Commissioners Court - Regular Session

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37.

Meeting Date:	02/22/2011
Submitted For:	Gary Boyd	Submitted By:	Gary Boyd, Parks
Department:	Parks

Information

Agenda Item

Consider and take appropriate action on a resolution regarding the Low Income Vehicle Repair, Retrofit and Accelerated Retirement Program and Local Initiative Projects.

Background

The Texas Legislature has proposed to completely eliminate the funding of LIRAP/LIP as one way to reduce the State’s Fiscal Year 2012 – 2013 proposed budget. These programs are self-funded by every vehicle owner of Williamson County from an annual $2 user fee levied as part of each motor vehicle’s emission inspection. Several other counties in Texas are also a part of this program. These funds have been appropriated to the TCEQ, held in the Clean Air Account, and since program inception has been distributed back to the counties from which they were collected for LIRAP/LIP. Williamson County voluntarily undertook a motor vehicle inspection/maintenance program with the understanding that these user fees would return to the county to financially assist low income vehicle owners faced with failing emission tests and to assist in efforts to positively address mobile source emissions (i.e., emissions from vehicles) to reduce ozone precursor chemicals.

Williamson County entered into an Early Action Compact (EAC) with 11 other local political jurisdictions to address this region’s air pollution problems under the federal 8-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard at the urging of the TCEQ and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As part of the EAC, Travis and Williamson Counties committed to administer LIRAP. This program helps vehicle owners comply with vehicle emissions standards required by AirCheck Texas, the state-operated vehicle emissions testing program. The goal of the county program is to assist lower income vehicle owners in order to reduce ozone-forming pollutants created by on-road motor vehicles driving throughout the region. This program addresses the highest polluting vehicles and provides an incentive for vehicle owners to contribute to the regional air quality solution.

A report on county vehicle inspections for the 2010 calendar year is attached. There were 231,922 initial and 253,392 total emission tests in the county during 2010. A rough calculation of funds provided by county residents to fund LIRAP is $463,844.

Fiscal Impact

From/To	Acct No.	Description	Amount

Attachments
draft resolution on LIRAP
Wilco inspection report for 2010

Form Review

Inbox	Reviewed By	Date
County Judge Exec Asst.	Wendy Coco	02/17/2011 10:58 AM
Form Started By: Gary Boyd		Started On: 02/17/2011 09:47 AM
Final Approval Date: 02/17/2011