State of California
AIR RESOURCES BOARD
Employment Development Department Building
722 Capitol Mall -- Auditorium
Sacramento, CA
June 11, 1975
1:30 p.m.
AGENDA
Page
75-12-1 Approval of Minutes of May 15, 1975 Meeting.
75-12-2 Consideration of California's 24 Hour SO2 1
Ambient Air Quality Standard.
75-12-3 Consideration of the California Transportation 76
Control Plan for the State Implementation Plan.
75-12-4 Review of the Pollution Control Financing 95
Authority's Program for Financing Air Pollution
Control Facilities.
***
Employment Development Department Building
722 Capitol Mall -- Auditorium
June 12, 1975
9:00 a.m.
75-12-5 Continuation of Public Hearing - Proposed 96
Amendments to the Meteorological Criteria for
Regulating Agricultural Burning.
75-12-6 Consideration of Approval of Modifications to 107
District Agricultural Burning Implementation Plans.
75-12-7 Consideration of Basinwide Regulations for the 124
Control of Emissions from Agricultural Processing
Operations in the Sacramento Valley.
75-12-8 Air Pollution Emergency Plan
a. Report on the Development of Action Plans 154
and Abatement Strategies for Air Pollution
Emergencies.
b. Revision of Los Angeles County APCD's Rule 155
VII Regarding Emergency Episodes to Insert
0.35 and 0.50 ppm Oxidant, Hourly Average,
For Second and Third Stages Respectively.
(This action will not be taken if as expected,
The Los Angeles APCD notices its intention to
Adopt these changes prior to June 12).
75-12-9 Report on Alternatives to EPA Regulations for 156
Preventing Significant Air Quality Deterioration.
75-12-10 Progress Report on Hydrocarbon Reactivity Study. 164
75-12-11 Progress Report - Test Procedures for Evaluating 176
Vapor Recovery Systems.
Research Proposal
ITEM NO.: 75-12-2
Consideration of the California 24-Hour Ambient Air Quality
Standard for Sulfur Dioxide.
RECOMMENDATION
Based on staff and State Department of Health evaluation of the
health effect and plant damage testimony presented at the public
hearing, the staff recommends no change of the 24-hour ambient
air quality standard of 0.10 ppm.
Because of the absence of sufficient data to prepare an adequate
criteria document, the staff recommends no SO2 standard be set to
protect vegetation at this time.
SUMMARY
At the public hearing, held on April 17, 1975, some witnesses
presented testimony citing effects of SO2 on human health and
plants at levels below 0.10 ppm for 24 hours. Other witnesses
supported the adequacy of the 0.10 ppm standard.
The staff and the Air Quality Advisory Committee of the
Department of Health have reviewed the testimony presented.
Witnesses favoring a lower standard cited only the lowest
threshold effect levels for vegetation reported in the literature
and did not mention other studies reported which indicate much
higher threshold effect levels. Some plant studies have found
that combined pollutant exposures reduce plant damage effects,
and that synergistic or increased damage effects do not always
occur. The merits of some of the health effect studies cited
were questioned by the Air Quality Advisory Committee.
The adequacy of the national 0.14 ppm 24-hour standard to protect
human health and vegetation was confirmed by the National Academy
of Sciences. Of the other 49 states, 43 states have 24-hour SO2
standards equal to or less restrictive than 0.10 ppm.
A comparison of SO2 concentrations measured by the conductimetric
method (California) with those measured by the West-Gaeke method
(national) shows that in a field situation, the conductimetric
method indicates SO2 concentrations greater than those indicated
by the West-Gaeke method. This, in essence, the California air
quality standard for SO2 has an additional safety margin, for it
is linked to the conductimetric method.
ITEM NO.: 75-12-3
Consideration of California Transportation Control Plan for the
State Implementation Plan.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Suggest that CALTRANS, using the existing TCPs as input,
write a TCP which incorporates the VMT reducing measures
recommended in Section III and the supporting programs
recommended in Section IV of the following report.
2. Suggest that CALTRANS submit the revised TCP to ARB for
adoption as a revision to the SIP prior to its submittal to
the Governor.
SUMMARY
The Board considered CALTRANS' Draft Transportation Control Plan
(TCP) at the April 16, 1975 workshop at the May 15, 1975 Board
Meeting. The Board expressed concern with several aspects of the
TCP and directed the staff to evaluate each TCP measure and to
identify those measures that should be included in the TCP.
The control measures recommended for inclusion in the TCP have
been identified in the following report under the following
categories.
