The 2016 AQMP seeks to achieve multiple goals in partnership with other entities promoting reductions in criteria pollutant, greenhouse gases, and toxic risk, as well as efficiencies in energy use, transportation, and goods movement. The most effective way to reduce air pollution impacts on the health of our nearly 17 million residents, including those in disproportionally impacted and environmental justice communities that are concentrated along our transportation corridors and goods movement facilities, is to reduce emissions from mobile sources, the principal contributor to our air quality challenges. For that reason, the SCAQMD worked closely engaged with the California Air Resources (CARB) and the U.S. EPA who have primary responsibility for these sources. The Plan recognized the critical importance of working with other agencies to develop new regulations, as well as secure funding and other incentives that encourage the accelerated transition of vehicles, buildings, and industrial facilities to cleaner technologies in a manner that benefits not only air quality, but also local businesses and the regional economy. These “win-win” scenarios will be key to implementation of this Plan with broad support from a wide range of stakeholders. The 2016 AQMP also includes transportation control measures developed by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) from the 2016 Regional Transportation Plan/ Sustainable Communities Strategy.
The 2016 AQMP includes the integrated strategies and measures needed to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). SCAQMD recently approved on March 3, 2017 the 2016 AQMP that demonstrates attainment of the 1-hr and 8-hr ozone NAAQS as well as the latest 24-hr and annual PM2.5 standards.
Previous AQMPs included the 2012 AQMP for the 24-hr PM2.5 standard along with early action measures to meet the 8-hr ozone standard. The 2012 AQMP and other previous Plans can be found under Plan Archive.
U.S. EPA designates areas throughout the country as attainment or nonattainment with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and establishes classifications for the nonattainment areas that dictates statutory attainment dates and requirements pursuant to the Clean Air Act. On February 3, 2017 the U.S. EPA made a finding of failure to submit SIP for the 2008 Ozone NAAQS including a nonattainment New Source Review (NSR) certification for the South Coast Air Basin and Coachella Valley. The action would not change the existing SCAQMD NSR program or requirements for affected facilities. The following Nonattainment NSR Compliance Demonstration was completed and will be considered for certification by the SCAQMD Governing Board at their June meeting.
On April 14, 2016, EPA issued a final rule on the SIP revisions (2012 AQMP & 2015 Supplement) for the 2006 PM2.5 standard in the South Coast Air Basin PM2.5 nonattainment area to disapprove the RACM/RACT and Reasonable Further Progress elements of the SIP revisions indicating that the 2010 RECLAIM program does not meet the RACM/RACT requirement for certain sources of emissions. On November 3, 2016, EPA proposed to approve the 2016 AQMP RACT SIP for the 2008 ozone standard, with the exception of major NOX sources in the South Coast, as satisfying the RACT requirements of CAA. To correct these deficiencies, the State must submit supplemental information to EPA that the NOx RECLAIM program, either as adopted in 2010 or as subsequently amended, ensures emissions reductions equivalent, in the aggregate, to the reductions anticipated from the direct application of RACT on covered sources. The following Supplemental RACM/RACT Analysis was completed to demonstrate that the NOx RECLAIM program meets RACT requirements, and will be considered for approval by the SCAQMD Governing Board at their July meeting.