96-6-1

SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM:

The criteria and guidelines regulation was approved by the Board in April 1989, as required by the Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Act, and it has subsequently been amended to streamline the program. The guidelines specify: 1) types of facilities that must report and update their emissions; 2) emission data to submit; 3) methods for quantifying emissions; and 4) toxic substances for which emissions must be reported.

The proposed amendments would streamline the program by focusing update reporting on the facilities and substances which pose the greatest health risks, and exempting low-risk facilities from further reporting. This is a part of the second phase of a two-phased streamlining effort. The first phase was the Board's adoption in January 1996 of the Hot Spots 1995-96 Fee Regulation, which reduced many facility fees and eliminated fees for low-risk facilities.

The proposed amendments were developed with extensive input from the public, industry, health and environmental organizations, local air districts, the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association, and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

The proposed amendments would exempt over 2,000 low-risk facilities from update reporting and streamline update requirements for remaining facilities by allowing flexibility in meeting the requirements, such as integrating Hot Spots reporting with other reporting programs wherever possible.

ORAL TESTIMONY:

Jeff Sickenger                                     Western States Petroleum Association

Denise Jones/James Good                   California Mining Association

John Bobis                                          Aerojet

Bill McConaghie                                  National Paint and Coating Association

FORMAL BOARD ACTION:

Approved resolution 96-41 by a unanimous vote.

RESPONSIBLE DIVISION:  TSD

STAFF REPORT:  Yes (44 pages)

Chairman Dunlap welcomed the new members of the Research Screening Committee and stated that the proposed projects in the Planned Air Pollution Research 1996 Update were reviewed by the Research Screening Committee on May 31.

Staff introduced Dr. Harold Cota, Chairman of the Research Screening Committee. Dr. Cota asked the Research Screening Committee members to introduce themselves to the Board.

Staff described the research planning process and highlighted the new projects for fiscal year 1996-97 featured in the Planned Air Pollution Research 1996 Update. These projects are in four areas:

Motor Vehicle Emissions Controls - These new research projects include a study to determine the applicability of on-road controls to off-road diesel engines and equipment, the identification and evaluation of promising new technologies for achieving ultra-low emissions from heavy-duty diesel engines, the characterization of the heavy-duty fleet in the South Coast Air Basin, an evalation of the operational characteristics of advanced battery electric vehicles, and the development and demonstration of an automated electric vehicle charging system.

Toxic Air Contaminants - The new research project in this area will evaluate the effectiveness of room enclosures and ventilation systems in reducing risk at dry cleaning facilities that use perchloroethylene.

California Clean Air Act - New projects in this area include the identification of point source emissions controls and the determination of their efficiencies, the review and improvement of UV models used to calculate rates of photolysis in regulatory ozone models, analysis of the formation of ozone in the upper air and its effect on surface ozone, determination of the atmospheric chemistry of volatile oxygenated organic compounds, determination of the value of the horizontal diffusion coefficient of air quality models, and an improvement in the mixing depth algorithm for the meteorological model MM5.

Air Quality Standards - The new project in this area will examine the effects of particulate matter on the public health.

Staff summarized the budget allocation for the proposed research projects and discussed the generally upward trend in co-funding for ARB research projects. Staff also reported on a written submittal from the South Coast Air Quality Management District to co-fund three of the motor vehicle emissions control projects that are in the Research Plan.

The Chairman indicated his approval of the co- funding efforts described by staff, and also noted that funds for research are limited and invited the public to propose joint projects. In addition, the Chairman urged private parties who desire to do their own research to coordinate their plans with ARB.

Staff indicated that with Board approval of the Plan, the publication Air Pollution Research, a summary of research managed by the Research Division since 1989, would be incorporated into the final copy of the Plan to make a single comprehensive document.

In response to questions raised by the Board, staff elaborated on the following points:

1) That staff listen carefully to learn Board members' priorities for solving
    pollution problems. Research projects are usually designed to meet
    divisions needs, which result from Board actions and the Air Resources
    Board Strategic Plan.

2) That further health studies on particulate matter are necessary since it is likely
    that the federal government will establish a new standard for the fine portion
    of suspended particulate matter (PM 2.5) and that data will be needed on
    health effects to provide a firm scientific basis for particulate matter standards
    and regulatory approaches.

3) That it is important for staff to understand well in advance how data will be
    used after it is collected, and the need to place more emphasis on data
    analysis.

4) That partnering in research has provided a synergism and a combination of
    funds that has resulted in significant and precedent-setting air quality research
    conducted for the State.

SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEM:

Staff made a presentation to the Board on the development of the State Implementation Plan for particulate matter, which included a discussion of federal requirements and the current status of attainment plans that are due by February 1997.

The current planning efforts for particulate matter are driven by the Federal Clean Air Act. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has set standards for particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10). Nonattainment areas which exceed the federal PM10 standards are required to develop a State Implementation Plan. Plans for many areas of California have already been completed. Plans for areas which have a more difficult particulate problem ( serious nonattainment) are due by February 8, 1997. These areas are the South Coast Air Basin, the San Joaquin Valley, Owens Valley, and Coachella Valley. These plans must include an attainment demonstration and include provisions for the implementation of Best Available Control Measures.

These four plans are now under development. The South Coast plan was released on August 2, 1996. A series of public workshops will be held on the plan. The technical work for the other three plans is not yet completed, and the plans for the San Joaquin Valley, Owens, and Coachella will be released later this year or early next year. The Coachella Valley plan will include an attainment demonstration for the year 1995 and incorporate a redesignation request. The attainment strategy for the San Joaquin and Owens plans are still under development.

District workshops and hearings will be held on all of the plans. An Air Resources Board hearing on the four plans is tentatively scheduled for January 1997.

ORAL TESTIMONY:  None

FORMAL BOARD ACTION:  None

RESPONSIBLE DIVISION:  EO/OAQTP

STAFF REPORT:  No

Closed Session

A Closed Session was held under the personnel exemption of the Open Meeting Act, Government Code section 11126(a) to consider the appointment of a new Executive Officer. At the conclusion of the Board meeting, it was announced that the Board had voted unanimously to select Mike Kenny, ARB's Chief Counsel, as the new Executive Officer, effective August 16, 1996.