Sacramento Air Quality Management District Board Meeting - September 27, 2024
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Sacramento Air Quality Management District Board of Directors Meeting - September 27, 2024
The Sacramento Air Quality Management District Board of Directors met on September 27, 2024, to consider several agenda items including a consent calendar, a public hearing on AB617 best available retrofit control technology (BART) for steam methane reforming, a discussion on the Sacramento Area Sewer District (SAC Sewer) biogeneration project and emission reduction credits, and an update on light-duty equity programs. The meeting began with a roll call establishing a quorum, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and announcements.
Consent Calendar
- The consent calendar (items 1-3) was approved unanimously via roll call vote. Prior to the vote, Director Guerra expressed appreciation for school district participation in near-zero/zero-emission bus programs but noted a lack of progress from Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD). Director Geta recommended a meeting with SCUSD staff to encourage more adoption, citing SCUSD's early but negative experience with electric buses. The board approved the consent calendar.
Discussion Items
Public Hearing: AB617 BART Determination for Steam Methane Reforming
- Pedro Vega, air quality engineer, presented staff's determination that no new rule or rulemaking is required for two steam methane reforming furnaces operated by Air Products in the district. The furnaces are currently regulated under Rule 411 with a NOx limit of 30 ppm (potential to emit 8.7 tons/year). The district evaluated two control technologies: specialty burners (not feasible for this size) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR). SCR could achieve 5 ppm (83% reduction), but cost-effectiveness analysis using EPA tools and vendor quotes showed the cost per ton reduced was 80% to 280% above the district's guidance threshold, making it not cost-effective. The board conducted a public hearing (no public testimony) and approved the resolution adopting the analysis.
Sacramento Area Sewer District Biogeneration Project and Community Bank Emission Reduction Credits
- Amy Roberts presented an overview of the SAC Sewer biogeneration project, which will replace a 30-year partnership with SMUD by using biogas on-site to produce electricity and heat via a fuel cell, four engines, and a boiler. The fuel cell (zero PM, very low VOC and NOx) represents a clean energy transition. The district issued permits after health risk assessment (below thresholds) and public notice. Since the project's emissions exceed thresholds, emission reduction credits (ERCs) are required. SAC Sewer requested a 30-year loan of ERCs from the district's community bank. Staff recommended approval, and the board approved the resolution to transfer the specified credits. Board members praised interagency cooperation and the technology's potential for future hydrogen production.
Light Duty Equity Programs Update (Clean Cars for All, Car Share, Mobility Hubs)
- Rafe Porter provided an information-only update. Clean Cars for All provides up to $12,500 (previously $9,500) to income-qualified residents to scrap and replace older vehicles with hybrids, plug-in hybrids, or EVs. The program has awarded nearly $10 million, scrapped 900 vehicles, installed 210 chargers, and provided 389 charging credits. The program recently expanded countywide and now includes e-bikes (up to $7,500). Outreach includes partnerships with community organizations, SMUD, and dealers. The Community Car Share program has 11 sites (56,000+ reservations) and is expanding mobility hubs, including a new site at Mangan Park and future hubs at RT stations and a CRP site. Board members discussed outreach, reliability of charging infrastructure, and opportunities in new development areas. No action taken.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar approved unanimously.
- Resolution adopting AB617 BART Analysis for steam methane reforming approved (roll call vote: all ayes).
- Resolution approving transfer of emission reduction credits from community bank to SAC Sewer for 30 years approved (roll call vote: all ayes).
- The board received the Light Duty Equity Programs update as information; no action taken.
- The board adjourned after the APCO presentation.
Note: The meeting date per the instruction is September 27, 2024, though the transcript states September 26, 2024. This summary uses the provided date.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome to the September 26th, 2024 meeting of the Sacramento Air Quality Management District Board of Directors. Would the clerk please call the rolling Vice Chair Aquino? Here Director Desmond Director Frost? Here. Director Geta? Here. Director Hume. Chair Kennedy? Here. Director Maple? Here. Director Middleton? Here. Director Papanell. Director Robles? President. Director Cerna? Here. Director Terry. Director Thau. Director Vang. We have quorum. Thank you. Will you please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? One nation under God and individual with liberty and justice wrong. Madam Clerk, please read your announcements. Members of the public are encouraged to observe the meeting in real time at Metro 14Live.sackCounty.gov. Participate in person via Zoom video or teleconference line and by submitting written comments to Board Clerk at AirQuality.org. Comments will be delivered to the board of directors. Public comments regarding matters under the jurisdiction of the board of directors will be acknowledged by the chairperson, distributed to the board of directors, and included in the record. This meeting of the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District is cable cast live on Metro 14, Metro Cable 14, the local government affairs channel on Comcast and ATT U versus cable systems. This meeting is being closed captioned and will be live streamed at Metro 14Live.gov. Today's meeting will be repeated on Saturday, September 28th, 2024 at 2 p.m. on Channel 14. Thank you. And for the record, do we have anybody attending the meeting remotely today? We have Vice Chair Aquino is teleconferencing in. Great. Thank you very much. And we should be getting Director Vang um shortly. Okay, thank you. First item, please. The first item on the agenda is the consent calendar, items one through three. Thank you, Chair. Uh you know, one, I just wanted to uh thank the San Juan uh school district and our our um staff here for you know taking advantage of these grants, but uh I had a question and it doesn't have to be long, but you know, with SAC Unified, I feel like you know San Juan, Twin Rivers, El Grove, and the Thomas have all done a good job of participating in these uh uh near zero, if not zero emission bus programs, but I don't see a lot of progress since I've been driving down the SAC Unified bus yard or not uh driving, I'll say biking down and slowly seeing how uh most of them are all uh diesel uh you know buses there. So any any response on SAC unified thank you uh director guera. We work very actively with all of our school districts in our jurisdiction and um really it's is really up to each district and and specifically the fleet manager for each district to determine when is the right time for them to transition to some other cleaner technology. So we're actively reaching out to to all of them and if they haven't um raised their hand is probably simply because the timing in terms of the uh turnover of the fleet. Director Getta um I I would recommend that you and I have a meeting with the staff over at Sac City Unified. Um I I will tell you that they were one of the early adopters of electric uh buses uh and it was a bad experience because they were ahead of the technology and you know memories last long as we know so uh I would welcome the opportunity for us to set up a meeting and and uh perhaps with air district staff to uh encourage them to do more.
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