Notice of Public Workshop and CEQA Scoping Meeting
Proposed Amended Rule 1111 – Reduction of NOx Emissions From Natural-Gas-Fired, Fan-Type Central Furnaces

Purpose of this Meeting

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) has scheduled a public workshop regarding PAR 1111 – Reduction of NOx Emissions From Natural-Gas-Fired, Fan-Type Central Furnaces.

Rule Background

PAR 1111 is designed to reduce NOx emissions from fan-type natural gas-fired central furnaces.  Natural gas fired fan-type central furnaces are used in residential and commercial buildings to provide comfort heating.  Rule 1111 applies to manufacturers, distributors, sales outlets and installers of residential and commercial furnaces with a heat input rate less than 175,000 British thermal units per hour (Btu/hr) or, for combination heating and cooling units, a cooling rate of less than 65,000 Btu/hr.  With the exception of mobile home furnaces, which are currently exempt, the NOx limit is currently 40 nanograms per Joule of heat output.

PAR 1111 is intended to implement Control Measure CMB-03 of the AQMD 2007 Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP).  Control Measure CMB-03 calls for NOx emission reductions of 50 to 75 percent by requiring furnaces to meet a NOx emission limit of between 10 to 20 ng/J of heat output (15 to 30 ppm at 3% oxygen). 

Proposed Rule Amendments and Objectives

The proposed emission limit is 14 ng/J (20 ppm at 3% oxygen) and will be phased in over more than five years. Specifically, the three main categories of furnaces, condensing, non-condensing and weatherized, will have to meet the 14 ng/J limit by 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively.  New furnaces installed in mobile homes will have to meet emission limits of 40 ng/J by 2012 and 14 ng/J by 2018. 

In addition, PAR 1111 provides manufacturers with an alternative compliance option.  For any category of furnace, a manufacturer may request a delayed compliance date of up to three years provided the manufacturer submits a plan and pays an emission mitigation fee.  PAR 1111 also updates references to test methods, makes labeling and certification requirements more specific, and allows a sell through period of 300 days for units manufactured before a compliance date.  

PAR 1111 is estimated to reduce annual average emissions of NOx by 2.6 tons per day by 2023.

California Environmental Quality Act

Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and AQMD Rule 110, the appropriate CEQA documentation will be prepared to analyze any potential adverse environmental impacts associated with the proposed amendments to Rule 1111. 

Comments and suggestions regarding the CEQA Analysis for Proposed Amended Rule 1111 should be directed to:

Available Supporting Documents

The following supporting documents will be available:

• Proposed Amended Rule 1111; and
• Preliminary Draft Staff Report for Proposed Amended Rule 1111.

To Obtain Copies of the Above Documents

Copies of the proposed rule and the preliminary draft staff report will be available on or before the date of the public workshop and may be obtained from:

Submission of Documents or Comments

You are invited to attend the meeting and may also send comments, documents or other information relevant to the proposed rule and proposed amended rules listed above to:

Written comments on this rule should be submitted by September 22, 2009.