Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District Clean Air Projects Program (CAPP): Settlement $$ to Reduce Unfunded Local Sources of Air Pollution Ted Schade, Air Pollution Control Officer November 2, 2011

Mission Statement The Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District is a California regional government agency that works to protect the people and the environment of Alpine, Mono and Inyo Counties from the harmful effects of air pollution. Great Basin makes local air pollution laws and enforces local, state and federal laws.

The Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District is made up of three California Counties: Alpine, Mono and Inyo. The district is almost 14,000 square miles in size, is over 300 miles long and is larger than the nine smallest U.S. states. However, the population served is only about 32,000.

As discussed with CDAWG in the past, the City of Los Angeles’ diversion of water from the Eastern Sierra down to Southern California caused the bed of Owens Lake to become exposed. Consequently, the dried lake bed became the largest single source of particulate matter air pollution in the country.

The Southern Owens Valley experiences some of the highest levels of particulate matter (PM-10) air pollution in the country.

6 A fully-developed Owens Lake dust storm – March 30, 2010

However, since 2000, Great Basin and the LADWP have been working to implement dust controls on the dried lake bed. By the end of 2013, over 45 square miles of dust controls will be in place at a cost of about $1.25 Billion.

Aerial photo of 12 sq. mi. shallow flood area completed by Los Angeles in December The flooded area is about 6 miles long by 2 miles wide. The town of Keeler is shown at the red arrow.

In 2009, the State denied LADWP a lease to construct 3 square miles of experimental dust control known as “Moat & Row.” The measure would have resulted in a dense grid of ditches and mounds of soli with sand fences on top. The State determined the impacts of the project were not acceptable.

The State’s denial of LADWP’s project meant that it would miss an April 2010 deadline to complete dust controls on the area. The District issued a Notice of Violation and petitioned for an abatement hearing which was held in March 2011.

The pending abatement hearing caused the LADWP to enter into a stipulated order for abatement. This order: Gave LADWP 3 additional years to deploy BACM controls on the subject 3 square mile area, Gave LADWP 3 additional years to deploy BACM controls on the subject 3 square mile area, Allows the LADWP to transition 3 square miles of existing high-water-use controls to low-water-use controls, and Allows the LADWP to transition 3 square miles of existing high-water-use controls to low-water-use controls, and Required the LADWP to pay the District Required the LADWP to pay the District $6.5 million to offset the estimated 20,000 tons of excess PM10 that would be emitted during the 3-year period.

Clean Air Projects Program (CAPP) The $6.5 million excess emissions offset payment is to be used by the District to reduce local sources of air pollution throughout the District with preference given to sources in the Owens Lake area. The $6.5 million excess emissions offset payment is to be used by the District to reduce local sources of air pollution throughout the District with preference given to sources in the Owens Lake area. The projects are to be selected at the sole discretion of the District, but will be publicized as joint projects of the District and the LADWP. The projects are to be selected at the sole discretion of the District, but will be publicized as joint projects of the District and the LADWP. 85% of the money ($5.525 million) is to go to projects and 15% ($975,000) goes to the District for administrative costs. 85% of the money ($5.525 million) is to go to projects and 15% ($975,000) goes to the District for administrative costs.

Initial CAPP Projects The District hired an outside administrator to coordinate the project. A $500,000 pilot project is being launched to replace non-certified wood stoves in southern Inyo County (near Owens Lake). The new heating devices will be provided at no cost to property owners. $125,000 will be used for material costs associated with a County road project in Keeler (on the shore of Owens Lake) to pave a well- traveled road from the town to the refuse transfer station.

CAPP Expansion In November, a general “call for projects” will be put out. Government, businesses and private individuals will be invited to submit project proposals. In November, a general “call for projects” will be put out. Government, businesses and private individuals will be invited to submit project proposals. Projects will be evaluated on a cost-per-ton of air pollution reduced basis. Projects will be evaluated on a cost-per-ton of air pollution reduced basis. Local government (counties and cities) will likely be awarded clean air block grants based on population served. These grants will be used at the agencies’ discretion on a set list of projects (building weatherization, equipment replacement, unpaved road surfacing, etc.) Local government (counties and cities) will likely be awarded clean air block grants based on population served. These grants will be used at the agencies’ discretion on a set list of projects (building weatherization, equipment replacement, unpaved road surfacing, etc.)

Questions?

For more information: Website: gbuapcd.orggbuapcd.org CAPP: capp.gbuapcd.orgcapp.gbuapcd.org Dust blog: dustblog.gbuapcd.orgdustblog.gbuapcd.org