CEQA

CEQA was adopted in 1970 and intended to: 

• inform governmental decision-makers and the public about potential environmental effects of a project;

• identify ways to reduce adverse impacts;

• offer alternatives to the project; and

• disclose to the public why a project was approved.

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Compliance

Under federal and state law, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) is under a legal obligation to enforce air pollution regulations. These regulations are primarily meant to ensure that the surrounding (or ambient) air meets federal and state air quality standards.

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Rules

Some South Coast AQMD rules are administrative in nature, but many relate to a specific type of operation or source of pollution.  Because knowledge about air pollution is constantly growing, these rules and regulations are in a dynamic state, constantly changing.

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RECLAIM Transition

Pursuant to directives listed in control measure CMB-05 of the 2016 Final Air Quality Management Plan and in California State Assembly Bill 617, RECLAIM facilities are now subject to an expedited implementation schedule to install additional Best Available Retrofit Control Technology (BARCT).  As a result, the NOx RECLAIM program is transitioning to a command-and-control regulatory structure.  

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Residential and Commercial Building Appliances

The 2022 Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) adopted in December 2022 includes control measures for the industrial, commercial, and residential sectors that are based on accelerated deployment of the cleanest possible technologies available. For residential and commercial buildings, the South Coast AQMD will develop and propose zero NOx emission standards for space heating, water heating, cooking, and other appliances for installation in new buildings and seek replacement at the end of useful life for units in existing buildings.

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EQUATE Working Group
Emissions Quantification and Testing Evaluation

As part of the approval of Regulation III in May 2019, the South Coast AQMD Governing Board approved a resolution directing staff to convene a Working Group to assess the current source test submittal and approval process and to review default factors for emissions reporting.  Relative to source testing, in consultation with the working group, the focus will be on the development of a plan to set priorities for processing and evaluating the existing and anticipated future inventory of source tests.  The plan will establish a process and schedule to address the expected increase in source test review volume due to the restructuring of the toxic emissions fees in Regulation III, including timeframes for reducing the current inventory of source tests as well as for completion of reviews within specified periods of time.  As a part of this this effort, staff will be initiating a review of default emission factors used for emissions reporting and, in consultation with the Working Group, update these factors as appropriate.

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