by its constituents residing in the vicinity of the Slover Siding. FISCAL IMPACT: No fiscal impact. RECOMMENDATION: 1) Staff recommends adoption of the attached resolution of support for Senate Bill 1397 which would enact the Locomotive Emissions Reduction and Mitigation Program 2) Forward signed and dated resolution to the SCAQMD. REVIEW TEAM ONLY CityAttorney: Finance Director:_— City Manager: OTHER: