REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON CONSTRUCTION

 

Public Hearing

 

May 6, 2009

 

The Honorable,

The Board of Commissioners of Cook County

 

ATTENDANCE

 

Present:

Chairman Murphy, Vice Chairman Butler, Commissioners Beavers, Moreno, Schneider and Silvestri (6)

 

Absent:

Commissioners Gorman, Sims and Steele (3)

 

Also Present:

Commissioners Daley, Gainer, Goslin, Maldonado and Suffredin.

 

Court Reporter:       Anthony W. Lisanti, C.S.R.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

        Your Committee on Construction of the Board of Commissioners of Cook County met pursuant to notice for a public hearing on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at the hour of 9:15 A.M. in the Board Room, Room 569, County Building, 118 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois.

 

The Secretary to the Board informed Chairman Murphy that a quorum was not present at this time but that testimony could be taken.

 

Chairman Murphy recognized Commissioner Maldonado to speak in regards to the Cook County Green Construction Ordinance which he is a sponsor of and also noted that Commissioner Maldonado would be introducing a substitute ordinance.

 

Commissioner Maldonado stated that for the record the substitute ordinance had been distributed to the members of the Construction Committee.

 

Commissioner Maldonado addressed the Committee regarding the Cook County Green Ordinance.  (See Attachment #1.)

 

Commissioner Maldonado stated that Commissioner Silvestri would like to be added as a sponsor to the proposed ordinance.

 

The Secretary informed Chairman Murphy that Commissioners Butler and Moreno were present and that a quorum was now established.

 


Chairman Murphy asked the Secretary to the Board to call upon the registered public speakers, in accordance with Cook County Code, Sec. 2-108(dd):

 

1)  Sam Dorevitch, MD, MPH, Research Assistant Professor, UIC School of Public Health

2)  Brian Urbaszewski, Director, Cook County Department of Environmental Control

3)  Kevin Givens, Director, Cook County Department of Environmental Control

4.  Emily Stuart, Organizer, Citizen Action/Illinois

5.  George Blakemore, Concerned Citizen

6.  Mary Kay Minaghan, Women Construction Owners & Executives and ASA Chicago

7.  David DeYoung, Government Affairs Director, Illinois Road & Transportation Builders
     Association

 

 

        Your Committee has considered the following item and upon adoption of this report, the recommendation is as follows:

 

299984

COOK COUNTY GREEN CONSTRUCTION ORDINANCE (PROPOSED ORDINANCE).  Transmitting a Communication from Roberto Maldonado, County Commissioner:

 

submitted is the proposed Cook County Green Construction Ordinance that would require all Cook County contractors working on public construction contracts, budgeted at $2 million or more, to use cleaner diesel fuel and pollution controls on their vehicles and equipment.  I will introduce this ordinance at the April 15 Board meeting and refer it to the Construction Committee.

 

Diesel pollution is known to cause lung cancer, asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, and premature death.  Our efforts to help clean up diesel pollution will improve the County’s air quality, protect the health of the residents of Cook County, and, ultimately, reduce the burden of health care on our public health system.

 

The Green Construction Ordinance will have a modest impact on construction costs.  For most green construction projects, the total costs of using cleaner fuels and pollution controls has cost less than 1% of the total project cost.

 

Air pollution continues to be a serious problem in Cook County.  This ordinance will help the County meet federal air quality standards, which the County continues to violate.

 

Submitting a Proposed Ordinance sponsored by:

TODD H. STROGER, President, ROBERTO MALDONADO, JOAN PATRICIA MURPHY and PETER N. SILVESTRI, County Commissioners

 

Co-Sponsored by:

 

JOHN P. DALEY, JOSEPH MARIO MORENO, PETER N. SILVESTRI and LARRY SUFFREDIN, County Commissioners

The following is a synopsis of the Proposed Ordinance:

 

PROPOSED ORDINANCE

 

COOK COUNTY GREEN CONSTRUCTION ORDINANCE

 

BE IT ORDAINED, by the Cook County Board of Commissioners that Chapter 30 Environment, Article IX Green Construction, Sections 30-950 through 30-955 of the Cook County Code is hereby enacted as follows:

 

ARTICLE IX.  GREEN CONSTRUCTION

 

Sec. 30-950.   Board of Commissioners findings.

