conference all votes must be done by roll call and each county will receive one vote although
directors are all encouraged to participate only voting members can make a motion or second
the motion on action items for those joining us on zoom please use the hand-raising feature to
indicate that you would like to speak and as a reminder for those of us in the boardroom please
speak into the microphone so that the audience and our zoom board members can hear you thank
you chair that concludes housekeeping thank you very much next is our safety briefing by Frank
Castellone our chief safety security and compliance officer
committee members the enders reminder folks calling in remotely and folks
hearing the audience always be aware of your surroundings in the event of a fire
alarm activation we are going to follow my partner here Jerry down the stairs
we're gonna stage in Pat's horse Plaza including all audience members we'll do
it a head count try to get a accurate understanding where one is to be able to
Let our local EMS providers know.
Once we get the all clear, we'll make a determination
of when we're gonna come back in the building
or exit from that place.
The event of an earthquake, we're gonna shelter in place,
get underneath your desks, an object, sturdy object,
preferably, wait till the shaking stops
to an assessment and make a determination.
If a first aid in or a situation requiring CPR,
and nominate myself, have my partner here, Jerry,
call 911, get ahold of security desk
and inform the invitation.
The event of an active attacker,
we always use the saying run high fight again.
I wish you a happy Friday and a good weekend.
That concludes this morning's safety briefing.
Thank you, Frank.
Next is our Pledge of Allegiance
and I've asked Director Bergson to lead us.
The night for which it stands.
One mission under God indivisible
with liberty and justice for all.
Thank you, Brian.
Roll call, please.
Vice Chair Chaffee.
Second Vice Chair Bergson.
Here.
Director Tremblay.
Here.
Director Najarian.
Here.
Chair McCallum.
Here.
We do have a quorum present.
Thank you very much.
Do we have any public comment?
We have not received any written public comment
or any request to speak.
Very good, thank you.
We'll go on to our regular calendar then.
First item is approval of meeting minutes of March.
Tremblay moved.
We have a motion.
And by Trembley and I second by Chafee.
All call.
Vice Chair Chafee.
Aye.
Second by Chair Bergson.
Yes.
Director Trembley.
Yeah.
Director Najarian.
Yes.
Chair McAllen.
Yes.
That motion carried unanimously.
Thank you very much.
Onto our April legislative update,
which is a receive and file.
We'll be presented by Julie Nieto,
our management analyst in our government
and community relations department.
Julie, it's all yours.
Welcome.
Thank you.
Starting with the local section,
we held the first spy line staff meeting on March 22nd,
which included 13 cities along the San Bernardino line.
Feedback received by city staff
was overwhelmingly positive towards Metrolink.
The meeting was an opportunity for us
to share information on quiet zones,
ongoing and future capital projects,
maintenance of way and sustainability efforts.
To continue this outreach, we are in the final stages
of preparing virtual roundtables
that will share this information to get feedback
from elected officials, community members,
and businesses along the San Bernardino line.
We continue to share information with cities and counties
to promote the low income fair discount program.
We have been working with the Department of Social Services
and have dropped off flyers at public housing communities
in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.
As a result of this outreach,
discontinued ticket sales under the program
have increased and our plan is to continue this effort
with other counties in our service region.
At the state level, Metrolin continues to work
with the California Transit Association
as a member of the Transit Operations Funding Subcommittee.
The discussions within the committee on requests
of the legislature to provide critical operations funds
to transit agencies throughout California are ongoing
and will keep the board apprised of proposals
as they move forward.
On April 27th, we expect the California Resources Board
will adopt the proposed and used locomotive regulation.
This will be discussed more thoroughly in the next item,
but there is more details in your report.
In transitioning to federal matters,
on March 9th, the Biden administration
released its proposed FY24 budget,
which proposes to decrease overall USDOT funding
by $882 million from the current levels.
The budget proposes to eliminate appropriations
for raise grants, but the raise appropriation provided
by the IIAJ for 1.5 billion would not be impacted.
Metrolink submitted a raise application
for 45 million for tier four locomotives,
and the spending round of discretionary grant awards
would still be funded if the administration's budget
were adopted as currently proposed.
As you were aware, there was a train derailment
on February 3rd in eastern Ohio that caused a spill
of hazardous materials that has drawn the attention
lawmakers and the public nationwide. As a result, a number of rail safety bills
have been introduced, including a bipartisan bill in the Senate that is
likely to move quickly through Congress. The bill is introduced would require the
FRA to issue new rules for rail car and locomotive specifications, additional
wayside defect detector and hotbox detectors, and while these provisions are
intended specifically for freight rail, we are continuing to monitor the impact
of these bills to Metro Link as the bill moves forward in Congress.
And in wrap up, I'll keep this part brief since we expect the CEO will discuss this
in his update, but CEO Darren Kettle traveled to Washington, D.C. with business and transportation
leaders in Southern California as part of the L.A. Chamber of Commerce Access D.C. advocacy
trip.
