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Rule Development
Stan Cowen, Air Quality Engineer, (805) 645-1408 Donald Price, Air Quality Engineer, (805) 645-1407
CURRENT PROJECTS:
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) classify Ventura County as a non-attainment area for both the federal and state ozone air quality standards. In addition, Ventura County does not meet state particulate matter (PM) standards.
Therefore, the District must develop and implement rules designed to reduce air pollutants being emitted from local sources. The District's rules apply to many activities including open burning, incineration, gasoline storage, painting, solvent use, dry cleaning, screen printing, asphalt paving, chrome plating, fuel burning, landfills, and others.
With pollution still threatening our skies, the economy and public health continue to be at risk. The Rule Development Section is challenged with the task of developing rules to reduce emissions while minimizing their socioeconomic impacts.
Air Pollution Control Board Meetings
May 11, 2010Rule 74.11, Natural Gas-Fired Residential Water Heaters Due to a clerical error, revision to Rule 74.11 were not adopted on January 12, 2010. The public hearing will be repeated on May 11, 2010. At that time, the Air Pollution Control Board will consider amendments to Rule 74.11. The proposed revisions limit NOx emissions from new general use natural gas-fired water heaters with a capacity of less than 75,000 BTUs/ hour to 10 nanograms per joule (ng/j), or 15 ppmv. In addition, new natural gas mobile home water heaters will be required to meet a NOx limit of 40 ng/j. The new limits will go into effect on July 1, 2010, and will apply to both residential and commercial applications. Other minor revisions are also proposed.
The new NOx limits are the same as those in SCAQMD Rule 1121; the 10 ng/j NOx limit took effect on January 1, 2006. Since that date, many complying water heaters have become available in Southern California.
Please direct any questions to Don Price at (805) 645-1407.
Downloads
January 12, 2010Architectural Coatings (Rule 74.2 – Amended) and
Definitions (Rule 2 - Amended): On January 12, 2010, The
APCD Board adopted proposed amendments to Rule 74.2
Architectural Coatings and to Rule 2, Definitions. Rule 74.2
duplicates the 2007 Suggested Control Measure (SCM) adopted
by the Air Resources Board on October 27, 2007. Adoption of
this SCM will implement Control Measure R-329 from the
Ventura County APCD 2007 Air Quality Management Plan. The
Board also adopted amendments to Rule 2, Definitions,
which adds the following to the list of exempt organic
compounds: t-butyl acetate, methyl formate, dimethyl
carbonate, and propylene carbonate.
Amended Rule 74.2 and staff report are available on the
District’s website. Also, staff has posted a Final
Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) to comply with the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Staff is
proposing to reuse the 2001 Final Environmental Impact
Report developed for the 2001 amendments to Rule 74.2 as the
FEIR, and to follow relevant provisions in the Ventura
County Administrative Supplement to state CEQA guidelines
which govern this proposal. The 45 day comment period on the
Draft EIR started on August 17, 2009 and ended on October 2,
2009. The Environmental Report Review Committee recommended
approval of the FEIR on October 14, 2009
January 12, 20102010 Rule Development Calendar: Health and Safety
Code §40923(a) requires the District to publish each January
1, a list of regulatory measures scheduled, or tentatively
scheduled, for consideration during the following year.
Except for limited exceptions, the District may only propose
consideration of regulatory measures during a year if those
measures are contained in the published list. State law does
not require that the rulemaking calendar include control
measures to comply with federal requirements, to abate
substantial endangerment to the public health, to implement
Air Toxic Control Measures published by the ARB, or to
implement contingency measures after an ARB determination of
inadequate progress. The final 2010 rule development
calendar to comply with §40923(a) of the Health and Safety
Code may be downloaded at the link below. For additional
information contact Mike
Villegas at (805) 645-1440. Downloads
September 15, 2009Paved Roads and Public Unpaved Roads (Rule 55.1- new)
and Street Sweeping Equipment (Rule 55.2 –new):
On
September 15, 2009, the Air Pollution Control Board adopted
new rules to reduce particulate matter (PM) emissions.
Ventura County fails to meet the state standard for PM air
quality, and a 2003 state law (SB 656) mandated that VCAPCD
adopt new regulations to reduce PM air pollution.
Advisory Committee Meetings
September 28, 2010Hearing Board Rules The District Advisory Committee will meet to consider
proposed revisions to seven Regulation VII Hearing Board
rules. The rules, all adopted on August 12, 1969, unless
otherwise noted, are:
No emission reductions will result from the proposed
changes, which will both facilitate administration of the
Hearing Board and align the rules more closely with
California Health and Safety Code.
DownloadsPublic Workshops
September 21, 2010Revisions to Regulate Greenhouse Gases Ventura County APCD rules regulate "criteria" air pollutants and hazardous air pollutants. Criteria pollutants include oxides of nitrogen, reactive organic compounds, particulate matter, oxides of sulfur, and carbon monoxide. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently taken steps to add greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the list of regulated pollutants. Because the thresholds of significance for GHGs are substantially higher than those for criteria and hazardous pollutants, EPA is proposing to "tailor" their regulations to include GHGs. The District has determined that certain revisions to District Rules and Regulations are required to implement EPA's tailoring requirements.