Sec. 30-951.   Definitions.

Sec. 30-952.   Emission reduction.

Sec. 30-953.   Costs.

Sec. 30-954.   Compliance.

Sec. 30-955.   Enforcement.

Sec. 30-956.   Regulations.

 

Effective date:  This Ordinance shall take effect upon adoption.

 

*Referred to the Construction Committee on 4/15/09.

 

Commissioner Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Moreno moved to accept the Proposed Substitute Ordinance (Comm. No. 299984).

 

Commissioner Silvestri, seconded by Commissioner Moreno moved to adopt the Proposed Substitute Ordinance (Comm. No. 200984).  The motion carried.

 

 

                                                                                                COMMUNICATION NO. 299984

 

PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE ORDINANCE

 

Sponsored by

 

THE HONORABLE TODD H. STROGER, PRESIDENT, AND

THE HONORABLE ROBERTO MALDONADO, JOAN PATRICIA MURPHY

AND PETER N. SILVESTRI, COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

 

Co-Sponsored by

 

THE HONORABLE JOHN P. DALEY, ELIZABETH GORMAN, JOSEPH MARIO MORENO, DEBORAH SIMS, ROBERT B. STEELE, AND LARRY SUFFREDIN,

COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

 

COOK COUNTY GREEN CONSTRUCTION ORDINANCE 

 

BE IT ORDAINED, by the Cook County Board of Commissioners that Chapter 30 Environment, Article IX Green Construction, Sec. 30-950 through Sec. 30-955 of the Cook County Code is hereby enacted as follows:

 

ARTICLE IX.  GREEN CONSTRUCTION

 

Sec. 30-950.  Board of Commissioners findings.

 

            (a) Diesel exhaust particle pollution poses a clear and present health risk to the people of Cook County. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has classified diesel exhaust as a likely human carcinogen, and has identified diesel particulate matter and diesel exhaust organic gases as toxic air pollutants.  Diesel exhaust is also a prime contributor to airborne fine particle pollution that is linked to premature death and other serious cardiovascular and pulmonary problems such as heart attacks, abnormal heart rhythms, atherosclerosis, stroke, asthma attacks, permanent respiratory damage and retardation of lung growth in children.

 

            (b) Cook County is a US EPA designated non-attainment area for fine particulate matter pollution.

 

            (c) The health impacts from diesel emissions particularly affect children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.

 

            (d) Particularly high concentrations of diesel emissions often occur in heavily traveled transportation corridors, intermodal yards, bus depots, and construction sites; these diesel “hot spots” often are found in densely populated, urban areas, disproportionately impacting ethnic minorities and people of lower economic status.

 

            (e) Diesel engine crankcases also are a source of emissions that can seep into the cabin and expose vehicle drivers and passengers to harmful diesel emissions.

 

            (f) Diesel exhaust also contains black carbon emissions, which contribute to global climate change.

 

            (g) Reduction of diesel emissions can help address these human health and environmental problems.

 

            (h) The United States Environmental Protection Agency has enacted requirements over the past few years requiring the substantial reduction of emissions from new diesel engines in both heavy-duty highway vehicles and land-based non-road equipment. However, these regulations do not apply to any of the over 11 million existing diesel engines in the United States, most of which emit substantially more pollution and often remain in service for 10 to 30 years, depending on the type of engine and equipment.

 

            (i) Practical, cost-effective measures to substantially reduce diesel particulate emissions are available today, and can be applied to many existing diesel engines. The same technology that limits diesel pollution from new diesel engines can be retrofitted onto existing engines or applied in new replacement engines to reduce diesel emissions by 85% or better.

