South Coast Air Quality Management District: air quality.

Plain English Breakdown

The effectiveness of the measures in improving air quality may vary and is not specified by the official source material.

Improving Air Quality in South Coast Area

This law requires updates to air quality rules and new actions by facility owners near sensitive areas to reduce particulate matter emissions.

What This Bill Does

• Updates Rule 1157 of the South Coast Air Quality Management District to improve air quality and data collection.
• Requires facilities within 500 feet of a sensitive receptor, like schools or hospitals, to maintain fencing around their property by January 1, 2027.
• Limits open storage piles at these facilities to no more than 8 feet high if they are near sensitive receptors.
• Requires owners of facilities with past particulate emissions issues to fully enclose existing open storage piles after July 1, 2027.
• Mandates monthly inspections by the South Coast Air Quality Management District until emissions stay below limits for three months.

Who It Names or Affects

• Facility owners and operators in areas near sensitive receptors like schools or hospitals.

Terms To Know

Sensitive receptor

A place such as a residence, school, park, or hospital that is protected from particulate matter emissions.

PM10

Particulate matter with diameters of 10 micrometers or less, which can affect air quality and health.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much the updates to Rule 1157 will cost.
• It is unclear if all local agencies will receive state reimbursement for implementing these new rules.

Official Summary Text

SB 526, as amended, Menjivar.
South Coast Air Quality Management District: air quality.
Existing law provides for the creation of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (south coast district) in those portions of the Counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino included within the area of the South Coast Air Basin, as specified. Existing law provides that the south coast district is governed by a board consisting of 13 members and requires the district to adopt rules and regulations to carry out the south coast district air quality management plan that are not in conflict with state and federal laws and rules and regulations. The south coast district has adopted the Final 2021 PM10 Maintenance Plan for the South Coast Air Basin, which includes specified air quality attainment rules, including Rule 1157 (PM10 Emission Reductions from Aggregate and Related Operations) (Rule 1157). Rule 1157 establishes performance standards and specifies
operational PM10 controls for aggregate and cement operations in order to minimize particulate emissions.
This bill would require the south coast district board to update Rule 1157 to improve air quality and increase data collection. The bill would require the owner or operator of a covered facility, as defined, on or before January 1, 2027, to take specified actions, including maintaining fencing around the entire property fenceline that is a specified height and maintaining open storage piles no taller than 8 feet high, as provided, if the covered facility is within 500 feet of a sensitive receptor. The bill would define a sensitive receptor to mean a residence, school, park, or hospital, among other, similar facilities. The bill would require, on and after July 1, 2027, (1) the owner or operator of a covered facility with a demonstrated history of PM10 emissions at or above the threshold limit set by the south coast district and whose property line is within 500
feet of a sensitive receptor to fully enclose the existing open storage piles and (2) the south coast district to inspect the covered facility monthly until PM10 emissions remain below threshold limits for 3 consecutive months. By imposing additional duties on a local entity, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the south coast district.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no
reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF