South Coast Air Quality Management District

Adopt the AQMD Smoke Management Program

SYNOPSIS: 

At its March 2000 meeting, the California Air Resources Board approved revisions to Title 17, Smoke Management Guidelines for Agricultural and Prescribed Burning. The revisions to Title 17 required local districts to adopt and submit to CARB smoke management programs that meet the requirements of the regulation. The SCAQMD has operated a smoke management program since its inception in 1977. Board adoption of the SCAQMD Smoke Management Program is required to comply with the provisions of Title 17.

COMMITTEE: 

Mobile Source, September 28, 2001, Recommended for Approval;
Stationary Source, September 28, 2001, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

1. Adopt the attached resolution approving AQMD's Smoke Management Program;
   
   
2. Direct the Executive Officer to submit the approved resolution and Smoke Management Program to CARB.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

At its March 14, 2000 meeting, CARB approved revisions to Title 17, Smoke Management Guidelines for Agricultural and Prescribed Burning. The revisions to Title 17 were designed to provide statewide guidance to air districts to develop and enhance programs to manage smoke from open fires. The revisions made to Title 17 also addressed changes in federal policy that endorse the use of prescribed burning as a method of forest and wildland management promulgated by the U.S. EPA in its Interim Wildland Fire Policy. To meet the goals of protecting public health from smoke impacts while providing open and prescribed burning as a viable option for agricultural and wildland vegetative management; revised Title 17 requires all air districts to adopt and submit to CARB smoke management programs that meet the requirements of the regulation.

Specifically, Title 17 Section 80140 (d)(1) requires air districts to implement the prescribed burning elements of their program by March 14, 2001, the effective date of the regulation. The AQMD complied with the prescribed burning requirements with the current Rule 444 and Rule 402, for nuisance elements of prescribed burns. Section 80140 (d)(2) requires air districts to adopt smoke management programs that meet the applicable requirements of the regulation by July 1, 2001. Section 80140(d)(3) provides air districts with a six-month extension to submit adopted smoke management programs for good cause if the additional time is needed and AQMD was granted this extension by CARB.

The AQMD has operated its existing smoke management program since 1977. On August 24, 2000, a description of the AQMD Agricultural and Wildland Smoke Management Program was submitted to CARB in response to the Proposed Regulation Order (dated March 23, 2000), Title 17, Section 80140(d)(1). That document outlined the procedures the AQMD has in place to implement the requirements of Title 17, Section 80160 "Special Requirements for Prescribed Burning and Prescribed Fires in Wildland and Wildland/Urban Interface Areas."

Staff has prepared a report that describes the existing AQMD program to manage smoke impacts from open burning entitled "Agricultural and Wildland Burning Smoke Management Program." The document (Attachment to the Adopting Resolution) provides descriptions of AQMD rules, policies and procedures that comply with the requirements of Title 17.

Proposal

Staff is recommending that the Board adopt the attached resolution regarding the existing AQMD Smoke Management Program as described in the Attachment to the Adopting Resolution titled "Agricultural and Wildland Burning Smoke Management Program." In addition, after the Board's adoption, staff would submit the adopted resolution to CARB to meet the requirements of Title 17. Lastly, staff will bring to the Board at a future date proposed amendments to Rule 444 - Open Fires to meet other requirements of Title 17 and address U.S. EPA's Limited Disapproval of Rule 444.

Resource Impacts

The Smoke Management Program is currently in practice by the AQMD. Adoption of this program will have no additional impact on AQMD's resources.

AQMP and Legal Mandates

The smoke management program is mandated by state requirements. The program description is consistent with CARB guideline specified in Title 17.

Attachments

1. Resolution with staff report on AQMD's "Agricultural and Wildland Burning Smoke Management Program"
2. AQMD Rule 444 – Open Fires
3. California Code of Regulations, Title 17 Section 80100 et seq. (Final Regulation Order)

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