1. Transit Service Improvements.
2. Carpool Programs.
3. Preferential Treatment for High Occupancy Vehicles.
4. Park and Ride Facilities.
5. Bicycle Program Improvements.
Other measures recommended for inclusion in the TCP as support
measures for the above five categories are:
A. Monitoring.
B. Parking Management Programs.
C. Commuter Rail Service.
ITEM NO.: 75-12-4
Review of the Pollution Control Financing Authority's Program for
Financing Air Pollution Control Facilities.
RECOMMENDATION
Informational report. The Board may with to instruct the staff
to develop special criteria for recommendation to the Authority
for financing air pollution control equipment.
SUMMARY
This is a report on the operations of the California Pollution
Control Financing Authority. The report describes the Air
Resources Board's role in providing engineering services for
evaluating data on air pollution control projects submitted by
applicants to the Financing Authority.
ITEM NO.: 75-12-5
Continuation of Public Hearing - Proposed Amendments to the
Meteorological Criteria for Regulating Agricultural Burning.
RECOMMENDATION
The staff recommends: (1) that the modifications to the
Sacramento Valley Air Basin Implementation Plan adopted April 25,
1975 be accepted; (2) that the proposed modification in the
Meteorological Criteria for Regulating Agricultural Burning which
would restrict the tonnage of agricultural waste that could be
burned on any day not be adopted; (3) that the public hearing on
proposed amendments to the Meteorological Criteria be terminated.
BACKGROUND
At the February 20, 1975 Air Resources Board meeting the Board
adopted changes to its "Meteorological Criteria for Regulating
Agricultural Burning." The Board postponed the adoption of an
additional modification to the meteorological criteria which
would restrict the tonnage of agricultural waste burned under
certain conditions.
On April 25, 1975 the Sacramento Valley Air Basin Coordinating
Council adopted modifications to its agricultural burning
implementation plan which would restrict the tonnage of rice
straw burned.
At the May 15, 1975 Air Resources Board meeting the Board
received an informational report concerning the development of
the Coordinating Council's rice straw burning rules and heard
testimony from Sacramento Valley Air pollution control officers
that the new rice straw burning regulations would be effective.
The staff of the Air Resources Board is continuing to work with
the air pollution control districts in the San Joaquin Valley Air
Basin to make modifications to their agricultural burning
regulations.
ITEM NO.: 75-12-6
Consideration of Approval of Modifications to District
Agricultural Burning Implementation Plans.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt Resolution 75-32 thereby approving the modified plans.
SUMMARY
Modifications to district agricultural burning implementation
plans must be approved by the Board before they become effective.
The Del Norte and Humboldt County Air Pollution Control Districts
adopted modifications to their Agricultural Burning
Implementation Plans on February 24, 1975 and January 28, 1975,
respectively. The modifications add a requirement for the permit
applicant to complete an agricultural burning tally card. The
modifications also add a provision for permitting range
improvement burning by permit on no burn days during the period
between January 1 and May 31 providing that more than 50 percent
of the land has been brush tested.
The Sacramento County Air Pollution Control District adopted
modifications to its Agricultural Burning Implementation Plan on
February 5, 1975. The modifications change the drying times for
rice straw and stubble and the burning hours for agricultural
burning.
The modified plans are consistent with the Board's Agricultural
Burning Guidelines.
ITEM NO.: 75-12-7
Consideration of Basinwide Regulations for the Control of
Emissions from Agricultural Processing Operations in the
Sacramento Valley.
RECOMMENDATION
Affirm the staff's position, that the regulation adopted by the
Coordination Council is unenforceable, and inform the
Coordinating Council of this decision; inform the Coordinating
Council that the Basin Plan should retain the opacity, process-application
to agricultural processing facilities.
SUMMARY
The Sacramento Valley Air Basin Coordinating Council has recently
adopted a regulation concerning emissions from agricultural
processing in the Basin. This regulation prohibits a source from
contributing more than 35 ug/m3 of particulate matter to the
ambient air measured « mile from the source. In 1974 the Board
considered a similar regulation, proposed by the Coordinating
Council, and concluded that such regulations were not
enforceable.
The recently adopted regulation is based on ambient air quality
measurements, which cannot be used to determine the origin of
pollutants, and requires the use of diffusion calculations which
are probably invalid for particulate matter and in any case are
unreliable. Estimated contributions of a source to pollutant
concentrations at a given site downwind can vary by a factor of
20 as a result of changes in meteorological conditions.
