Proposed Amendments to the Best Available Control Technology (BACT) Guidelines
Summary
SCH Number
2024020090
Public Agency
South Coast Air Quality Management District
Document Title
Proposed Amendments to the Best Available Control Technology (BACT) Guidelines
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
2/2/2024
Document Description
Amendments to the BACT Guidelines are proposed to the following sections to maintain consistency with recent changes to South Coast AQMD rules and state requirements and to include equipment and processes which have been achieved in practice: Overview: 1) Update the actual and potential emission threshold levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) for major polluting facilities; and 2) update Footnote 7 to add a reference to Engineering Policy and Procedures.
Part B – Lowest Achievable Emission Rate (LAER) Determinations for Major Polluting Facilities: 1) Add four new listings to Section I – South Coast AQMD LAER/BACT Determinations: a) Heater, Natural Draft Operation, b) Linear Generator, Non-Emergency Electrical Generator, Natural Gas Fired, c) Sulfur Recovery (Claus) Unit, and d) Tank Truck Loading Racks; 2) Update the Fugitive Emission Sources at Petroleum Refineries in Section I – South Coast AQMD LAER/BACT Determinations; 3) add two new listings to Section II – Other LAER/BACT Determinations: a) Boiler, Natural Gas > 20 MMBtu/hr, and b) Heater, Natural Draft Operation; and 4) update the Gas Turbine-Simple Cycle, Natural Gas listing in Section II – Other LAER/BACT Determinations to reflect an achieved-in-practice case at a simple cycle power plant which was permitted in 2015 by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
Part C – Policy and Procedures for Non-Major Polluting Facilities: Update the Maximum Cost-Effectiveness Values in Table 5 for consistency with the third quarter 2023 Marshall and Swift equipment index in accordance with the BACT Guidelines policy.
Part D – BACT Determinations for Non-Major Polluting Facilities: Add one new listing for Crumb Rubber/Asphalt Oil Blending.
Finally, the following administrative changes to the BACT Guidelines are proposed: 1) Update all references to the United States Environmental Protection Agency or USEPA to refer to “U.S. EPA.”; 2) Update all references to “Engineering and Permitting” to refer to “Engineering and Compliance”; and 3) Update the footers.
Contact Information
Name
Jivar Afshar
Agency Name
South Coast AQMD
Job Title
Air Quality Specialist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino
Regions
Countywide
Other Location Info
The proposed project is located within the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (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), and the Riverside County portion of the Salton Sea Air Basin and the non-Palo Verde, Riverside County portion of the Mojave Desert Air Basin.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
15061(b)(3) and 15308
Reasons for Exemption
South Coast AQMD, as Lead Agency, has reviewed the proposed project 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 the proposed project is comprised of new information and updates that reflect current practices of LAER/BACT determinations in the BACT Guidelines and the most current achieved-in-practice equipment and/or processes, and makes administrative amendments without requiring physical modifications, 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 proposed project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) – Common Sense Exemption. The proposed project is also categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15308 – Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment, because the BACT Guidelines are designed to further protect or enhance the environment. Further, there is no substantial evidence indicating that any of the exceptions to the categorical exemption set forth in CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 – Exceptions, apply to the proposed project.
County Clerks
Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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