CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD 

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE 2007 AIR 

QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR ATTAINING THE FEDERAL 8-HOUR OZONE 

PM2.5 STANDARDS IN THE SOUTH COAST AIR BASIN AND COACHELLA VALLEY 

The Air Resources Board (the Board or ARB) will conduct a public meeting at the time 

and place noted below to consider approval of the proposed 2007 Air Quality 

Management Plan for attaining the federal &hour ozone and PM2.5 (fine particulates) 

standards in the South Coast Air Basin, and the 8-hour ozone standard in the 

Coachella Valley nonattainment area. 

DATE: September 27,2007 

TIME: 9:00 a.m. 

PLACE: South Coast Air Quality Management District 

Auditorium 

21 865 Copley Drive 

Diamond Bar, California 91 765-41 82 

This item will be considered at an one-day meeting of the Board, which will commence 

at 9:00 a.m., Thursday, September 27, 2007. At the same meeting, the Board will also 

consider approval of the ARB's Proposed State Strategy for California's 2007 State 

lmplementation Plan. Please consult the agenda for the meeting, which will be 

available at least 10 days before September 27, 2007. 

For individuals with sensory disabilities, this document is available in Braille, large print, 

audiocassette or computer disk. Please contact ARB's Disability Coordinator at 

91 6-323-491 6 by voice or through the California Relay Services at 71 1, to place your 

request for disability services. If you are a person with limited English and would like to 

request interpreter services, please contact ARB's Bilingual Manager at 91 6-323-7053. 

BACKGROUND 

The federal Clean Air Act (the Act) establishes planning requirements for those areas 

that routinely exceed the health-based National Ambient Air Quality Standards 

(NAAQS). These nonattainment areas must develop and implement a State 

lmplementation Plan (SIP) that demonstrates how they will attain the standards by 

specified dates. Federal law holds each state responsible for implementing the 

provisions of the Act. 

In July 1997, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) promulgated a new 

8-hour NAAQS for ozone., U.S. EPA classified the South Coast Air.Basin as a 

"severe-17" nonattainment area with an attainment date of June 2021. Also in July 
1997, U.S. EPA promulgated a new standard for PM2.5. U.S. EPA subsequently 

designated the South Coast Air Basin as nonattainment for the PM2.5 standard, with an 

attainment date of April 201 0. 

As specified in Health and Safety Code section 40460 et seq., the South Coast Air 

Quality Management District (District), in coordination with the Southern California 

Association of Governments (SCAG), developed an air quality management plan for 

attaining the 8-hour ozone and PM2.5 NAAQS. The District's plan took into account the 

proposed Statewide controls developed by ARB staff and discussed in ARB'S April 26, 

2007 report entitled Air Resources Board's Proposed State Strategy for California's 

2007 State Implementation Plan (State Strategy). The District Governing Board 

adopted the 2007 Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) on June I, 2007. The AQMP 

includes strategies for reducing emissions of the precursors to ozone: nitrogen oxides 

(NOx) and reactive organic gases (ROG). The AQMP also includes strategies for 

reducing NOx, ROG, sulfur oxides (SOX), and directly emitted PM2.5, which contribute 

to ambient concentrations of PM2.5. 

The AQMP concludes it will not be possible to attain the 8-hour ozone NAAQS by 2021, 

evert with new control measures being proposed by the District and the ARB. For this 

reason, the District is requesting that U.S. EPA reclassify its nonattainment status to 

"extreme." The reclassification would provide an additional three years (until 2024) to 

achieve the 8-hour ozone NAAQS, and allow for the development of additional controls 

that go beyond today's determination of what is reasonably available. 

The AQMP also includes an 8-hour ozone attainment demonstration for Coachella 

Valley. U.S. EPA classified Coachella Valley as a "serious" nonattainment area with an 

attainment date of June 2013. The Coachella Valley, the eastern portion of Riverside 

County, generates less than five percent of the ozone precursor emissior~s generated 

by the adjacent South Coast Air Basin. The AQMP demonstrates that the Coachella 

Valley is impacted by emissions from the South Coast, and concludes that it is not 

possible for Coachella Valley to meet the new 8-hour standard by 201 3. The AQMP 

requests a reclassification to a "severe-I 5" for the Coachella Valley, and demonstrates 

that this area will attain the ozone standard by the resulting 2019 attainment deadline. 

The AQMP's PM2.5 strategy requests an extension to 2015 as allowed by the Act. 

