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HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.C. 04 SCQMD RECLAIM 03-02-92CONSENT CALENDAR NO. 4 3-2-92 kF LJ 3 • k� .:c • � r'WY,._ :� .r ,ray,►-�e,�MR,.IOt`► _� � . 0111 AT E: -_. 1�-� MARCH 2, 1992 S 'V h 1 t � TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER FROM: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT SUBJECT: SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT RECLAIM PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 92-37 opposing South Coast Air Quality Management District inclusion of essential public services in the RECLAIM program. BACKGROUND INFORMATION On March 5, 1992, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Board will be considering a proposal to establish a Regional Clean Air Incentives Market (RECLAIM) Program. If adopted, this Program would require the purchase of marketable permits by industries, businesses and governmental agencies seeking to expand services that could generate pollutants. The number of available permits would be finite and would only become available when existing permitted entities shut down and pollutants are reduced more significantly than required by the Air Quality Management Plan. Permits would have to be acquired based upon their fair market price. As presently proposed, the program would place municipal governments in direct competition with private industry over securing marketable permits. Of course, local governments are required to provide essential public services based upon population and growth. Recently, the Regional Advisory and Planning Council (RAPC) has voted to recommend that the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board exempt essntial public services, such as fire and police, from the proposed Marketable Permits Program. The Orange County Division of the League of California Cities has requested Tustin cooperation and support of RAPC's efforts toward obtaining an exemption for these essential public services. Essential public services would still be subject to existing SCAQMD rules so that the air quality impacts of expanding such services would still need to be evaluated. If the SCAQMD Board approves the Program, the process of rule-making would begin. City Council Report South Coast Air Quality Management District Reclaim Program March 2, 1992 Page 2 CONCLUSION Requiring governmental agencies to participate in the RECLAIM program could seriously jeopardize the public health and safety by severely restricting the City's ability to expand essential public services when needed. It is extremely important for the City of Tustin to support the RAPC action opposing inclusion of essential public services as part of the proposed Program. Therefore, it is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 92-37 opposing South Coast Air Quality Management District inclusion of essential public services in the RECLAIM program. Council action on this matter will be forwarded to the League of Cities and the SCAQMD. Sara Pa halides Associate Planner Attachment: Resolution No. 92-37 CAS:SJP:nm/reclaim Christine A. Shim*eton Assistant City Manager 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2PL 2( 2i D RESOLUTION NO. 92-37 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN, CALIFORNIA, OPPOSING INCLUSION OF ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICES IN THE PROPOSED MARKET INCENTIVES PROGRAM (RECLAIM) OF THE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT WHEREAS, on March 5, 1992, the governing board of the South Coast Air quality Management District will consider a proposal to proceed with the development of rules to implement a market incentives program to allow trading of emissions for permitted stationary sources; and, WHEREAS, the 1991 Air Quality Management Plan anticipates population growth which will result in increased demands on all essential public services, defined in the Air Quality Management District's New Source Review as publicly owned wastewater treatment and water delivery operations, schools, hospitals, fire fighting, police, prisons, landfill gas control and processing operations, and public transit in the South Coast Air Basin; and, WHEREAS, the existing New Source Review regulations provide necessary emissions offsets for population growth for essential public services; and WHEREAS, essential public services are needed to protect the public health and safety of the current population as well as the approved future growth in the South coast Air Basin; and WHEREAS, essential public services will continue to install best available air pollution control technology at their facilities to reduce emissions to lowest practicable levels; and. WHEREAS, the South Coast Air Quality Management District is considering entering into the rulemaking phase of a market incentives program for emission reductions that would require some essential public services to fully offset the impacts of continuing population growth in addition to complying with annual emissions reductions; and, WHEREAS, some agencies would be placed in the position of needing to provide additional services without certainty regarding the availability and cost of emissions credits; 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Resolution No. 92-37 Page 2 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Tustin supports the clean air goals of the state and federal Clean Air Acts but is opposed to including essential public services in the RECLAIM program, and believes that the public interest is better served if essential public services remain under the current command and control regulatory program that provides emission reduction offsets for population growth to such services, following the installation of best available control technology. PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Tustin, California held on the 2nd day of March, 1992. Charles E. Puckett, Mayor Mary E. Wynn, City Clerk STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF ORANGE ) CITY OF TUSTIN ) CERTIFICATION FOR RESOLUTION NO. 92-37 MARY E. WYNN, City Clerk and ex -of f icio Clerk of the City Council of the City of Tustin, California, does hereby certify that the whole number of the members of the City Council of the City of Tustin is f ive ; that the above and foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held on the 2nd day of March, 1992, by the following vote: COUNCILPERSONS AYES: COUNCILPERSONS NOES: COUNCILPERSONS ABSTAINED: COUNCILPERSONS ABSENT: MARY E. WYNN, City Clerk