Title
El Dorado County Air Quality Management District (AQMD) recommending the Board, acting as the AQMD Board of Directors, adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 010-2016 approving an Ozone Emergency Episode Plan.
FUNDING: AQMD annual operating budgets. (Permit Fees and State Funds)
Body
DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
AQMD recommends the Board approve an Ozone Emergency Episode Plan and direct staff to forward the Plan to the California Air Resources Board for submittal to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to comply with the Ozone Infrastructure State Implementation Plan (SIP) requirements for California.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The requirement for emergency episode planning was included in the 1970 Federal Clean Air Act. In 1972, EPA classified western El Dorado County as being part of a Priority I Air Quality Control Region. Under Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR 51.150 and 51.151), areas that do not attain the federal National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and have 1-Hour ozone concentrations above 0.10 parts per million (ppm) are required to develop an Ozone Emergency Episode Plan (Plan). Due to recent litigation, EPA is now requiring fulfillment of this and other requirements applicable to other air Districts.
The Clean Air Act allows EPA to halt air pollutant emissions during extremely high ozone episodes to protect the public health. This authority is vested in the California Air Resources Board (ARB) and local air districts via Section 42400 of the CA Health and Safety Code (H&SC). H&SC §41700 states sources are prohibited from emitting any pollutants that could cause public injury, detriment, nuisance or annoyance, or that endanger the public’s comfort, repose, health or safety. H&SC §42450, et seq., gives districts authority to abate emissions from sources violating H&SC §41700 or any other applicable order, rule or regulation.
Western El Dorado County has been designated as severe nonattainment for 1997 and ...
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