BOARD MEETING DATE: March 7, 2008
AGENDA NO. 38

REPORT:

Annual Report for 2007 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. Highlights for 2007 include: (1) approved 19 facility health risk assessments; (2) conducted one public notification meeting; (3) requested a detailed toxic emission inventory from 25 facilities; (4) developed a database for emergency diesel internal combustion engines; (5) mailed letters to perchloroethylene dry cleaners to ensure Rule 1421 compliance; and (6) updated AB 2588 website information.

COMMITTEE:

Stationary Source, February 15, 2008, Reviewed

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 2007 and anticipated activities during 2008. To date, AQMD staff has reviewed over 300 facility HRAs.

In 2007, twenty-four facility HRAs were reviewed. Nineteen HRAs were approved and five were rejected based on review by AQMD and the State of California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) staff.

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 adopted by the Board in January 2007. AQMD staff developed a database of facilities with emergency DICEs – only and is in the process of getting this information on the AQMD website. Letters were mailed to about 1,400 perchloroethylene dry cleaners in 2007 for the purpose of ensuring Rule 1421 compliance.

Criteria and toxic emissions for fiscal year 2005-2006 have been added to the website, which is available to the public.

Future Activities

In 2008, staff plans to:

• Implement public notification procedures for facilities with emergency DICEs – only and the industry-wide categories of gasoline stations and perchloroethylene dry cleaners;
• Develop a work plan for addressing emission inventory, risk assessment, and public notification procedures for the remaining industry-wide categories;
• Continue to notify facilities with prime DICEs to submit air toxics emission inventories and HRAs if needed;
• Update risk prioritization procedures and prioritize facilities with recent quadrennial updates; and
• Continue to notify facilities with high priority scores to prepare detailed air toxics emission inventories and HRAs.

The annual report will be distributed to county boards of supervisors, city councils, and local health officers and will also be available on the AQMD’s website.

Attachment (pdf 183 kb)

Annual Report on AB 2588 Air Toxics “Hot Spots” Program