PURPOSE:

This report responds to the City Council�s request for a study session regarding air quality issues.

DISCUSSION:

At the City Council meeting of January 16, 2007, the Council requested that a study session be scheduled regarding air quality issues in Burbank and the region.  The Council requested that staff contact representatives of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) to make a presentation and answer questions about air quality issues.  Staff has arranged for Mr. Jean Ospital, Health Effects Officer for AQMD, to attend the study session.  Mr. Ospital will give a brief presentation about prior and ongoing air quality studies, including air quality data and issues specific to Burbank.  He will then be available to answer questions from the Council.

Specifically, Mr. Ospital will discuss the Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Study (MATES-II) released by AQMD in 2000 and the ongoing preparation of the follow-up MATES-III study, anticipated to be released later this year.  The MATES-II document is several hundred pages long and as such is not attached hereto.  Copies of the study were previously provided to members of the Environmental Oversight Committee, and the complete document is available for download from the AQMD web site at http://www.aqmd.gov/matesiidf/matestoc.htm.

Attached is a copy of a preview summary of air quality data collected for the MATES-III study, including Burbank-specific data (Exhibit A).  This document was provided to the AQMD Mobile Source Committee in November 2006.  Also attached is a copy of 2005 annual air quality data for the South Coast Air Basin, which also includes Burbank data (Exhibit B).  This data, annual data from previous years, and other air quality data is also available on the AQMD web site at http://www.aqmd.gov/smog/AirQualityData.html.

The Burbank monitoring site is identified in the annual data as the East San Fernando Valley site (Area No. 7/Station No. 069).  The Burbank site is a fixed monitoring station located on West Palm Avenue.  This station was used to collect data for the MATES-II and upcoming MATES-III studies and is reflected in the annual data.  There are no other fixed or mobile AQMD monitoring sites in Burbank.  Mr. Ospital will be able to answer questions regarding the data and the Burbank monitoring station.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the Council note and file this report.  Mr. Ospital from the AQMD will be available to answer questions from the Council regarding air quality issues.

LIST OF EXHIBITS:

Exhibit A          Preview Summary VOC and Carbonyl Measurements from MATES-III

Exhibit B          2005 Air Quality Data, South Cost Air Quality Management District

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