2008 PM2.5 Plan

 

 

Executive Summary 
2008 PM2.5 Plan

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San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District April 30, 2008

Executive Summary 

2008 PM2.5 Plan 

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Executive Summary

In 1997, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set two PM2.5 standards: a 

24-hour standard to protect against short-term health impacts, and a 12-month (annual) 

standard to protect against longer-term impacts. The San Joaquin Valley complied with 

the 24-hour standard, based on data from 2004 through 2006. In 2006, EPA revised 

the 24-hour standard to a lower level. Additional formal rulemaking by EPA is required 

before the states can submit plans for the new 2006 PM2.5 standard. Based on 

informal discussions with EPA, it is estimated that attainment plans for this new 

standard may be required by 2012 or 2013. Consequently, this 2008 PM2.5 Plan

focuses primarily on the strategy to attain the 1997 annual standard. Nonetheless, the 

measures proposed in this plan will also provide for progress towards the more stringent 

2006 PM2.5 standards and the California standard for PM2.5. 

The 2008 PM2.5 Plan builds upon the comprehensive strategy adopted in the 2007 

Ozone Plan to bring the Valley into attainment of the 1997 National Ambient Air Quality 

Standards (NAAQS) for PM2.5 (particulate matter that is 2.5 microns or less in 

diameter). PM2.5 can be directly emitted into the atmosphere or can form in the 

atmosphere through chemical reactions among precursors. EPA has identified nitrogen 

oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) as precursors that must be addressed in air 

quality plans for the 1997 PM2.5 standards. The 2008 PM2.5 Plan is a continuation of 

the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District’s (District) strategy to 

improve the air quality in the San Joaquin Valley. 

Progress from Ozone and PM10 Attainment Plans 

The District’s adopted ozone and PM10 plans are already providing benefits for PM2.5 

levels. Under the control strategy put forth in the 2003 PM10 Plan and amendments, 

and again verified by the 2006 PM10 Plan, the Valley has reached attainment of the 

federal PM10 standards ahead of schedule. The SB656 Report, prepared and adopted 

by the District to meet state requirements in 2006 (Health and Safety Code (H&SC) 

Section 39614), confirmed that the District’s PM10 and precursor strategy is a 

benchmark for other air districts in California. In September 2007, the District adopted 

the 2007 PM10 Maintenance Plan and Request for Redesignation as required for EPA 

to officially redesignate the San Joaquin Valley to attainment of the PM10 standards. 

As a public health agency, the District’s mission is to improve the health and quality of 

life for all Valley residents through efficient, effective, and entrepreneurial air qualitymanagement strategies. In recent years, the District has played a leadership role in 

devising and implementing effective measures for controlling emissions from stationary 

and indirect sources of air pollution. Today, the District’s air quality management 

program is one of the strongest in the state. 

PM2.5 levels have been decreasing since PM2.5 monitoring began in 1999 through the 

District’s emissions controls. The Valley’s success with PM10 gives us confidence that 
San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District April 30, 2008

Executive Summary 

2008 PM2.5 Plan 

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our control strategies will continue to be successful in the future for PM2.5. Analysis of 

PM2.5 monitoring data for 2004 to 2006 shows that the Valley complied with the 1997 

24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS of 65 μg/m3

. 

The recently-adopted 2007 Ozone Plan contains a comprehensive and exhaustive list of 

regulatory and incentive-based measures to reduce emissions of ozone precursors 

throughout the Valley in the coming years. This PM2.5 Plan analyzes these measures 

to project PM2.5 improvement. District staff also recommends new controls for further 

reductions in PM2.5 and its precursors. 

Expeditious Attainment 

The Clean Air Act requires all states to attain the 1997 PM2.5 standards as 

expeditiously as practicable beginning in 2010, but by no later than April 5, 2015. 

States must identify their attainment dates based on the rate of reductions from their 

control strategies and the severity of the PM2.5 problem. Modeling must be used to 

verify that the control strategy is as expeditious as practicable. 

