Chapter 3 - Air Toxics Emission Inventories

California Health and Safety Code — §§ 44340-44346

Sections (11)

Added by Stats. 1987, Ch. 1252, Sec. 1. Section operative July 1, 1988, pursuant to Section 44384.

(a)The operator of each facility subject to this part shall prepare and submit to the district a proposed comprehensive emissions inventory plan in accordance with the criteria and guidelines adopted by the state board pursuant to Section 44342.

(b)The proposed plan shall be submitted to the district on or before August 1, 1989, except that, for any facility to which subdivision (b) of Section 44322 applies, the proposed plan shall be submited to the district on or before August 1, 1990. The district shall approve, modify, and approve as modified, or return for revision and resubmission, the plan within 120 days of receipt.

(c)The district shall not approve a plan unless all of the following conditions are met:

(1)The plan meets the requirements established by the state board pursuant to Section 44342.

(2)The plan is designed to produce, from the list compiled and maintained pursuant to Section 44321, a comprehensive characterization of the full range of hazardous materials that are released, or that may be released, to the surrounding air from the facility. Air release data shall be collected at, or calculated for, the primary locations of actual and potential release for each hazardous material. Data shall be collected or calculated for all continuous, intermittent, and predictable air releases.

(3)The measurement technologies and estimation methods proposed provide state-of-the-art effectiveness and are sufficient to produce a true representation of the types and quantities of air releases from the facility.

(4)Source testing or other measurement techniques are employed wherever necessary to verify emission estimates, as determined by the state board and to the extent technologically feasible. All testing devices shall be appropriately located, as determined by the state board.

(5)Data are collected or calculated for the relevant exposure rate or rates of each hazardous material according to its characteristic toxicity and for the emission rate necessary to ensure a characterization of risk associated with exposure to releases of the hazardous material that meets the requirements of Section 44361. The source of all emissions shall be displayed or described.

§ 44341

Added by Stats. 1987, Ch. 1252, Sec. 1. Section operative July 1, 1988, pursuant to Section 44384.

Within 180 days after approval of a plan by the district, the operator shall implement the plan and prepare and submit a report to the district in accordance with the plan. The district shall transmit all monitoring data contained in the approved report to the state board.

§ 44342

Added by Stats. 1987, Ch. 1252, Sec. 1. Section operative July 1, 1988, pursuant to Section 44384.

The state board shall, on or before May 1, 1989, in consultation with the districts, develop criteria and guidelines for site-specific air toxics emissions inventory plans which shall be designed to comply with the conditions specified in Section 44340 and which shall include at least all of the following:

(a)For each class of facility, a designation of the hazardous materials for which emissions are to be quantified and an identification of the likely source types within that class of facility. The hazardous materials for quantification shall be chosen from among, and may include all or part of, the list specified in Section 44321.

(b)Requirements for a facility diagram identifying each actual or potential discrete emission point and the general locations where fugitive emissions may occur. The facility diagram shall include any nonpermitted and nonprocess sources of emissions and shall provide the necessary data to identify emission characteristics. An existing facility diagram which meets the requirements of this section may be submitted.

(c)Requirements for source testing and measurement. The guidelines may specify appropriate uses of estimation techniques including, but not limited to, emissions factors, modeling, mass balance analysis, and projections, except that source testing shall be required wherever necessary to verify emission estimates to the extent technologically feasible. The guidelines shall specify conditions and locations where source testing, fence-line monitoring, or other measurement techniques are to be required and the frequency of that testing and measurement.

(d)Appropriate testing methods, equipment, and procedures, including quality assurance criteria.

(e)Specifications for acceptable emissions factors, including, but not limited to, those which are acceptable for substantially similar facilities or equipment, and specification of procedures for other estimation techniques and for the appropriate use of available data.

(f)Specification of the reporting period required for each hazardous material for which emissions will be inventoried.

(g)Specifications for the collection of useful data to identify toxic air contaminants pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 39660) of Chapter 3.5 of Part 2.

(h)Standardized format for preparation of reports and presentation of data.

(i)A program to coordinate and eliminate any possible overlap between the requirements of this chapter and the requirements of Section 313 of the Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act of 1986 ( Public Law 99-499).