The rules proposed for revision are listed below. The proposed revisions include a number of changes. First, GHG applicability thresholds, and the appropriate two-step phase-in implementation dates, are being added to several rules. Also, GHGs are being added as regulated pollutants. Second, definitions are being added for "greenhouse gases," "CO2 equivalent," and "Subject to Regulation." Other definitions are being amended to include GHGs. A permit renewal fee for GHGs on Part 70 permits is also proposed.
Other revisions unrelated to GHGs are also proposed, including repeal of the permit exemption for safety flares.
The workshop will take place in the first floor meeting room at 10:30 a.m. on September 21, 2010, at the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District offices, 669 County Square Drive, Ventura, CA 93003.
Please direct any comments, questions, or requests for additional information to Don Price at (805) 645-1407.
Downloads
May 8, 2007Rule 15.2, District Indemnification The District is developing new Rule 15.2, District Indemnification. On various occasions, the Ventura Air Pollution Control District has been the subject of claims or litigation from third parties regarding permitting activities. In order to guard against these actions, staff proposes Rule 15.2, District Indemnification. The rule will establish that permittees agree to hold the District harmless against certain actions involving their Permit to Operate. The requirement applies to any permit issued according to Rule 10 (Permits Required), Rule 30 (Permit Renewal) and Rules 33 through 33.10 (Part 70 Permits).
The meeting will take place in the first floor meeting room at 2:00 p.m. on May 8, 2007, at the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District offices, 669 County Square Drive, Ventura, CA 93003.
Please direct any comments, questions, or requests for additional information to Don Price at (805) 645-1407.
DownloadsPublic Consultation Meetings
October 14, 2010Graphic Arts (Rule 74.19 - revised): On October 14, 2010, APCD will hold a public consultation meeting on a proposal to revise Rule 74.19. Staff is proposing to further reduce reactive organic compound (ROC) emissions from graphic arts operations. This rule development will implement an All Feasible Measures requirement pursuant to the California Clean Air Act (H&SC Section 40914).
This proposal is based on existing graphic arts regulations currently in effect in the South Coast AQMD, San Joaquin Valley APCD, Bay Area AQMD, and the Sacramento Metropolitan AQMD. This proposal includes new ROC content limits for fountain solutions at lithographic operations and cleaning solvents at all graphic operations. Existing vapor pressure requirements will be replaced with more effective ROC content limits for solvent cleaners. Complying fountain solutions and solvent cleaners are currently available from several graphic arts suppliers. Also, the existing exemption for inkjet printing operations will not change under this proposal.
The meeting notice and a proposal summary may be downloaded below. For additional information, contact Stan Cowen at (805) 645-1408. This meeting will be held at 2:00 p.m. in APCD First Floor Conference Room, 669 County Square Drive, Ventura, CA. The public is invited to attend this meeting, and there is no need to RSVP if attending. Compliance Dates
March 1, 2008Registration of Agricultural Engines (Rule 250): The California Air Resources Board (ARB) recently finalized new regulations for diesel engines used in agricultural operations. In general, these regulations apply to nearly all diesel engines used to power irrigation pumps; however, they will not apply to diesel engines used to power farm equipment such as trucks and tractors. The new regulations have both administrative requirements and emission control requirements. An ARB fact sheet is available to provide additional information and details on these new requirements.
To implement the state agricultural diesel engine regulations, the District adopted Rule 250, "Registration of Agricultural Engines" on September 11, 2007. The rule establishes a diesel engine registration program with a deadline of March 1, 2008. The registration program is not a permitting program, but requires application forms and fees similar to a permitting program. The fees are significantly less than permitting fees and are specified in Rule 48. Both rules appear on the District website noted above.
For questions on the registration program, please contact Kerby Zozula at (805) 645-1421. Grant money may be available from the District to replace older diesel engines with newer, compliant diesel engines, natural gas engines or electric motors. For information on District grant programs, please contact Chris Frank at (805) 645-1409.
September 25, 2006Wood Products Coatings (Rule 74.30). All reactive organic compound (ROC) solvents used for surface preparation and cleanup in commercial wood products manufacturing must meet a limit of 25 grams of ROC per liter of solvent. Water, acetone, and other low-ROC solvents are available for compliance with this requirement. For additional information, contact Don Price at (805) 645-1407.
Downloads
October 12, 2005Conveyorized Charbroilers, Coffee Roasters, Non-retail Deep-Frying Equipment (Rule 74.25, Rule 23): All conveyorized (chain-driven) charbroilers must have a VCAPCD Permit to Operate and must comply with the requirement for an 83 percent reduction in ROC and particulate matter emissions. In addition, all coffee roasters with a capacity over 25 pounds and non-retail deep-frying equipment must have a VCAPCD Permit to Operate. Contact Permit Desk at (805) 645-1401.
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