BOARD MEETING DATE: March 12, 1999 AGENDA NO. 49
REPORT:
Annual Report for 1998 on AB 2588 Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Program
SYNOPSIS:
The Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Information and Assessment Act of 1987 requires local air pollution districts to prepare an annual report. This report summarizes the program progress during the past year and anticipated activities for the upcoming year. Highlights for 1998 include inventory management and fee regulation activities, finalization of many health risk assessments, and selection of a contractor to accelerate the rate of progress.
COMMITTEE:
Stationary Source, February 19, 1999, Reviewed
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive and file.
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
Under the requirements of the California Air Toxic "Hot Spots" Information and Assessment Act of 1987 (the Act, AB 2588), the AQMD approves facility emissions inventories, determines which facilities must prepare health risk assessments and ensures that health risk assessments (HRAs) are prepared according to state and AQMD guidelines. An additional requirement of the Act is for local air districts to provide an annual report of risk assessments and of air toxics rulemaking.
Summary
The attached report provides a summary of major program activities during 1998 and anticipated activities during 1999. During 1998, a contractor was hired to assist in review of outstanding Phase I HRAs. This tripled the number of HRAs under review from about 15 to 50 and will result in a faster HRA finalization rate. For 1999, staff will be able to finalize more than half of the remaining 134 Phase I HRAs.
Major activities for 1998 included managing facility inventories, reviewing and finalizing HRAs, and billing and collecting fees to support program activities. Staff streamlined emissions reporting requirements which reduced the number of facilities in the program. A new database system is under development, which will also improve staff’s ability to track facilities, provide information to the public, and for rule development.
Thirty-four HRAs from large facilities were finalized and another 16 were near completion during this reporting period. AQMD hired a contractor with expertise in air quality modeling to expedite the review and revision of these HRAs. In addition, all of the Phase II and III facilities were prioritized with a larger number than expected having to prepare HRAs. Two facilities notified their communities about the potential health impacts that result from their emissions.
A variety of other activities required a significant amount of staff time. Staff addressed many environmental justice issues and provided support for the revision of Rule 1401 – New Source Review of Carcinogenic Air Contaminants. Efforts were initiated to develop better inventories of emissions from small sources and evaluate ways to reduce toxic emissions from these activities. Staff also conducted an AB 2588 program benefits review. In the ten years since this program has been in place, facilities have greatly reduced their emissions of toxic substances and the resulting risk to the public due to AB 2588 and other requirements.
Annual Report for 1998 on AB 2588 Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Program
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