The Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Information and Assessment Act of 1987 (commonly known as AB 2588) established a statewide program for the inventory of air toxics emissions from individual facilities as well as requirements for risk assessment and public notification of potential health risks. It addresses public concerns that emissions from individual facilities might cause a local concentration of air toxics “Hot Spots” or an elevated risk of adverse health effects. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) is the local implementing and enforcing agency for the AB 2588 Program for the South Coast Air Basin. The elements of AB 2588 are contained in the California Health and Safety Code (Section 44300, et al.) and the California Code of Regulations (Section 93300, et al). The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is in the process of amending the Emission Inventory Criteria Guidelines Regulation to include provisions for diesel engines in the AB 2588 Program.
California H&SC, Section 44360(a), requires the districts to prioritize facilities based on the submitted emission inventories and then place them into one of three categories: high, intermediate, and low priority. Facilities designated as high priority are required to submit Heath Risk Assessments to assess the risk to their surrounding community. Facilities ranked with intermediate priority are considered to be “District Tracking” facilities, which are then required to submit a complete toxics inventory once every four years. Facilities ranked as low priority are exempt from reporting.