Proposed Amended Rule 445 – Wood-Burning Devices
2 Documents in Project
Summary
SCH Number
2020060120
Public Agency
South Coast Air Quality Management District
Document Title
Proposed Amended Rule 445 – Wood-Burning Devices
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/5/2020
Present Land Use
NA
Document Description
To satisfy United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) contingency measure requirements in accordance with the emission reduction strategy in the South Coast AQMD’s 2016 Air Quality Management Plan Control Measure BCM-09 – Further Emission Reductions From Wood-Burning Fireplaces and Wood Stoves, amendments to Rule 445 are proposed that would: 1) automatically and incrementally lower the threshold limit for declaring a wood-burning curtailment (No-Burn day) for the entire South Coast Air Basin (Basin) for each subsequent final determination by the U.S. EPA of a failure to meet an applicable Clean Air Act milestone; and 2) reduce ambient emissions of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 microns or less (PM2.5) by expanding the criteria for Basin-wide No-Burn days. Other minor proposed amendments include additional definitions of terms used in the rule, and revisions to improve rule implementation and clarify existing requirements.
Contact Information
Name
Ryan Banuelos
Agency Name
South Coast Air Quality Management District
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Name
Agency Name
South Coast Air Quality Management District
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Location
Counties
Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino
Other Location Info
The project location is the portion within the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) jurisdiction which includes the four-county South Coast Air Basin (all of Orange County and the non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties).
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
Section 15061(b)(3); Section 15308
Reasons for Exemption
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), South Coast AQMD, as Lead Agency, has reviewed Proposed Amended Rule 445 pursuant to: 1) CEQA Guidelines Section 15002(k) – General Concepts, the three-step process for deciding which document to prepare for a project subject to CEQA; and 2) CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 – Review for Exemption, procedures for determining if a project is exempt from CEQA. Since Proposed Amended Rule 445 is comprised of administrative amendments that codify existing South Coast AQMD practice and would not cause any physical changes that would adversely affect any environmental topic area, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the proposed project may have a significant adverse effect on the environment. Therefore, the project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) – Common Sense Exemption. In addition, the proposed project is considered an action to protect or enhance the environment pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15308 – Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment. Further, there is no substantial evidence indicating that any of the exceptions to the categorical exemption apply to the proposed project pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 – Exceptions.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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