 

            (j) Therefore, the purpose of this ordinance is to minimize the public health risks from exposure to diesel particulate emissions as expeditiously as practicable.

 

 

Sec. 30-951.  Definitions.

 

            CARB means the California Air Resources Board.

           

County as used in this chapter (with the exception of the use of the words to describe or identify the Government or Board of Commissioners thereof), means all of the territory in the County exclusive of the City of Chicago.

 

            Department means the Cook County Department of Environmental Control.

 

            Fleet means one or more diesel vehicles or mobile or stationary diesel engines owned or operated by the same person or group of related persons.

 

            Heavy duty diesel vehicle means a motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of at least 8,500 pounds that is powered by a diesel engine.

 

            Level 1 Control means a Verified Diesel Emission Control Device that achieves a particulate matter (PM) emission reduction of 25% or more from uncontrolled engine emission levels.

 

            Level 2 Control means a Verified Diesel Emission Control Device that achieves a particulate matter (PM) emission reduction of 50% or more from uncontrolled engine emission levels.

 

            Level 3 Control means a Verified Diesel Emission Control Device that achieves a particulate matter (PM) emission reduction of 85% or more from uncontrolled engine emission levels, or that reduces emissions to less than or equal to 0.01 grams of PM per brake horsepower-hour. Level 3 Control includes repowering or replacing the existing diesel engine with an engine meeting USEPA’s 2007 Heavy-duty Highway Diesel Standards (66 Fed. Reg. 5002), or in the case of a nonroad engine, an engine meeting the USEPA’s Tier 4 Nonroad Diesel Standards (69 Fed. Reg. 38958); Level 3 Control also includes new diesel engines meeting said emissions standards.

 

            Motor vehicle means any self-propelled vehicle designed for transporting persons or property on a street or highway, including an on-road diesel vehicle.

 

            Nonroad engine means an internal combustion engine (including the fuel system) that is not used in a motor vehicle or a vehicle used solely for competition, or that is not a stationary source, except that this term shall apply to internal combustion engines used to power generators, compressors or similar equipment used in any construction program or project.

 

            Nonroad vehicle means a vehicle or equipment that is powered by a nonroad engine, fifty horsepower and greater, and that is not a motor vehicle or a vehicle used solely for competition, which shall include, but not be limited to, excavators, backhoes, cranes, compressors, generators, bulldozers and similar equipment; nonroad vehicles do not include locomotives or marine vessels.

 

Prime Contractor means any person or business entity that enters into a public works contract with Cook County.

 

            Public works contract means a contract, budgeted at $2,000,000 or more, with a County agency for a construction program or project bid by Cook County involving the construction, demolition, restoration, rehabilitation, repair, renovation, or abatement of any building, structure, tunnel, excavation, roadway, park or bridge; a contract with a County agency for the preparation for any construction program or project involving the construction, demolition, restoration, rehabilitation, repair, renovation, or abatement of any building, structure, tunnel, excavation, roadway, park or bridge; or a contract with a County agency for any final work involved in the completion of any construction program or project involving the construction, demolition, restoration, rehabilitation, repair, renovation, or abatement of any building, structure, tunnel, excavation, roadway, park or bridge.

 

            Stationary generators means a non-mobile machine that uses diesel fuel to produce electrical energy.

 

            Subcontractor means any person or business entity that enters into a contract with a Prime Contractor as defined herein to perform work on a public works contract with Cook County.

 

Ultra low sulfur diesel fuel means diesel fuel that has a sulfur content of no more than fifteen parts per million.

 

            US EPA means the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

 

Verified diesel emission control device means:

 

            (a) an emission control device or strategy that has been verified to achieve a specified diesel PM reduction by USEPA or CARB; or

 

            (b) replacement or repowering with an engine that is certified to specific PM emissions performance by USEPA or CARB.

 

 

Sec. 30-952.  Emission reduction.