The state board shall design the guidelines and criteria to ensure that, in collecting data to be used for emissions inventories, actual measurement is utilized whenever necessary to verify the accuracy of emission estimates, to the extent technologically feasible.

§ 44343

Added by Stats. 1987, Ch. 1252, Sec. 1. Section operative July 1, 1988, pursuant to Section 44384. Note: See this section as modified on July 1, 1991, in Governor's Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1991.

The district shall review the reports submitted pursuant to Section 44341 and shall, within 90 days, review each report, obtain corrections and clarifications of the data, and notify the State Department of Health Services, the Department of Industrial Relations, and the city or county health department of its findings and determinations as a result of its review of the report.

§ 44344

Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 1041, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1994.

Except as provided in Section 44391, emissions inventories developed pursuant to this chapter shall be updated every four years, in accordance with the procedures established by the state board. Those updates shall take into consideration improvements in measurement techniques and advancing knowledge concerning the types and toxicity of hazardous material released or potentially released.

§ 44344.4

Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 602, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1997.

(a)Except as provided in subdivision (d) and in Section 44344.7, a facility shall be exempt from further compliance with this part if the facility’s prioritization scores for cancer and noncancer health effects are both equal to or less than one, based on the results of the most recent emissions inventory or emissions inventory update. An exempt facility shall no longer be required to pay any fee or submit any report to the district or the state board pursuant to this part.

(b)Except for facilities that are exempt from this part pursuant to subdivision (a), a facility for which the prioritization scores for cancer and noncancer health effects are both equal to or less than 10, based on the results of the most recent emissions inventory or emissions inventory update, shall not be required to pay any fee or submit any report to the district or the state board pursuant to this part, except for the quadrennial emissions inventory update required pursuant to Section 44344. A district may, by regulation, establish a fee to be paid by a facility operator in connection with the operator’s submission to the district of a quadrennial emissions inventory update pursuant to this subdivision. The fee shall not be greater than one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125). A district may increase the fee above that amount upon the adoption of written findings that the costs of processing the emission inventory update exceed one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125). However, the district shall not adopt a fee greater than that supported by the written findings.

(c)For the purposes of this part, “prioritization score” means a facility’s numerical score for cancer health effects or noncancer health effects, as determined by the district pursuant to Section 44360 in a manner consistent with facility prioritization guidelines prepared by the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association and approved by the state board.

(d)Notwithstanding subdivision (a) and Section 44344.7, if a district has good cause to believe that a facility may pose a potential threat to public health and that the facility therefore does not qualify for an exemption claimed by the facility pursuant to subdivision (a), the district may require the facility to document the facility’s emissions and health impacts, or the changes in emissions expected to occur as a result of a particular physical change, a change in activities or operations at the facility, or a change in other factors. The district may deny the exemption if the documentation does not support the claim for the exemption.

§ 44344.5

Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 602, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 1997.

(a)The operator of any new facility that previously has not been subject to this part shall prepare and submit an emissions inventory plan and report.

(b)Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a new facility shall not be required to submit an emissions inventory plan and report if all of the following conditions are met:

(1)The facility is subject to a district permit program established pursuant to Section 42300.

(2)The district conducts an assessment of the potential emissions or their associated risks, whichever the district determines to be appropriate, attributable to the new facility and finds that the emissions will not result in a significant risk. A risk assessment conducted pursuant to this paragraph shall comply with paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 44360.

(3)The district issues a permit authorizing construction or operation of the new facility.

§ 44344.6

Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 602, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 1997.

A district shall redetermine a facility’s prioritization score, or evaluate the prioritization score as calculated and submitted by the facility, within 90 days from the date of receipt of a quadrennial emissions inventory update pursuant to Section 44344 or subdivision (b) of Section 44344.4, within 90 days from the date of receipt of an emissions inventory update submitted pursuant to Section 44344.7, or within 90 days from the date of receiving notice that a facility has completed the implementation of a plan prepared pursuant to Section 44392.

§ 44344.7

Amended by Stats. 1996, Ch. 602, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 1997.

(a)A facility exempted from this part pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 44344.4 shall, upon receipt of a notice from the district, again be subject to this part and the operator shall submit an emissions inventory update for those sources and substances for which a physical change in the facility or a change in activities or operations has occurred, as follows:

(1)The facility emits a substance newly listed pursuant to Section 44321.