The District is committed to ensuring that the Valley attains all the PM2.5 standards - 

the 1997 federal standards, the 2006 federal standards, and the state standard - as 

soon as possible. Thorough analysis of modeling results available to date and control 

measures show that the San Joaquin Valley PM2.5 nonattainment area can attain the 

annual PM2.5 NAAQS in 2014. Many Valley residents will find that their areas attain 

the PM2.5 NAAQS earlier than 2014. About 39% of the Valley's population resides in 

areas that already attain the 1997 PM2.5 standards. By 2011, 71% of the Valley's 

population will reside in areas that attain the PM2.5 standard. By 2013, 82% of the 

Valley's population will reside in areas that attain the PM2.5 standard. This is shown 

graphically in Figure ES-1. 

Figure ES-1 Percent of Valley’s Population Living in Areas that Attain 

the 1997 PM2.5 Standard * 

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Present 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

* Based on 2006 population data (Population Trends Reports, California Department of 

Finance (2005)) and attainment projections available in Table 3-2 of this plan. 
San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District April 30, 2008

Executive Summary 

2008 PM2.5 Plan 

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What does this plan do? 

This plan contains a comprehensive and exhaustive list of strict regulatory and 

incentive-based measures to reduce directly emitted PM2.5 and precursor emissions 

throughout the Valley. As the District continues to tighten regulations for sources under 

its jurisdiction, state and federal agencies need to also reduce emissions from mobile 

sources, which are beyond the District’s direct jurisdiction. 

Based on the District’s and ARB’s analysis (shown in Figure ES-2), it appears that the 

Valley can attain the 1997 PM2.5 standard. The “Baseline NOx” columns provide a 

baseline inventory (Table B-2) that includes the benefits of rules adopted by the District 

and ARB through December 2006 as well as adjustments for routine emissions 

inventory methodology reviews. The “Controlled NOx” columns then account for the 

proposed PM2.5 Plan control strategy (including District control measures and ARB 

reductions). The “NOx Target” line represents the basin-wide average NOx goal, the 

NOx emissions level at which the entire Valley will be in attainment of the annual PM2.5 

standard. 

Figure ES-2 shows that, under the District’s current analysis, the Valley can attain the 

annual PM2.5 standard in 2014. Though modeling shows that NOx is the dominant 

pollutant for reducing the San Joaquin Valley’s PM2.5 concentrations, direct PM2.5 

reductions and SO2 reductions also provide necessary and measurable benefits to 

ambient PM2.5 levels. ARB modeling (see Chapter 3) confirms the attainment outlook. 

Figure ES-2 Annual Average NOx Emissions and NOx Attainment Target 

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2005 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

tons per day of NOx

NOx Baseline

Controlled NOx

NOx Target
San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District April 30, 2008

Executive Summary 

2008 PM2.5 Plan 

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Although reductions of direct PM2.5 and SO2 are needed for attainment, reductions of 

NOx appear to be critical because of the Valley’s wintertime ambient conditions and 

atmospheric chemistry. As shown in Figure ES-3, 80% of the Valley’s NOx emissions 

are generated by mobile sources. Therefore, reducing NOx emissions to the target 

level that will provide for PM2.5 attainment requires vast reductions from mobile 

sources, particularly heavy-duty diesel trucks. 

Figure ES-3 Mobile Source Contribution to NOx Emissions 

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700

NOx

The 2008 PM2.5 Plan is designed to meet federal requirements for PM2.5 plans (see 

Chapter 2). By bringing the Valley into attainment of the PM2.5 standard as 

expeditiously as practicable, this plan will reduce the Valley’s PM2.5-related health 

impacts and health-related costs. Aligning PM2.5 and ozone efforts will ensure that 

resources are used efficiently and effectively. The progress made in this plan to bring 

the Valley into attainment of the federal 1997 PM2.5 standards will also contribute to 

progress towards the 2006 PM2.5 standards as well as 8-hour ozone standards. 

 

Stationary & Area Sources

Other Off-road, incl. Trains 

Off-road Equipment 

Farm Equipment 

Passenger Vehicles 

Heavy Duty Trucks

NOx Target 

for PM2.5 

Attainment