BOARD MEETING DATE: June 5, 2009
AGENDA NO. 32
REPORT:
Stationary Source Committee
SYNOPSIS:
The Stationary Source Committee met Friday, May 22, 2009. Following is a summary of that meeting. The next meeting will be June 19, at 10:30 a.m., in Conference Room CC8.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive and file.
Dennis Yates, Chair
Stationary Source Committee
Attendance
The meeting began at 10:30 a.m. Present were Dennis Yates, Dr. Joseph Lyou, Jane Carney, Josie Gonzales and Dr. Burke (attended by videoteconference). Absent were Ronald Loveridge and Michael Cacciotti.
ACTION ITEM
- Tree Planting Initiative
Dr. Aaron Katzenstein, Program Supervisor, gave a briefing on staff’s proposed Program Announcement to implement one of the Chairman’s ‘Helping Hand Initiatives’ for 2009. He described the main elements of the Tree Planting Partnership, which would provide funding to cities or counties in the District for additional tree planting projects.
Dr. Katzenstein answered Committee Member questions about VOC emissions and ozone forming potential of trees. Committee Members asked that a paper written about trees and ozone formation be forwarded to them. Jane Carney asked about the funding for this project. In response, staff indicated that the February 2009 work plan identified $1.5 million from the interest earned in the Rule 1309.1 account to fund the program. The Committee discussed drought tolerant trees and native species, and approved the staff recommendation with the addition of these two conditions. Supervisor Gonzales suggested increasing awareness on Arbor Day by partnering with the cities.
Moved (Lyou) seconded (Carney), and unanimously recommended for approval.
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
- AB 2588 – Annual Report
Naveen Berry, Planning & Rules Manager, gave the presentation explaining the 2008 accomplishments and future implementation plans for core facilities and industry-wide categories. Dr. Joseph Lyou expressed concern regarding the fate of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment due to the State budget crisis, as well as the need for more cumulative risk analysis.
As per Mayor Yates request, Agenda Item 4 and Other Business were discussed out of order.
OTHER BUSINESS
Mohsen Nazemi, Deputy Executive Officer of Engineering & Compliance, addressed Committee Member Carney’s request to have a committee study session on the SOx RECLAIM Shave. Ms. Carney suggested and Mayor Yates agreed that this item be placed on the agenda for the June Stationary Source Committee meeting.
- Rule 1143 – Consumer Paint Thinners and Multi-Purpose Solvents
Naveen Berry provided a summary of activities with the Office of State Fire Marshal pertaining to the potential increase in flammability of acetone-containing paint thinners. Mayor Yates recommended that staff should monitor the flammability issue, and instead of AQMD staff, the manufacturers should work directly with the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Office of State Fire Marshal on labeling of containers.
Ms. Carney left the meeting at 11:20 a.m.
- Proposed Rule 317 – Clean Air Act Emissions Fees for Major Stationary Sources of VOC and NOx
Dr. Laki Tisopulos, Assistant Deputy Executive Officer with Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources, updated the Committee on the proposed amendments to Rule 317. As directed by the Board at its April meeting, staff has developed an alternative compliance option that closely mirrors the March 2008 U.S. EPA guidance. In determining a facility’s baseline emissions, in lieu of relying on emissions during the attainment year, this compliance option will allow facilities to look back 10 years and select the average of the two consecutive years with the highest emissions as their baseline. As required under the U.S. EPA guidance, baseline emissions calculated pursuant to this methodology will have to be adjusted downwards to account for any regulatory emission limitations that may have gone into effect subsequent to the two years selected. The compliance option also incorporates an exemption from paying fees for units that meet BACT standards by December 31, 2010. Dr. Tisopulos also provided the Committee with a brief status report on the activities by the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee Task Force. Dr. Joseph Lyou asked what would happen to the Clean Air Act fee revenues in the event U.S. EPA disapproved the rule in its entirety or portions of it. Staff clarified that U.S. EPA had the legal authority to enforce and collect additional fees for that portion of the rule that U.S. EPA identified as deficient. Several members of the public commented thanking staff for developing the alternative compliance option, urging staff to amend the rule in the event U.S. EPA found the rule deficient and also revisit the rule in the event the alternative strategies developed by the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee Task Force received U.S. EPA approval.
Committee Member Jane Carney left the meeting for Agenda Item 3 citing possible conflict of interest, as Loma Linda University and Creel Printing are sources of income for her.
WRITTEN REPORTS
All written reports were acknowledged by the Committee.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were no public comments.
Mayor Yates announced that the next Stationary Source Committee meeting will be on June 19, 2009.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:40 a.m.
Attachments (DOC, ~59k)
May 22, 2009 Committee Agenda (without its attachments)