LAKE COUNTY — A public hearing for review and comment on the draft budget for the Lake County Air Quality Management District (AQMD) was held this week. While action on the budget was not taken, the Board of Supervisors moved to oppose further state subvention reductions and to continue support of amending the Health and Safety Code to allow Lake County to impose additional vehicle registration fees for support of the AQMD. The later provides the county with the authority to impose registration fees, if needed, without approval of the state.
The BOS also moved to authorize the transferring of $110,000 from Fiscal Year 2009-10 to the AQMD Office Building Designation.
The draft budget for AQMD”s basic operation amounts to $652,386 in appropriations. The districts special fund budget, which consists primarily of grant funds, appropriates $456,392 in expenditures.
According to AQMD Director Doug Gearhart budgeted dollars are approximately the same as last fiscal year with the exception of increased communications, insurance, memberships/dues and postage. He said the increases in appropriations are a result of interest and carryover from unreserved fund balance.
Gearhart said that with the exception of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), area sources and several collaborative programs, all district activities are mandated programs. District programs are primarily supported by fees, fines, grants and state subvention.
According to Gearhart, permit fees are anticipated to support 66 percent of the budget with the balance supported largely by subvention at 19 percent and civil fines at nine percent.
The AQMD maintains an active and effective air quality management program to protect the health and welfare of the populace of the Lake County Air Basin. This is a shared mission with state and federal agencies.
Staff performs air monitoring, source testing, regulatory rule adoption, permitting analysis, air toxic risk rating, inspections, complaint investigations and enforcement. Staff participates in and advises the board, county and city planning commissions, CEQA lead agencies and other agencies and departments on matters that affect ambient air quality.
Gearhart said that the AQMD has several ongoing collaborative projects with the public, industry and other agencies. These programs are in addition to the district”s core responsibility for stationary source permitting. The state and local air monitoring efforts include the Geysers Air Monitoring Program, a network of meteorological monitoring, testing of the geothermal sources and the state and local air monitoring system in Lakeport.
Gearhart said that a major effort to initially address stationary agricultural compression ignition engines (diesel) under a new state regulation will continue during the year.
Contact South County reporter Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