CEO Kettle met with congressional members and staff of the Metro Link delegation, House
transportation and infrastructure committee members and high-ranking DOT
and FRA executive staff to highlight Metrolinx needs to prepare for the
2028 Olympic Games, pending discretionary grant applications and
congressionally directed funding requests. That concludes my report, thank
you and I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Any questions
from committee members? I have a question. Could you elaborate more on the
and use locomotive regulation.
On April 27th, we expect that California Air Resources Board
will adopt the proposed regulation
that has been a multi-year process
of working with the CARB Board.
And we previously reported that the regulation
includes an alternative compliance plan provision
that Metrolink will pursue
to meet the objectives of the regulation
without being required to set aside critical operation funds
into the spending account.
We did submit a letter of support on March 15th,
and this culminates a multi-year process
working with CARB to achieve a workable regulation
for passenger rail.
We express our appreciation to the CARB board
as well as staff that have worked with MetroLink
in preparing the in-use locomotive regulation.
And I'll also defer to Lisa here
if you have any additional specific questions
that I didn't cover.
Thank you, I just wanted to make sure
that we are in accord with what's going before CARB.
Okay, thank you.
Jaren, did you have something you wanted to say?
Mr. Chair, only in follow-up to what Julie was mentioning
about the trip to D.C. a few weeks ago.
Access D.C. is the L.A. Chamber of Commerce's annual trip.
Along with that trip, though, this time,
a group of the Games Mobility Executives,
the transportation agency leaders, including myself, Stephanie Wiggins,
Caltrans, Los Angeles DOT, met with Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg, along
with a number of modal agency senior leaders, with our requests for what we
see as our needs for LA28 and the 28 games. They were they were engaging.
They didn't get their checkbooks out, like we'd hoped, but they definitely were
engaged. They understand, they hear us, but we have plenty of work to do
advocating for our needs in the future, and of course we'll talk about that more
in greater detail at our board meeting at the end of the month. But that was it, I
just wanted to, it was a very, a lot of people in the room having the
conversation about LA28 and they were listening. Very good, they need to listen.
Any other comments, questions? If not, this is a receiving file and without
objection that's what will be the order. Next we have the sustainability
initiatives update for the third quarter presented by Lisa Colicchio, our
director of special projects and sustainability initiatives. Lisa. Good
morning chair members of the committee. Next slide please. Julie gave you just a
little bit of details about the in use locomotive regulation update but what
I'd like to highlight for you today is yes, it's been a very long two-year
journey but we are very much in support of the recent update and what I'd like
to highlight for you today is really the alternative compliance plan updates so
any real agency can pursue an alternative compliance plan as long as
their strategy on annual emission reductions is in compliance with the
regulation requirements and under this plan I'd like to reiterate there will be
no requirement to set aside funds in a spending account and you remain may
recall in the prior draft versions, this would have created an extreme financial hardship
for Metrolink, forcing us to set aside hundreds of millions of dollars through 2030. This
was the crux of the issue we were so strongly advocating for over the last two years. Alternative
plans are valid for a period of five-year increments, and the draft of our first plan
is in process, which will cover activity of January 1, 2024,
through December 31, 2028.
And CARB will be presenting this at the final hearing
in April 27 to the Cardboard.
Earth Day, well, April 22 marks the 53rd anniversary
of Earth Day, and in celebration that day,
Metrolink will offer free rides.
Our campaign theme this year is a picture
is worth 1,000 words, rides.
The campaign launched April 3rd and riders are invited to join us in a photo contest
to show how Metrolink is their ticket to explore countless destinations
within the six counties of Southern California.
Riders will submit a picture of their train journey or favorite destination.
Three lucky winners will be selected to each win monthly passes for one year.
The goal of the campaign this year is to reach new riders with a focus
on leisure and weekend travel.
and throughout the month of April,
we will feature destinations from our Explore program
so riders new and current will be inspired
to transform a regular outing into a fun rail trip
and snap a photo for the contest.
We'll focus our Explore promotions to highlight green,
family-friendly events and outdoor destinations
that are easily accessible by train.
The contest runs through the month
and will end on April 24.
Also, several colleges have invited us
to attend Earth Day events on campus,
which are really great opportunities for us with students
and showing them how we can make a positive impact
with their carbon emissions just by taking the train.
And lastly, the USC research projects.
Thankfully, through introductions from Noya Rodriguez,
we are taking advantage of an opportunity
to coordinate on a research project
with USC faculty and students
from the Jesse M. Enra Institute of Politics.
The focus is making public transit attractive
in a hybrid world.
Six students are collaborating on the project
to research how a hybrid workforce impacts
future transit ridership growth,
particularly for Gen Z riders.
A segment of the research will include
informative surveys, data from university students.
And really happy that the students are gonna present
their final results of the project
to the Metrolink board at our April 28th meeting.
That concludes my report, and I'm happy to answer any questions.
Thank you very much, Lisa.
Just a question.
The alternative compliance plan for the In-Use Locomotive Reg, when will we see that?
