H1N1 Updates




Continuing To Mow Down Pollution

Ron Roberts

SUPERVISOR, FOURTH DISTRICT

SAN DIEGO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

AGENDA ITEM

 

 

DATE:

April 7, 2009

TO:

Board of Supervisors

SUBJECT:

CONTINUING TO MOW DOWN POLLUTION (District: ALL)

 

 

SUMMARY:

 

 

 

Overview

 

For the past nine years, the Air Pollution Control Board has held the highly successful Mowing Down Pollution Lawn Mower Trade-in event.  At the event, residents turn in their completely equipped and operable gasoline lawn mower with the fuel and oil removed.  After the mower has been accepted for exchange, residents receive a new Black & Decker cordless electric lawn mower for $150.  All of the old mowers turned in during the event are removed for recycling. 

 

Exchanging gasoline-powered lawn mowers for cordless, rechargeable, electric mowers has reduced regional air pollution by more than 15 tons per year.  Some gasoline mowers emit 40 times more pollution per hour than a single late model automobile, while the replacement electric mowers offered by the Board emit zero pollutants. 

 

This is a request to direct the Air Pollution Control Officer to hold this year’s Mowing Down Pollution event on May 16, 2009, and make available up to 459 cordless, rechargeable, electric lawn mowers for San Diego County residents. 

 
 

 

Recommendation(s)

 

SUPERVISOR ROBERTS

  1. Direct the Director of Purchasing and Contracting to negotiate a purchase agreement with Black and Decker not to exceed $96,000 for up to 459 cordless, rechargeable, electric lawn mowers. 
  2. Direct the Air Pollution Control Officer to hold a Lawn Mower Trade-in event that exchanges up to 459 gasoline-powered lawn mowers for new, non-polluting cordless, rechargeable, electric lawn mowers for $150 each.
    1. Direct the Air Pollution Control Officer to hold this year’s Lawn Mower Trade-in event on May 16, 2009, and authorize $10,000 for event costs.

 

 

 

Fiscal Impact

 

This request is included in the Fiscal Year 2008-09 Air Pollution Control District Operational Plan.  The funding source is $106,000 from penalties received for violations of air quality laws.  Up to 459 lawn mowers will be purchased for an amount not to exceed $96,000.  The remaining $10,000 will be used for the facilities, printed materials, advertising and disposal of old lawn mowers and hazardous waste.  If approved, this request will result in no increase in current year costs and revenues and no increase in subsequent years’ costs and revenue.  This will require no net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.

 

 

 

Business Impact Statement

 

N/A

 

 

 

Advisory Board Statement

 

N/A

 

 
     

BACKGROUND:

The Mowing Down Pollution program has been a noteworthy regional success story.  At the conclusion of this year’s event, we will have distributed 4,395 zero-emission mowers since the launch of the program in 2000.  The benefit to the San Diego County community is a reduction of over 15 tons per year of volatile organic compounds (ozone precursors) emissions.  This is equivalent to the hourly emissions from approximately 140,760 late model automobiles.  Clearly, the Mowing Down Pollution program is making a difference in San Diego County by improving air quality and, ultimately, our quality of life.

 

The mowers, which typically retail for $399 each, will be obtained for a special price of $330 per unit.  Residents will pay $150 per unit (including sales tax) and the Air Pollution Control District will offset the remaining balance for each mower.

 

Residents will be required to drain and properly dispose of the fuel and oil from their existing lawn mowers prior to the exchange.  These mowers will also be required to be completely equipped and operable, including but not limited to a properly attached handle, all four wheels, motor, blade, housing and starting mechanism (rope or switch).  To ensure proper disposal of mowers and hazardous materials, a hazardous material hauler and a recycling company will be hired to oversee the destruction and recycling of the large stockpile of exchanged mowers.

 

A cordless, electric, rechargeable lawn mower has been selected to avoid tripping and electrical hazards that can result from the use of extension cords.  Also, the selected model has a mulching feature that will mitigate the volume of clippings into our landfills. 

 

On March 13, 2002 (APCB #1), the Board authorized a continuing waiver of Board Policy A-87 for future-years’ programs so long as Black and Decker remains the only manufacturer of 19-inch rechargeable, cordless, electric lawn mowers.  In 2008, Neuton® Mower began offering a comparable model but declined to participate.

 

For this year’s event, competitive procurement was utilized through the issuance of a request for quote on February 26, 2009.  Black and Decker Inc.’s quote, with The Home Depot performing cashiering functions, was selected as the most competitive quote with the best value.

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

RON ROBERTS

Supervisor, Fourth District

 

AGENDA ITEM INFORMATION SHEET

 

CONCURRENCE(S)

 

COUNTY COUNSEL REVIEW                               [X] Yes

      Written Disclosure per County Charter                   []    Yes               [X] No

      Section 1000.1 Required

                                                                                                                                   

GROUP/AGENCY FINANCE DIRECTOR           []    Yes               [X] N/A

 

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER                               []    Yes               [X] N/A

      Requires Four Votes                                                []    Yes               [X] No

 

GROUP/AGENCY INFORMATION

      TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR                             []    Yes               [X] N/A

 

COUNTY TECHNOLOGY OFFICE                       []    Yes               [X] N/A

 

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES         []    Yes               [X] N/A

 

Other Concurrence(s):     N/A

 

ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT:            Fourth Supervisorial District

 

CONTACT PERSON(S):

 

Jason Farran

Name

619.531.5544

Phone

619.531.6262

Fax

A-500

Mail Station

Jason.Farran@sdcounty.ca.gov

E-mail