 

            (a) Immediately after the effective date of this ordinance, any solicitation for a public works contract and any contract entered into as a result of such solicitation shall include a specification that all contractors in the performance of such contract shall use Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel for diesel motor vehicles, non-road vehicles, and stationary generators used in the performance of the contract.

 

            (b) Beginning January 1, 2014, for Prime Contractors, and beginning January 1, 2016 for Subcontractors, any solicitation for a public works contract and any contract entered into as a result of such solicitation shall include a specification that a Prime Contractor and all Subcontractors in the performance of such contract shall not operate any heavy-duty diesel vehicle in the performance of a public works contract unless that vehicle has installed Level 3 Controls and unless such controls are properly maintained and operating (as provided by regulations promulgated pursuant to this act).  Except that, upon provision by the Prime Contractor or Subcontractors to the agency of appropriate and sufficient documentary evidence:

 

(1) Subsection (b) shall not apply to any heavy-duty diesel vehicle on the construction site working three days or less over the life of the project.

 

(2)  Subsection (b) shall not apply to any heavy-duty diesel vehicle with respect to which the Department makes a written finding that such vehicle cannot be retrofit with Level 3 Controls, in which case such fleet owner or operator shall install Level 2 Controls that are available and appropriate for such vehicle as determined by the Department.  If the Department makes a written finding that any such vehicle cannot be retrofit with Level 2 controls, said vehicle shall be retrofit with Level 1 Controls that are available and appropriate for such vehicle as determined by the Department.

 

(3) Any heavy-duty diesel vehicle that has operational Level 2 Controls installed prior to the effective date of this act shall have an additional one year to meet the requirements of Subsection (b).

 

            (c) Within two years after the effective date of this ordinance, any solicitation for a public works contract and any contract entered into as a result of such solicitation shall include a specification that all contractors in the performance of such contract shall not operate any diesel non-road vehicle in the performance of a public works contract unless that vehicle has installed Level 2 Controls and unless such controls are properly maintained and operating (as provided by regulations promulgated pursuant to this act).  Except that, upon provision by the contractor to the agency of appropriate and sufficient documentary evidence:

 

(1) Subsection (c) shall not apply to any diesel non-road vehicle on the construction site working three days or less over the life of the project.

 

(2) Subsection (c) shall not apply to any diesel non-road vehicle with respect to which the Department makes a written finding that such vehicle cannot be retrofit with Level 2 Controls, in which case such fleet owner or operator shall install Level 1 Controls that are available and appropriate for such vehicle as determined by the Department.

 

(3) Any diesel non-road vehicle that has operational Level 1 Controls installed prior to the effective date of this act shall have an additional one year to meet the requirements of Subsection (c).

 

(d) Beginning January 1, 2014, for Prime Contractors, and beginning January 1, 2016 for Subcontractors, any solicitation for a public works contract and any contract entered into as a result of such solicitation shall include a specification that a Prime Contractor and all Subcontractors in the performance of such contract shall not operate any diesel non-road vehicle in the performance of a public works contract unless that vehicle has installed Level 3 Controls and unless such controls are properly maintained and operating (as provided by regulations promulgated pursuant to this act). Except that, upon provision by the Prime Contractor or Subcontractors to the agency of appropriate and sufficient documentary evidence:

 

(1) Subsection (d) shall not apply to any diesel non-road vehicle on the construction site working three days or less over the life of the project.

 

(2) Subsection (d) shall not apply to any diesel non-road vehicle with respect to which the Department makes a written finding that such vehicle cannot be retrofit with Level 3 Controls, in which case such fleet owner or operator shall install Level 2 Controls that are available and appropriate for such vehicle as determined by the Department.

 

(3) Any diesel non-road vehicle that has operational Level 2 Controls installed prior to the effective date of this act shall have an additional one year to meet the requirements of Subsection (d).

     

 

Sec. 30-953.  Costs.

 

            All costs associated with meeting these requirements are incidental to the overall contract. No additional time or monies will be granted to the Prime Contractor for compliance with these requirements and any associated regulations

 

Sec. 30-954.  Compliance.