Originally, the reductions from new local measures proposed in the AQMP, together 

with State measures identified by ARB staff in the April 26, 2007 proposed State 

Strategy, fell short of the emissions targets the District had established for directly 

emitted PM2.5 and PM2.5 precursor gasses. At a June 22, 2007 meeting, the Board 

directed ARB staff to work with the District and SCAG staffs to close the gap in needed 

emission reductions. The Board chose to delay action on the proposed State Strategy 

until it could be jointly considered with the AQMP. 

Discussions took place between ARB, SCAQMD, and SCAG staff after the 

June 22, 2007 meeting. The result was a consensus reached arnong a delegation of 

board members from the three agencies on a set of additional control measures and 

2 
reductions to be proposed for inclusion in the PM2.5 strategy. The agreement 

proposes additional reductions to be achieved by ARB, the District, the federal 

government, and local cities and counties through 2014. The District's analysis 

indicates that emission reductions to be achieved under the agreement, the AQMP, and 

the proposed State Strategy will bring the South Coast Air Basin into attainment for the 

federal PM2.5 standard by 201 5. The agreement also includes a commitment that the 

three agencies work together to secure additional funding sources, and a commitment 

and process for encouraging the development of the new technologies that will be 

needed to meet the 8-hour ozone standard in the South Coast by 2023. 

The resulting strategy includes measures that would reduce emissions from a variety of 

sources including trucks, ships, locomotives, consumer products, off-road equipment, 

passenger cars, and industrial sources and fireplaces within the District. New 

regulations would be required, as well as new sources of public and private funding 

dedicated to air pollution control. 

PROPOSED ACTION 

ARB staff has reviewed the AQMP and concluded that, together with implementation of 

the agreement and the proposed State Strategy, the federal &hour ozone standard will 

be attained in the South Coast Air Basin by 2024 and the PM2.5 standard will be 

attained by 201 5. Staff has also concluded that the &hour ozone standard will be 

attained in the Coachella Valley by 201 9. ARB staff is recommending that the Board 

approve the AQMD and, as provided in sections 39602 and 40460(d) of the Health and 

Safety Code, submit to U.S. EPA as a SIP revision those portions of the AQMD that are 

necessary to meet the requirements of the federal Clean Air Act. As a separate agenda 

item, the Board will also consider approval of the proposed State Strategy at the 

meeting. 

AVAILABILITY OF DOCLIMENTS 

ARB staff will prepare a written Staff Report, which will be available by 

September 21, 2007. This notice, the AQMP, and the Staff Report are available on the 

ARB website at: H, or from 

the Public Information Office, Air Resources Board, 1001 "I" Street, 1' Floor, Visitors 

and Environmental Services Center, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 322-2990, on 

September 20, 2007. 

SUBMITTAL OF COMMENTS 

Interested members of the public may present comments relating to this matter orally or 

in writing at the meeting, and in writing or by email before the meeting. To allow for full 

consideration of comments received, the Board strongly encourages that all comments 

be submitted to the Clerk of the Board by September 26, 2007, but the Board will 

accept written submissions physically submitted at the September 27, 2007 hearing or 
received by other means by no later than 12:00 noon, September 26,2007, and 

addressed to the following: 

Postal mail: Clerk of the Board, Air Resources Board 

1001 1 Street, Sacramento, California 9581 4 

Electronic submittal: http://www.arb.ca.qov/lispub/comm/bclist.php 

Facsimile submittal: (91 6) 322-3928 

The Board requests, but does not require, that 30 copies of any written statement be 

submitted and that all written statements be filed at least 10 days prior to the meeting 

so that ARB staff and Board Members have time to fully consider each comment. The 

board encourages members of the public to bring to the attention of staff in advance of 

the meeting any suggestions for the proposal. 

Please note that under the California Public Records Act (Government Code 

section 6250 et seq.), your written and oral comments, attachments, and associated 

contact information (e.g., your address, phone, email, etc.) become part of the public 

record and can be released to the public upon request. Additionally, this information 

may become available via Google, Yahoo, and any other search engines. 

Further inquiries regarding this matter should be directed to Ms. Sylvia Oey, Manager, 

Southern California Liaison Section. Ms. Oey can be reached by telephone at 

(916) 322-8279, or by email at soev@arb.ca.qov. 

CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD 

Is/ 

Tom Cackette 

Acting Executive Officer 

Date: September 20, 2007 

The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce 

energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see 

our Website at www.arb.ca.aov.