(2)A sensitive receptor has been established or constructed within 500 meters of the facility after the facility became exempt.

(3)The facility emits a substance for which the potency factor has increased.

(b)The operator of a facility exempted from this part pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 44344.4 shall submit an emissions inventory update for those sources and substances for which a particular physical change in the facility or a change in activities or operations occurs if, as a result of the particular change, either of the following has occurred:

(1)The facility has begun emitting a listed substance not included in the previous emissions inventory.

(2)The facility has increased its emissions of a listed substance to a level greater than the level previously reported for that substance, and the increase in emissions exceeds 100 percent of the previously reported level.

(c)Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a physical change or change in activities or operations at a facility shall not cause the facility to again be subject to this part if all of the following conditions are met:

(1)The physical change or change in activities or operations is subject to a district permit program established pursuant to Section 42300.

(2)The district conducts an assessment of the potential changes in emissions or their associated risks, whichever the district determines to be appropriate, attributable to the physical change or change in activities or operations and finds that the changes in emissions will not result in a significant risk. A risk assessment conducted pursuant to this paragraph shall comply with paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 44360.

(3)The district issues a permit for the physical change or change in activities or operations.

§ 44345

Added by Stats. 1987, Ch. 1252, Sec. 1. Section operative July 1, 1988, pursuant to Section 44384.

(a)On or before July 1, 1989, the state board shall develop a program to compile and make available to other state and local public agencies and the public all data collected pursuant to this chapter.

(b)In addition, the state board, on or before March 1, 1990, shall compile, by district, emissions inventory data for mobile sources and area sources not subject to district permit requirements, and data on natural source emissions, and shall incorporate these data into data compiled and released pursuant to this chapter.

§ 44346

Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 615, Sec. 262. (AB 474) Effective January 1, 2022. Operative January 1, 2023, pursuant to Sec. 463 of Stats. 2021, Ch. 615.

(a)If an operator believes that any information required in the facility diagram specified pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 44342 involves the release of a trade secret, the operator shall nevertheless make the disclosure to the district, and shall notify the district in writing of that belief in the report.

(b)Subject to this section, the district shall protect from disclosure any trade secret designated as a trade secret by the operator, if that trade secret is not a public record.

(c)Upon receipt of a request for the release of information to the public that includes information

that the operator has notified the district is a trade secret and that is not a public record, the following procedure applies:

(1)The district shall notify the operator of the request in writing by certified mail, return receipt requested.

(2)The district shall release the information to the public, but not earlier than 30 days after the date of mailing the notice of the request for information, unless, prior to the expiration of the 30-day period, the operator obtains an action in an appropriate court for a declaratory judgment that the information is subject to protection under this section or for a preliminary injunction prohibiting disclosure of the information to the public and promptly notifies the district of that action.

(d)This section does not permit an operator to refuse to disclose the information required pursuant to this part to the district.

(e)Any information determined by a court to be a trade secret, and not a public record pursuant to this section, shall not be disclosed to anyone except an officer or employee of the district, the state, or the United States, in connection with the official duties of that officer or employee under any law for the protection of health, or to contractors with the district or the state and its employees if, in the opinion of the district or the state, disclosure is necessary and required for the satisfactory performance of a contract, for performance of work, or to protect the health and safety of the employees of the contractor.

(f)Any

officer or employee of the district or former officer or employee who, by virtue of that employment or official position, has possession of, or has access to, any trade secret subject to this section, and who, knowing that disclosure of the information to the general public is prohibited by this section, knowingly and willfully discloses the information in any manner to any person not entitled to receive it is guilty of a misdemeanor. Any contractor of the district and any employee of the contractor, who has been furnished information as authorized by this section, shall be considered an employee of the district for purposes of this section.

(g)Information certified by appropriate officials of the United States as necessary to be kept secret for national defense purposes shall be accorded the full protections against disclosure as specified by

those officials or in accordance with the laws of the United States.

(h)As used in this section, “trade secret” and “public record” have the meanings and protections given to them by Sections 7924.510 and 7924.700 of the Government Code and Section 1060 of the Evidence Code. All information collected pursuant to this chapter, except for data used to calculate emissions data required in the facility diagram, shall be considered “air pollution emission data,” for the purposes of this section.