BOARD MEETING DATE: March 2, 2007
AGENDA NO. 33

Annual Report for 2006 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.  For 2006, AQMD staff: (1) reviewed ten facility health risk assessments and approved one risk reduction plan; (2) evaluated 48 facility-wide toxic inventories and requested updated HRAs for 13 facilities; (3) developed public notification procedures for emergency diesel internal combustion engines and the industry-wide categories of gasoline stations and perchloroethylene dry cleaners; (4) established perchloroethylene usage limits for dry cleaners to meet interim risk limits under Rule 1421; and (5) added health effects content and links, and other website enhancements to the AB 2588 website.

COMMITTEE:

Stationary Source, February 23, 2007

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 (AB 2588), the AQMD staff 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 and requires risk reduction.  An additional requirement of the Act is for local air districts to provide an annual report of risk assessments and rulemaking that reduces emissions of air toxics.

Accomplishments

The attached report provides a summary of major program activities during the calendar year 2006 and anticipated activities during 2007.  To date, AQMD staff has reviewed nearly 300 facility HRAs.

In 2006, 24 new HRAs were received.  Staff completed review of ten HRAs, and OEHHA staff completed its review of three of the ten HRAs.  HRAs from Markland Manufacturing, Inc. (ID 107149) and Rhodia, Inc. (ID 114801) were approved.  A public notification meeting for Quemetco (ID 8547) was held on February 1, 2006 in which nearly 16,000 households or businesses were notified and approximately 75 people attended.  Quemetco submitted their risk reduction plan on April 11, 2006, which was subsequently approved by the AQMD staff on May 12, 2006.

Public notification procedures for facilities with emergency diesel internal combustion engines (DICEs) and the industry-wide categories of retail gasoline stations and perchloroethylene dry cleaners were developed by staff and approved by the Board on January 5, 2007.  AB 2588 staff calculated usage limits for each perchloroethylene dry cleaner in the South Coast Air Basin and this information will be conveyed to the facilities in January 2007.  Staff developed and added health effects content and links to the AB 2588 website to satisfy an Environmental Justice Initiative.  Also criteria and toxic emissions for fiscal years 2003-04 and 2004-05 have been added to the website query tool.  Criteria and toxic emission data for the period from 2000 to 2005 are currently available to the public.

Appendix B provides information on rules that were adopted or amended in 2006 which reduce emissions of toxic air contaminants.

Future Activities

In 2007, staff plans to:

• Mail Rule 1421 compliance letters to perchloroethylene dry cleaners (done);
• Implement risk assessment and public notification procedures for facilities with emergency DICEs and the industry-wide categories of perchloroethylene dry cleaners and gasoline stations;
• Develop a work plan for addressing emission inventory, risk assessment, and public notification procedures for the remaining industry-wide categories;
• Update risk prioritization procedures and prioritize recent quadrennial updates; and
• Initiate the process of requiring HRAs for facilities with prime DICEs.

The annual report will be distributed to county boards of supervisors, city councils, and local health officers and will also be available on the AB 2588 web site.

Attachment (DOC 706kb)
Annual Report on AB 2588 Air Toxics “Hot Spots” Program