In 1987, the California legislature adopted the Air Toxics “Hot Spots” Information and Assessment Act
. The goals of the Act are to collect emissions data of toxic air contaminants, identify facilities having localized impacts, to determine health risks, and to notify affected individuals. Exposure to toxic air contaminants may produce various adverse health impacts.
CARB provides both criteria and direction on the state level through the Emissions Inventory Criteria Guideline (EICG) for facilities to compile and submit air toxic emission data. The South Coast AQMD implements AB 2588 requirements through Rule 1402, which includes additional requirements beyond the state law, including a program to encourage facilities to voluntarily reduce risk, and to compel high risk facilities to reduce toxic emissions much more quickly than previously required.
There are seven important components to the program as follows:
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Emissions Reporting Facilities submit an air toxics inventory through the Annual Emissions Report (AER) Program.
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Prioritization From the reported toxic emissions, South Coast AQMD prioritizes facilities, using a procedure approved by the Governing Board, into three categories: high priority, intermediate priority, and low priority.
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Risk Assessments Potentially high risk facilities must prepare a health risk assessment.
List of facilities with an approved Health Risk Assessment.
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Public Notification If the risk reported in the HRA exceeds specific thresholds, then the facility is required to provide public notice to the affected community.
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Risk Reduction Facilities with health risks above the action risk levels in Rule 1402 must reduce their risks to the community.
List of facilities with an approved Voluntary Risk Reduction Plan.
List of facilities with an approved Risk Reduction Plan.
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Industry-wide Source (IWS) Smaller or “IWS” facilities are identified in California H&SC, Section 44323.
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Fees State and local costs of implementing the Act are covered through annual fees.
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Forms required by various aspects of the program are available for download.
For more information about AB 2588 program please contact AB 2588 Staff or AB 2588 Hotline at 909-396-3616.