ITEM NO.: 75-12-9
Report on Alternatives to EPA Regulations for Preventing
Significant Air Quality Deterioration.
RECOMMENDATION
The staff recommends that a research and development group be
employed to work with the staff to develop and pursue concepts
for "air conservation areas."
SUMMARY
The Board directed the staff to develop alternative programs to
achieve or maintain the cleanest air possible in certain areas of
the State. Included in this report is a discussion of possible
approaches and prerequisite steps to be taken before such
programs are established.
ITEM NO.: 75-12-10
Progress Report on Hydrocarbon Reactivity Study.
RECOMMENDATION
Informational Report.
SUMMARY
Reactivity of organic compounds is briefly reviewed. A revised
reactivity scale based on recent findings in presented.
The ARB/LAAPCD/EPA reactivity Sub-Task Force is meeting
frequently to try to find a consensus on the reactivity of
various hydrocarbons. It will be some time before the Sub-Task
Force can reach a consensus.
ITEM NO.: 75-12-11
Progress Report on Test Procedures for Evaluating Vapor Recovery
Systems.
RECOMMENDATION
This is an informational report.
SUMMARY
At the June 1974 meeting the Board asked its Technical Committee
to draft test procedures for vapor recovery systems. At the
October, 1974 meeting, the draft test procedures were adopted as
guidelines by the Board and the Board instructed the staff to
conduct tests to determine the emissions of gasoline vapor to
atmosphere during the refueling of vehicles at an uncontrolled
service station (baseline data) for use with the procedures. The
staff obtained equipment and started tests in March, 1975. The
tests are now completed and the analysis of the data is in
progress. After the analysis is completed, the staff intends to
test both a displacement and a vacuum assisted vapor recovery
system, and to revise the procedures if indicated by these tests.
If satisfactory, the test procedure will then be presented to the
Board for adoption pursuant to Section 39051(e) of the Health and
Safety Code.
ITEM NO.: 75-12-12
Report on Extending Area Coverage of Vapor Recovery Regulations.
RECOMMENDATION
A. Extend gasoline vapor recovery program to all areas of
Sacramento Valley and San Joaquin Valley Air Basins and to
those portions of the Placer and El Dorado Counties in Lake
Tahoe area and the area of Placer County that has been
designated as a part of the Sacramento metropolitan AQMA.
B. Instruct the Executive Officer to pursuant to Section 39274
and 39276 of the Health and Safety Code, request the
affected air basin coordinating councils to amend their
basin plans to require vapor recovery rules in the affected
APCDs.
C. Schedule a public hearing in September, to revise those
affected air basin plans that have not been amended by then.
SUMMARY
The staff has re-evaluated the need to extend the Board's
Suggested Vapor Recovery Rules to the portions of the Sacramento
Valley and San Joaquin Valley Air Basins, which are presently not
required by the SIP to have such rules, as well as to the Lake
Tahoe area and the Sacramento metropolitan AQMA part of Placer
County.
The results of this re-evaluation indicate that emissions from
gasoline marketing operations in these areas are significant and
should be controlled.
Included with this report are the Board's Suggested Vapor
Recovery Rules with revised compliance dates to allow time for
orderly implementation of the rules, and to insure availability
of equipment in these areas.
ATTACHMENTS: 1. Suggested Vapor Recovery Rules for
application in these areas.
2. Section 66801, Article II(a) of the
Government Code - Boundaries of Tahoe
Regional Planning Agency.
3. Sacramento Metropolitan AQMA - an excerpt
from Revision 5 of the SIP - June 13, 1974.
ITEM NO.: 75-12-13
Report from the Abrasive Blasting Committee on Standards for
Abrasive Material.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Accept the Abrasive Blasting Committee's Report, if one is
given at the Board meeting.
2. Instruct the Staff to evaluate the report, and schedule a
public hearing to consider the Committee's recommendations.
SUMMARY
In 1974, as directed by Section 39079.6 of the Health and Safety
Code the Chairman of the State Air Resources Board convened a
Committee of 11 members to recommend to the Board air pollution
standards for sandblasting operations. At a public hearing on
August 15, 1974, the Air Resources Board adopted into title 17
air pollution standards for abrasive blasting operations.
Section 92100(d) of these standards required the sandblasting
committee to prepare a final report which recommends regulations
to the Board concerning the cleanliness and hardness of abrasives
utilized in abrasive blasting operations within 180 days after
the effective date of the standards.
On December 12, 1974, the Committee requested a 90 day extension.
The extension was granted in March 14, 1975 by proceedings had in
accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Procedure
Act.