Draft 2012 Lead State Implementation Plan – Los Angeles County For The South Coast Air Quality Management District

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (District) has scheduled a public workshop to discuss the Draft 2012 Lead State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the Los Angeles County portion of the South Coast Air Basin (Basin), and solicit input from the public on the draft SIP. The air quality objective of the SIP is to achieve and maintain the new federal standards for lead in Los Angeles County. After public comment, and at a public hearing scheduled for April 6, 2012, the draft SIP will be considered for adoption by the AQMD Governing Board.

Background

On October 15, 2008, EPA revised the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for lead by reducing it to 0.15 µg/m3. As a result, on December 31, 2010, the EPA designated the Southern Los Angeles County portion of the Basin, as nonattainment for the 2008 Lead NAAQS. The Draft 2012 Lead SIP for Los Angeles County is designed to meet state and federal Clean Air Act planning requirements for the nonattainment area.

This Plan focuses on lead attainment and incorporates new scientific data, emission inventories, ambient measurements, control strategies, and air quality modeling.

Key Elements

The Draft 2012 Lead SIP for Los Angeles County outlines the strategies, planning, monitoring, and pollution control activities needed to demonstrate attainment of lead NAAQS, and include information on key elements such as:

• Lead air quality and ambient measurements in LA County

• Lead emission inventory in LA County

• An overall lead control strategy

• Attainment demonstration for lead

• Clean Air Act requirements pertaining to lead.

The AQMD staff seeks your input on the Draft 2012 Lead SIP for Los Angeles County to meet the above air quality objectives.

To Obtain Copies of Documents

Copies of the Draft 2012 Lead SIP for Los Angeles County may also be obtained on February 13th from:

Mr. Philip Crabbe III
Public Information Center
SCAQMD
21865 Copley Drive
Diamond Bar, CA 91765
Phone 909-396-2039
E-mail: PICrequests@aqmd.gov

The document will also be available at the public workshop and on the District’s website located at: http://www.aqmd.gov/home/library/clean-air-plans/lead-state-implementation-plan (Feb. 13, 2012)

Submission of Documents or Comments

The public is requested to send comments, documents or other information relevant to the development of the Draft 2012 Lead SIP for Los Angeles County by March 14, 2012 to:

Ms. Victoria Moaveni, Senior Air Quality Engineer
Planning, Rule Development & Area Sources
SCAQMD
21865 Copley Drive
Diamond Bar, CA 91765
Phone 909-396-2455
E-mail: vmoaveni@aqmd.gov

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)

Pursuant to the CEQA and AQMD Rule 110, AQMD staff has prepared the accompanying Notice to Rely on a Previously Prepared CEQA Document based on a publicly available Initial Study (IS) for the Draft 2012 Lead SIP for Los Angeles County (2012 Lead SIP). The impacts from the currently proposed project are expected to be essentially the same or less than those analyzed in the previously prepared October 2010 Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for Rule 1420.1 (SCAQMD No. 100331JK, SCH No. 2010041086), which was circulated for public review and comment and subsequently certified. The SCAQMD will rely on that previously prepared October 2010 Final EA as the CEQA document for the 2012 Lead SIP pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15153, because the IS demonstrates the requirements of CEQA Guidelines section 15153(b)(1)(A-C) are met. The key issues are whether the CEQA document for Rule 1420.1 should be used for the 2012 Lead SIP and whether there are any additional, reasonable alternatives or mitigation measures that should be considered as ways of avoiding or reducing any significant impacts of the project. Comments or questions regarding the AQMD’s reliance on the October 2010 Final EA for Rule 1420.1 as the CEQA document for the 2010 Lead SIP will be accepted during the workshop or can be directed to:

Mr. James Koizumi, Air Quality Specialist
Planning, Rule Development & Area Sources
SCAQMD
21865 Copley Drive
Diamond Bar, CA 91765
Phone 909-396-3234
E-mail: jkoizumi@aqmd.gov

The Final Environmental Assessment for Proposed Rule 1420.1 as the CEQA document for the 2012 Lead State Implementation Plan for Los Angeles County will be available on February 15, 2012 on the District’s website located at: http://www.aqmd.gov/home/library/documents-support-material/lead-agency-scaqmd-projects/aqmd-projects---year-2012