The upcoming 2024 rule calendar continues to strive for new horizons with zero-emission technologies, increased air monitoring, and improved operational efficiencies so businesses continue to succeed. To achieve those goals, South Coast AQMD has planned over two dozen rule amendments and rule adoptions in the upcoming year. These rules will assist in implementing control measures from both the 2016 and 2022 Air Quality Management Plans, reduce risk or exposure in a series of toxic rules, and fulfill the goals and targets approved in the Assembly Bill (AB) 617 Community Emission Reduction Plans.

Upcoming rule activity includes:

• Indirect Source Rules - Potential new indirect source rules (ISRs) for new and existing rail operations and ports.

• New Monitoring Requirements - New flaring, fenceline, and community monitoring requirements will be considered along with measures to ensure minimization of refinery flaring with more transparency of emissions data and flaring events. The agency is also working on amendments to monitor for leaks from organic liquid storage tanks similar to recent amended Rule 1178 – Further Reductions of VOC Emissions from Storage Tanks at Petroleum Facilities.

• Enhanced Leak Detection - Increased detection of leaks using Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) technology on a frequent basis from tanks, well heads, and other components at oil and gas sites, as well as opportunities for further operation of emission control technologies at those locations will be explored.

• Best Available Retrofit Control Technologies - South Coast AQMD will continue analyzing best available retrofit control technologies, including emission equipment controls of nitric acid tanks and incinerators, as well as cleaner alternatives to diesel powered emergency engines. 

• VOC Reductions and Toxic Use Prohibition - South Coast AQMD will continue evaluating opportunities to reduce VOC emissions from the latest formulations of solvents and coatings applied to motor vehicles, architecture, and other substrates. In addition, rule amendments are seeking to phase out toxic air contaminants used in these solvents and coatings such as tBAc and pCBTF.

• Zero- and Near-Zero Emission Building Appliances - South Coast AQMD will continue to advance zero and near-zero emission building appliances for commercial large water heaters and boilers, residential and commercial space and water heating, cooking, dryers, and pool heaters.

• Further Controls on Carcinogens - South Coast AQMD will further update toxic rules including the control of hexavalent chromium from laser arc cutting, torch cutting, and welding, as well as from metal heating and metal melting operations. In addition, a new rule will address potentially high-risk facilities with gaseous toxic air contaminants that could be subject tofurther monitoring and sampling requirements. This would be a companion monitoring rule to Rule 1480, which applies to facilities with metal toxic air contaminants.

For more information, please check the “Rule and Control Measure Forecast” item listed in each month’s Governing Board agenda.