BOARD MEETING DATE: March 1, 2002
AGENDA NO. 44
Annual Report for 2001 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 over the 2001 calendar year. Highlights for the last year include review and approval of 30 health risk assessments, holding of three public notification meetings, and consolidation of criteria and toxic emission reporting. Proposed activities for 2002 include the elimination of the health risk assessment backlog , development of public notification procedures for several industry-wide categories, and continued implementation of Rule 1402.
COMMITTEE:
Not Applicable
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive and file.
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
Under the requirements of the California Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Information and Assessment Act of 1987 (AB 2588), the AQMD approves facility emission inventories, determines which facilities must prepare health risk assessments (HRAs) and ensures that HRAs are prepared according to state and AQMD guidelines; and, when needed, conducts public notification meetings or announcements. An additional requirement of the Act is for local air districts to provide an annual report of risk assessments and air toxics rulemaking.
Accomplishments
The attached report provides a summary of major program activities during the calendar year 2001 and anticipated activities during 2002. Continuing with the streamlining approach, thirty HRAs were reviewed and approved, three public notification meetings were held, three sets of newspaper notifications for the historical risk of nineteen facilities were published, eleven HRAs were prepared under the District’s Pilot Program; thus satisfying SCAQMD’s commitment in last year’s annual report to reduce HRA backlog. In addition, seven risk reduction plans, as a result of newly amended Rule 1402, were implemented; the AB2588 program was expanded to new facilities exceeding Rule 1402 threshholds; and most significantly, the emissions reporting requirements of AB2588 and the Annual Emissions Reporting systems were consolidated.
Future Activities
Over the upcoming year, the section plans to:
- Finalize the twenty-nine HRAs currently in the system;
- Continue implementation of Rule 1402;
- Develop District industrywide notification procedures for specific source categories;
- Implement the consolidation of the Annual Emissions Reporting and 2588 air toxics reporting requirements;
- Monitor and participate in the development of statewide procedures for addressing diesel emissions in the Hot Spots Program; and
- Provide risk assessment assistance for permit applications, CEQA projects, and other special studies (e.g., MATES-II).
Annual Report for 2001 on AB 2588 Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Program
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