Title
Air Quality Management District (AQMD) recommending the Board, acting as the AQMD Board of Directors:
1) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 134-2020, approving the 2015 Reasonably Available Control Technology State Implementation Plan (SIP) Update Analysis and the findings made therein; and
2) Direct staff to submit this Resolution and all necessary supporting documents to the California Air Resources Board for transmittal to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a revision to the California SIP.
FUNDING: None required.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Western El Dorado County (EDC) has been designated as "nonattainment" of the federal 2015 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). Federal Clean Air Act (CAA) Sections 182(b)(2) and 182(f) require all ozone non-attainment areas to review their rules and determine if they are compliant with the RACT standards for certain stationary sources operating in the non-attainment area. Those are the sources subject to EPA’s Control Techniques Guidelines (CTGs) and the major sources.
Major sources are those which annually emit 25 tons or more of Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) or Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Currently, there are no major sources operating in EDC. The are 41 CTG categories. For 25 of the CTG categories, there are no sources in EDC that engage in the process activities. For the remaining 16 CTG categories, there are sources engaging in the process activities, but those sources produce emissions that are below the thresholds at which the CTGs apply. Consequently, because RACT SIP Analysis finds that there are no subject sources, AQMD is not required to amend any of our rules to conform to the CTG standards.
On 2/6/07, the Board approved a RACT SIP update analysis for the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS. On 1/3/17, the Board approved a RACT SIP update analysis for the 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS.
If approved, the RACT SIP Update Analysis will be forwarded to CARB and the EPA for inclusion in the SIP. Submittal of the RACT SIP Update Analysis will not result in any new requirements for the sources currently operating in EDC.
AQMD recommends the Board approve the Resolution approving the RACT SIP Update Analysis and direct staff to submit the Resolution and supporting documents to CARB thus fulfilling a rule review requirement for areas that have been classified as non-attainment for the 2015 Federal Ozone NAAQS.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board of Directors may wholly approve or deny the Resolution.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel approved the Resolution
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
No financial impact to AQMD, the County, or sources operating in the County.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Clerk to obtain the Board Chair's signature on three (3) original Resolutions, and
2) Clerk to provide AQMD with two (2) signed copies of the Resolution to be forwarded to the California Air Resources Board.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Dave Johnston
Air Pollution Control Officer