We are working with, through draft right now, and as soon as we finalize that and work
through CEO, I would imagine the next, you know, 60 to 90 days,
you will then be able to see that draft.
thank you very much that's going to be very important yes absolutely and that
has to be submitted to CARB for their approval yes it does and that the
deadline is six months before the regulation begins and so the deadline is
January 1 2024 and our goal obviously is to submit that well in advance yeah
thank you any other comments or questions from committee members mr.
chair go ahead mr. trembling and Michelle I apologize I don't seem to have the
the hands raised feature on my screen.
Could I just follow that up a little bit, Lisa?
Thanks for a great presentation and Mr. Chair,
thanks for your question.
I'm a little fuzzy on what the guts of the requirements are
for the ACP other than the CARB staff discerning
that we are in alignment with the strategy
and it's a five year increment.
So let me try it this way.
What are the specific components
that we have to show in our plan?
The specific components are the CARB has set forth
a schedule every year of admission reductions
that will be needed to be met, met or exceeded.
And there will be an annual reporting requirement
of our data to CARB.
Plans, alternative compliance plans
are valid for a five year increment
and every plan will be needed to be submitted to CARB
for their approval six months prior
to the beginning of that next five year start date.
And that by 2030,
passenger rail will no longer be able
to purchase new equipment that is tier four.
It must be zero emissions after 2030.
So it basically it does,
but so the plans are good for five years,
And then you have to, then they have to be redone
after that first initial five year period.
Correct, because- Is hearing that correctly?
Yes, that is accurate because CARB did not want us,
any agency to submit a 20, 30 year plan
because they thought that was too long of a timetable.
They wanted and more easily, you know,
look ahead at a five year increment per strategy.
Mr. Chair, can I ask one other question?
Sure, go ahead.
Given that we're the first railroad country
in terms of the use of our renewable fuels,
what is the standard that CARB is using
for emissions reductions?
In other words, are they taking a percentage of,
are they saying you have to reduce by X percent
in year two and Y percent in year three?
And how is that calculated?
It's all, you know what, I think what would be helpful
rather than talk, because this is very technical,
what I'd like to do is follow up and answer that question
by giving you specifics from the regulation
that will then give you those details.
I think I'd rather, if that's possible.
No, that's fair, at least I apologize, Mr. Chair,
going down the weeds, but I wonder if I might suggest
that perhaps we could have a short presentation on this
at the board meeting for the full board
so that the full board understands
what the alternative compliance plan is.
And you're thinking exactly what I was thinking.
Thank you.
OK, thank you.
Thank you, Lisa.
Yeah, sure.
I'd be happy to do that.
I think a presentation with a little more detail
for the board meeting would be appropriate,
so we get to at least understand a little bit more.
I know it's a very complicated issue.
Being on AQMD and working with CARB,
understand some of it but it's very technical and you know to really
understand it you need a little more details. Thank you. Any other comments or
questions from committee members? Seeing none this is a receive and file and
without objection that's what the board will order. Next the highlight of our
meeting as always the chief executive officers report. Thank You Mr. Chair. So
Just to repeat what we talked about it's our last at the last committee first of all
We're very pleased that starting Monday of next week. We will now be back to seven days
Regular service on the Orange County line in the inland Empire Orange County line with the San Clemente slide area
Repairs having been
For all intents and purposes completed so both Metrolink trains all the way to Oceanside as well as Pacific Surfliner trains
We'll be back to their regular schedule that we had back in September.
Again, a lot of thanks to OCTA for leading the construction work and our own operations
teams for keeping the tracks open for freight movement and allowing the contractor to continue
their operations to get the project completed.
So we're very pleased that that is happening as of Monday.
Lisa mentioned Earth Day.
So again, just a little over a week away from our Earth Day festivities, you will all be
receiving, board members will be receiving a digital toolkit later today, I believe,
to help us share the word on social media.
So there's that.
And then lastly, as I did before, I'm really pleased to introduce a new member to our executive
team here at Metrolink, Lisa Barr.
Lisa is the chief of customer experience,
our new chief of customer experience.
And helps me round out my executive team at Metrolink.
So very pleased to have Lisa on board.
That concludes my report, Mr. Chair.
Thank you very much, and welcome, Lisa.
We're glad to have you.
As Darren says, he filled out the C-suite, right?
Very good.
Next comments from board members or committee members.
Seeing none, onto my comments.
As I mentioned at the AFCOM meeting,
you'll be receiving, all board members and alternates
will be receiving an email after this meeting
from our attorney, Don Del Rio,
which will include a rating sheet
and Darren's presentation to the board
about all the great things that he's done
and achieving goals that he set.
And we would ask that you would fill out those reading sheets
and return them to Don Del Rio by April 21st.
And we would hope that all of you
would be able to attend a board meeting in person.
We will be doing a evaluation of Darren.
And at the same time, we will be talking about
impacts of Olympics, 2028 on Metrolink and also the effects of Bright Line coming into
this area and what that means in terms of Metrolink and its needs in that area.
So it'll be a good meeting and I would hope that you'd all participate, but please get
those evaluations in so that we can complete Darren's evaluation and tell him
how good he is or how bad he is next meeting. That's all I have so without any
further ado we