BOARD MEETING DATE: November 3, 2006
AGENDA NO. 29
PROPOSAL:
Amend Rule 1470 - Requirements for Stationary Diesel-Fueled Internal Combustion and Other Compression Ignition Engines
SYNOPSIS:
Rule 1470 was adopted by the Board on April 2, 2004 to implement the Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM) for Stationary Compression Ignition Engines adopted by CARB. Amendments to Rule 1470 are proposed to reflect recent amendments to the state ATCM that became effective in September 2005. Proposed changes resulting from the amended ATCM include allowing up to 30 hours of operation of diesel emergency standby engines at health facilities, for purposes of maintenance and testing. New and modified definitions, date clarifications, grammatical corrections, and other corrections (e.g., numbering) are also proposed.
COMMITTEE:
Stationary Source, July 28, 2006, Reviewed
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt the attached resolution:
Certifying the CEQA Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for Proposed Amended Rule 1470 – Requirements for Stationary Diesel-Fueled Internal Combustion and Other Compression Ignition Engines; and
Amending Rule 1470 - Requirements for Stationary Diesel-Fueled Internal Combustion and Other Compression Ignition Engines.
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
Rule 1470 – Requirements for Stationary Diesel-Fueled Internal Combustion and Other Compression Ignition Engines was adopted by the Board on April 2, 2004. The rule implements the Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM) for Stationary Compression Ignition Engines that was adopted by the CARB in February 2004, becoming operative as of December 8, 2004. In September 2005, the CARB ATCM was amended to allow up to 40 hours of operation of diesel emergency standby engines at health facilities for purposes of maintenance and testing, increase allowable emission rates and hours of operation for direct-drive fire pumps, and add an exemption for testing and maintenance of emergency standby engines at boarding schools. Proposed Amended Rule 1470 incorporates some of the CARB ATCM amendments. Other changes were not included because AQMD staff concluded these were unnecessary.
Proposal
Amendments to Rule 1470 are proposed to address the September 2005 changes made to the CARB ATCM. The most significant proposed change to Rule 1470 would allow up to 30 hours per year (hr/yr) of operation of diesel emergency standby engines at health facilities for purposes of maintenance and testing, to comply with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requirements. This proposal would allow an additional 10 hr/yr of operation for those engines at health care facilities with an emission rate greater than 0.4 g/bhp-hr for maintenance and testing and would be expected to increase emissions. Proposed Amended Rule 1470 is more stringent than the CARB ATCM which was amended to allow 40 hr/yr of operation for engines with emissions greater than 0.15 g/bhp-hr. Analysis of NFPA and other testing requirements indicates that 30 hr/yr for testing and maintenance of health facility engines is sufficient.
In addition, Proposed Amended Rule 1470 would limit the testing hours of new direct-drive fire pumps to operate no more than the hours necessary to comply with NFPA requirements. New and modified definitions, date clarifications, grammatical corrections, and other corrections (e.g., numbering) are also proposed. AQMD staff has delayed adding requirements to Rule 1470 for new agricultural equipment until ongoing CARB rulemaking for agricultural engines is completed.
Amendments to ATCM Not Incorporated into Proposed Amended Rule 1470
AQMD staff did not incorporate into Proposed Amended Rule 1470 several changes adopted with the September 2005 amendments to the CARB ATCM on the basis that the amendments would make Rule 1470 unnecessarily less stringent and therefore amendment is not needed.
An amendment to the ATCM that increased allowable emissions rates for new direct-drive emergency standby fire pumps has not been added to Proposed Rule 1470. District staff has determined that new direct-drive fire pump engines meeting the existing Rule 1470 emission rates are available; therefore, amending Rule 1470 for consistency with the CARB ATCM emission limits for direct-drive fire pumps was not recommended.
The CARB ATCM was also amended to exempt boarding schools from restrictions on the testing of emergency standby engines during school hours or when school activities are taking place. Rule 1470 currently establishes that housing students on site is not in itself a school-sponsored activity. AQMD staff believes that boarding schools should not be exempt and that restricting testing during school hours or during extra curricular activities is more health protective.
Affected Facilities
Proposed amendments to Rule 1470 will primarily affect health facilities. AQMD staff estimates that there are approximately 400 health facilities with 820 diesel emergency standby engines rated at greater than 50 horsepower. Based on analysis of permit data, approximately 240 health facility engines will increase testing and maintenance hours from 20 to 30 hours per year.
Emissions Impacts
The annual 10 hour increase for testing and maintenance of emergency standby diesel engines at health facilities is expected to result in increases in PM, NOx, ROG, and CO emissions of approximately 0.9, 9.7, 1.2, and 10.3 tons per year, respectively, in the Basin. There is an incremental increase in risk due to the additional diesel PM emissions from increased operating hours at health facilities.
Public Process
During the Proposed Amended Rule (PAR) 1470 rulemaking process, staff conducted a Public Workshop/CEQA Scoping Meeting on July 6, 2006 to present the proposed amended rule. Approximately 25 people attended, with four individuals providing comments at the meeting. All comments are responded to in the PAR 1470 Final Staff Report.
AQMP and Legal Mandates
PAR 1470 is an air toxic rule that is not an AQMP requirement. Adoption of PAR 1470 will satisfy requirements, as specified in Health and Safety Code §39666 (d), to implement the CARB ATCM.
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines §15252 and AQMD Rule 110, the AQMD has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for Proposed Amended Rule (PAR) 1470. The Draft EA was released for a 45-day public review and comment period from August 15, 2006 to September 28, 2006. No comment letters were received from the public relative to the Draft EA. Impacts and the quantity of emissions associated with operations at the affected health facilities using the additional testing and maintenance hours have been shown in the Draft EA to exceed the AQMD's daily significance thresholds for air quality.
Since the release of the Draft EA, minor modifications have been made to the document. However, none of the modifications alter any conclusions reached in the Draft EA, nor provide new information of substantial importance relative to the draft document. Further, the modifications do not constitute significant new information that would require recirculation of the Draft EA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15088.5. Therefore, this document is now a Final EA.
Socioeconomic Analysis
As described previously, PAR 1470 reflects incorporation of changes resulting from amendments to the CARB ATCM. Because the proposed amendments are not expected to require any additional installations of emission control devices beyond the existing rule, the rule amendments are not expected to generate any additional expenditures.
Implementation and Resources
Existing AQMD resources will be used to implement PAR 1470 requirements.
Attachment(s) (EXE 1088.5 kb)
A. Summary of Proposal
B. Key Issues and Responses
C. Rule Development Process
D. Key Contacts List
E. Resolution
F. Rule Language
G. Final Staff Report
H. Final Environmental Assessment