 

            (a) Thirty days before beginning work, the Prime Contractor shall submit to the Department for approval a list of all heavy-duty diesel vehicles, non-road vehicles, and stationary generators to be used on the project. The list shall include the following:

 

(1) Prime Contractor and Subcontractor name and address, plus contact person responsible for the vehicles or equipment.

 

(2) Equipment type, manufacturer, engine model year, engine certification (Tier rating), ECM calibration, horsepower, plate, serial number, and expected fuel usage and/or hours of operation.

 

(3) For the pollution control technology installed: technology type, serial number, make, model, manufacturer, EPA/CARB verification number/level, and installation date.

 

(b) If the Prime Contractor subsequently needs to bring on site equipment not on the list, the Prime Contractor shall submit the request in writing for prior approval. Additional equipment shall comply with all contract conditions.

 

(c) During periods of inactivity, idling of diesel on-road motor vehicles and non-road vehicles shall be minimized and shall not exceed the time allowed under state and local laws.

 

(d) Any public works contract shall provide for enforcement of the contract provisions required by Section 3 and penalties for noncompliance of such provisions.

 


Sec. 30-955.  Enforcement.

 

(a)        Any solicitation for a public works contract subject to the provisions of this section and any contract entered into as a result of such solicitation shall include provisions authorizing independent monitoring and inspection of the Prime Contractor and Subcontractor’s compliance with the requirements of this section and requiring that the Prime Contractor and Subcontractor comply with this section.  The Prime Contractor shall be liable for a fee of $200 for the review of Prime Contractor and Subcontractor’s compliance with the provisions of this section, and the County may withhold and deduct the fee from monies otherwise due the Prime Contractor.

 

(b)        All vehicles and equipment to which these requirements are applicable will be subject to random inspections to ensure full compliance with these requirements. If any equipment is found to be non-compliant, the Prime Contractor, Subcontractor or Supplier must remove or retrofit this equipment or vehicle within 24 hours or be subject to liquidated damages pursuant to subdivision (c) of this section until that piece of equipment or vehicle is removed from Project.

 

(c)        In the event of a violation of any provision of this section, except as provided in subdivision (d) of this section, liquidated damages shall be assessed against the Prime Contractor in the amount of $5,000 for each violation (with each piece of noncomplying equipment and each day of noncompliance being a separate violation, not to exceed a total of $50,000 for any one piece of equipment).  Said liquidated damages are not imposed as a penalty but as an estimate of the damages that the County will sustain from delay in completion of the work, as well as resultant damages to public health of its citizens, which damages by their nature are not capable of precise proof.  The County may withhold and deduct from monies otherwise due the Prime Contractor the amount of liquidated damages due the County.

 

(d)        No Prime Contractor or Subcontractor shall make a false statement or claim with respect to any matter material to compliance with the provisions of this section to the County.  Any Prime Contractor or Subcontractor making such a false statement shall pay the County up to $10,000 for each such statement as liquidated damages pursuant to the provisions of subdivision (c) of this section.

(e)        Fees and liquidated damages paid to the County under this section shall be placed in the Cook County Environmental Management Fund.

 

 

Sec. 30-956.  Regulations. 

 

Within six months of the effective date of this act, the Department shall, after written notice and public hearing, promulgate regulations implementing the provisions of this act.

 

 

Effective date: This ordinance shall take effect upon adoption.


Commissioner Silvestri moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Moreno.  The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned.

 

 

YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING ACTION

WITH REGARD TO THE MATTER NAMED HEREIN:

 

Communication Number 299984                     Substitute Ordinance Approved

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Committee on Construction

 

 

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Joan Patricia Murphy, Chairman

 

 

Attest:

 

 

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Matthew B. DeLeon, Secretary

 

 

The transcript for this meeting is available in the Office of the Secretary to the Board, 118 North Clark Street, Room 567, Chicago, IL  60602.