MINUTES

JANUARY 24, 2005 MEETING OF THE

CITY OF SANTA MONICA

TASK FORCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

 

The meeting was convened at 7:15 p.m.  Task Force members in attendance: Bill Selby, Matt Petersen, Sandy Grant, Susan Mearns, David Hertz and Eric Neandross.  Santa Monica City staff in attendance: Craig Perkins, Brian Johnson, Rick Sikes and Dean Kubani.  Others:  Council Member Kevin McKeown, MWD Board Member Judy Abdo, Planning Commissioner Arlene Hopkins, Recreation and Parks Commissioner/SCTF Member Jennifer Wolch, Marty Rubin, Stacy Brown, Joe Gershen, Laurel Roennau, and Dave Isenberg.

 

Public Input on Agenda Items

Marty Rubin spoke briefly about the shortcomings of the planned SCAQMD emissions study at the Van Nuys and Santa Monica airports and requested that discussion of this item be moved to the beginning of the agenda.

 

Minutes

The minutes from the meeting of December 20, 2004 were unanimously approved.

 

Update on AQMD Air Quality Study at Van Nuys and Santa Monica Airports

Susan Mearns provided the update.  A meeting to help develop a plan for the study was held at the Van Nuys airport and was attended by City staff from the Airport and the City Attorney’s office.  She noted that the U.S. EPA-funded study is intended to characterize the air quality around general purpose airports.  It will involve monitoring for ultra-fine particles, lead, volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) and other contaminants.  Short term monitoring (over a two-week period with 2 to 3 sample points in the surrounding community) as well as long term monitoring (over a three-month period spanning two seasons) will be completed.  The AQMD is seeking public input regarding the short term sampling locations.  The next planning meeting for this study is scheduled for February 22 at 10 am at the Ken Edwards Center.  Erik Neandross and/or Susan Mearns plan to attend that meeting representing the Task Force on the Environment.

 

 

 

Discussion and Recommendations Regarding Draft Proposal for Biodiesel Applications in Santa Monica

 

Craig Perkins discussed the City’s plans to begin using biodiesel in the public works fleet.  He noted that in mid-February approximately 80 diesel fleet vehicles will begin using a B20 blend of biodiesel (20% biodiesel, 80% diesel). Also in February the City will begin fueling 13 beach maintenance vehicles with B100 (100% biodiesel).  Craig does not anticipate that the conversion to biodiesel will increase the city’s fuel or maintenance costs.

 

Joe Gershen from LA Biofuel discussed a proposal to 1) establish a public access biodiesel fueling station in Santa Monica, 2) work with the City and school district to convert their buses to run on biodiesel, and 3) begin a waste cooking oil recycling program to produce biodiesel for use in Santa Monica.  To date, none of these proposals have been funded.

 

Task Force members discussed the increase in NOx emissions related to the use of blends of B50 or higher.  Craig Perkins noted that although NOx emissions will increase with the use of B100 in the beach vehicles, the levels of three other pollutants will drop.  Since the amount of fuel used in these 13 vehicles represents only a very small percentage of the fuel used by the entire EPWM fleet, they feel that this is an acceptable trade off and a good opportunity to conduct a test.  Craig noted that the city will conduct a 6-month evaluation of the B100 program which will include emissions testing.  The Task Force expressed support for the City’s conversion to using biodiesel, however Task Force member Erik Neandross expressed serious reservations regarding the use of B100 due to the increase of NOx emissions.  Regarding the LA Biofuel proposal, Task Force members expressed support for the idea but were concerned about the potential cost for implementation.  The Task Force recommended that the Big Blue Bus be urged to consider the use of B20 fuel in their diesel buses.

 

Follow-up Discussion and Recommendations Regarding Proposed Off-Leash Dog Area on Santa Monica Beach

 

Discussion on this item was deferred until the February 28 meeting at the request of Mark Gold and Georja Umano Jones of Unleash the Beach, both of whom were unable to attend the meeting.

Discussion and Recommendations Regarding Planned Civic Center Village Development  

 

Discussion on this item was deferred until the February 28 meeting because a draft staff report on the proposed development was not yet available for review.

 

Presentation and Review of Santa Monica Democratic Club Development Moratorium Resolution

 

Sandy Grant and Laurel Roennau provided background on this item.  The Santa Monica Democratic Club adopted a resolution on January 12, 2005 which proposes a moratorium on major development projects (>50,000 sq. ft.) in Santa Monica until after the completion of the Land Use and Circulation Element Updates.  The SMDC is seeking an endorsement of this moratorium resolution from the Task Force on the Environment.  Following questions and discussion, the Task Force unanimously adopted the following motion: “The Task Force on the Environment urges City Council to consider any and all tools at its disposal to ensure that the Macerich proposal and other large development projects proposed during the general plan update process be consistent with the Sustainable City Plan goals and address community concerns.”

 

Update on Sustainable City Task Force

Sandy Grant provided the update and noted that the first draft of the Sustainable City Implementation Plan (IP) will be reviewed by the SCTF at its February 14 meeting.  She reviewed the timeline for completion of the IP and noted that things are currently going according to schedule.  A draft of the IP will be presented to the Task Force on the Environment for review likely in April.

 

Discussion Regarding Calendar of the City’s Upcoming Environmental Activities

Brian Johnson presented a summary of upcoming environmental activities and Task Force members discussed timelines for current and future projects.

 

Metropolitan Water District Update

MWD Board Member Judy Abdo provided the update.  She noted that the MWD Board committee structure has been completely shuffled, and now she sits on the Legal and Claims committee and the Legislation committee.  She noted that CEO Ron Gastellum has now left and there is a search committee working to hire a new CEO.  Adan Ortega has also left, so there is no longer a senior staff member at MWD who is an environmental advocate.  Judy mentioned that a new funding cycle for water conservation projects has just begun and she noted that MWD has embraced conservation as a major strategy for the future.

 

Public Input on Non-Agendized Matters

There was no public input.

 

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:55pm