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Final Draft Air Toxics Control Plan

SYNOPSIS: 

Staff is presenting a 10-year Air Toxics Control Plan, which provides a comprehensive discussion of strategies to reduce air toxic exposures in the Basin. The plan describes current air toxic levels, discusses current control programs, identifies potential additional control strategies, and projects future toxic levels. This draft plan will be a non-regulatory planning document only.

COMMITTEE: 

Stationary Source, January 28, 2000 and February 25, 2000; Mobile Source, February 25, 2000

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Approve the final draft Air Toxics Control Plan as a planning document for possible future actions.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

The AQMD has a long and successful history of reducing air toxics and criteria emissions in the South Coast Air Basin (Basin). Efforts at the local, state, and federal level contribute to the continuing reduction of pollution. AQMD has an extensive control program, including traditional and innovative rules and policies. AQMD works closely with stakeholders to develop requirements that achieve air quality objectives, while being sensitive to economic issues.

The concept for a final draft Air Toxics Control Plan is an outgrowth of the Environmental Justice principles and the Environmental Justice Initiatives adopted by the Governing Board in October 1997. Extensive air monitoring under Environmental Justice Initiative #2 (Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Study, MATES II) and work under Environmental Justice Initiative #10 (related to air toxics rules for new and existing sources) highlighted the need for a more systematic approach to reducing air toxics emissions.

Final Draft Air Toxics Control Plan

The final draft Air Toxics Control Plan is a planning document designed to examine the overall direction of the AQMD’s air toxics control program. Development and implementation of strategic initiatives will require partnerships with other agencies, the regulated community, environmental groups, and the public. The plan is not required by state or federal law, so it will not be submitted as a part of the State Implementation Plan (SIP). Nor will it be a legally binding document. On this basis, the plan is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements. A copy of the Notice of Exemption is attached to this Board letter.

Staff seeks the Governing Board's approval of the plan as a planning document for possible future action. Such action would direct staff to further proceed with identified control strategies and determine the feasibility of developing such strategies. If so directed by the Board, staff will further evaluate and refine each strategy. Strategies that are deemed viable and are within the AQMD’s jurisdiction will each be brought to the Board for further consideration through the normal public review process. Strategies that are to be implemented by other agencies will be developed in a cooperative effort and the progress will be reported back to the Board periodically.

The goal of the plan is to reduce air toxic exposures in an equitable and cost-effective manner that will promote clean, healthful air for Basin residents and businesses. As such, the plan seeks to identify measures that are technically feasible or are expected to be technically feasible and cost-effective in the next ten years.

Implementation of the strategies identified in the plan which are determined to be feasible will be primarily achieved through the adoption of new or amended rules and regulations with economic and environmental analyses included. Strategies that require new or amended rules will each be brought to the Board for consideration. Implementation may also include development of new or enhanced programs, including actions by federal, state, or local agencies other than the AQMD. Some of the strategies involve sources that can only legally or practically be regulated by state or federal agencies. One of the main functions of the plan is to outline needs for planning purposes to allow the best use of agency resources for plan implementation.

The toxics plan reviews the current air toxic levels and key toxic pollutants that contribute to the overall risk levels. The plan describes the significant reductions that have occurred over the last 10 years and projects the future air toxics levels due to existing federal, state, and local programs. The control strategies identified in the air toxics plan go beyond the current ongoing toxics reduction efforts. These strategies are either currently feasible or will be feasible over the next ten years. The plan, if fully implemented, in conjunction with existing emission reduction programs, will result in significant reductions in air toxics risks from both mobile and stationary sources.

Implementation of the AQMP, including continued implementation of existing programs at the local, state, and federal level, will result in an estimated overall toxic reduction of 28 percent by 2010 from 1998 levels. In addition to these ongoing projects, the final draft Air Toxics Control Plan introduces four "early-action", nine stationary source, and thirteen mobile source control strategies. Based on the control strategies identified in the plan, preliminary analysis indicates that the overall risk in the Basin could be reduced an additional 31 percent beyond the remaining risk level estimated with the implementation of current programs and rules.

Figure 1 illustrates the basin-wide risk reductions projected from the 1998 current year inventory with implementation of the 1997 AQMP, as amended in 1999 (which includes all local, state, and federal ongoing programs), and all potential strategies in the final draft Air Toxics Control Plan. Based on the findings of the MATES II program, the current Basin-wide risk level is approximately 1,400-in-one million. Implementation of existing programs (e.g., the AQMP) will result in a projected Basin-wide risk level of about 1,010-in-one million. It is further projected that with full implementation of the strategies identified in the final draft Air Toxics Control Plan, the Basin-wide risk level will be decreased to about 700-in-one million, with additional decreases in risk expected beyond 2010 due to vehicle fleet turnover.

Figure 1
Estimated Basin-Wide Risk Levels

Implementation of the plan would extend over a ten-year period and require the cooperative efforts of the AQMD, local governments, CARB and federal EPA. Control strategies would be prioritized through a set of criteria. An extensive outreach program would be implemented. Periodic monitoring of the plan would assess the effectiveness of the programs in reducing TACs.

Public Process

Development of the final draft Air Toxics Control Plan is part of the culmination of a two-year effort on air toxics issues. In September 1999, the Governing Board reviewed and approved the concept of the plan. At that time, staff was directed to proceed with development of a broad policy document for reducing air toxics. This direction included development of potential control concepts and programs that may go beyond current programs.

Since that time, staff has worked with the AQMP Advisory Committee and the Rules 1401/1402 Working Group for review and input. The plan overview was presented at a series of four public consultation meetings in various locations throughout the Basin in January 2000 and input was requested on numerous issues. Two follow-up meetings were held on February 14 and 28, 2000. In addition, staff held meetings with individual stakeholders.

The final draft plan is designed to complement existing AQMD efforts and programs in place at the state and federal levels. Development and implementation of strategies will require partnerships with other agencies, the regulated community, environmental groups, and the public. Staff has worked with EPA and CARB on the development of the plan and specific strategies.

Recommendation

Staff recommends that the final draft Air Toxics Control Plan be approved as a planning document for possible future actions.

Attachments

Resolution
Final Draft - An Air Toxics Control Plan for the Next Ten Years
    (Due to the size of this document, copies will be provided to Board members only.
      Copies will be available for the public at the Public Information Center.)
Notice of Exemption

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