Imperial-Mexicali Regional 

Air Quality: Approaches to 

Pollution Reduction

Brad Poiriez

Air Pollution Control Officer

ICAPCD

June 18, 2008
IMPERIAL COUNTY AND MEXICALI

 Imperial County

 172,000+ Habitants

 Seven Incorporated Cities

 Agricultural Major 

Economic Activity

 Border at South with 

Mexicali

 Mexicali

 1+ Million Habitants

 Capital of State of Baja 

California

 Agricultural, Industry, 

Commerce and Services 

are the Major Economic 

Activities.
Presentation Outline

 SIP Planning Air Quality Issues

 24-Hour PM10 SIP

 8-Hour Ozone SIP

 Grant Programs

 New Rules Development

 Imperial/Mexicali Air Quality Issues

 Imperial County and Mexicali Border 

Information
SIP Planning

 EPA sets Health based standards for Ozone and PM10 

that include a margin of safety for people in sensitive 

groups.

 8 - Hour Ozone Standard is 0.08 ppm

 24 - Hour PM10 Standard is 150 μg/m3

 Our obligation under federal law is to meet these health -

based standards and to ensure that the state air quality meets 

the NAAQS established by EPA.
Imperial County SIP

4

Clean Air

Air Quality Monitoring

Emission Inventory

Modeling/

Transport

SIP

Control

Assessment

What is the SIP?
Air Quality Planning

 Federal and State Clean Air Acts require 

planning to meet health-based air quality 

standards.

 Plans provide long-range vision and guidance 

for air quality programs.
24-HOUR PM10 SIP

 On August 11, 2004, EPA reclassified Imperial 

County from “Moderate” to “Serious” nonattainment area for 24-hour PM10 NAAQS.

 Imperial County is required to develop a PM10 

Attainment Plan that provides attainment and at 

least five percent reduction in PM10 or PM10 

precursors until attainment.

 PM10 Attainment Plan is required to be developed 

by December 9, 2008
Imperial County PM10 Attainment Plan

 Imperial County will develop a PM10 

Attainment Plan Addressing:

 Impact of PM10 Transport from Mexico

 Impact of PM10 Generated by Natural Events (High 

Winds and Wildfire)

 Impact of Local Sources
PM10 Violations

 Imperial County will develop PM10 SIP based 

on 2005-2007 PM10 data.

 Preliminary Evaluation Indicates:

 2005 (2): 1 local, 1 Transport

 2006 (4): 1 NE, 1 local, and 2 Transport

 2007 (2): 2 NE
Impact of PM10 Transport from Mexico

 Impact of PM10 transport from Mexicali will be 

demonstrated in SIP through meteorological and 

modeling evaluation.
Impact of Natural Events

 Imperial County APCD developed a Natural Events 

Action Plan (NEAP)

 The NEAP was adopted by our board of Directors on 

August 9th, 2005.

 Through the NEAP, Imperial County is documenting 

PM10 data affected by: Wildland fires and High wind.

 Documented PM10 data will be flagged on AIRS 

database.

 Flagged data will be excluded from determination of 

NAAQA compliance.
Impact of Local Sources

 Clean Air Act requires that “Serious” PM10 

Non - attainment areas shall:

 Implement Best Available Control Measure 

(BACM) for area sources which include: 

Construction activities, paved and unpaved roads, 

etc. 

 Imperial County decided to take a proactive 

position by adopting Regulation VIII, Fugitive 

Dust Rules, On November 8, 2005.
Regulation VIII Rules

 Imperial County updated Regulation VIII, Fugitive 

Dust Control Rules, require BACM for area sources.

 Regulation VIII includes:

 Rule 800, General Requirements

 Rule 801, Construction and Earthmoving Activities.

 Rule 802, Bulk Materials.

 Rule 803, Carry-Out and Track-out

 Rule 804, Open Areas

 Rule 805, Paved and Unpaved Roads

 Rule 806, Conservation Management Practices
Imperial County 8-Hour Ozone SIP

 On April 30, 2004, Imperial County was designated as a 

“Marginal” non-attainment area for Ozone under federal 

CAA.

 EPA found that the Imperial County failed to meet 

attainment by June 15, 2007 for the 8 - Hour Ozone 

NAAQS, and was reclassified as Moderate non-attainment.

 The Imperial County is required to develop an 8 – Hour 

Attainment Plan. The Federal Clean Air Act requires states to 

submit a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions for the 8 

– Hour ozone standard by December 31, 2008.

 Moderate Areas are required to attain the standard “as 

expeditiously as practicable,” but no later than 6 years after 

designation or June 15, 2010.
Ozone Standard:

 Based on a rolling three year average:

 Uses Fourth highest 8 – Hour value for each ozone season.

 An area’s design value is based on the area monitor with the 

highest 3 year design value.

 To keep attainment the three year design value must be lower 

than 0.084 ppm
8-Hour Ozone Violations

 Imperial County was determined non-attainment 

based on 2004-2006 Ozone data

 Preliminary Evaluation Indicates:

 Impact by Transport from South Coast

 Impact by Transport from Mexico

 Local Contribution
PM10 and Ozone SIPs

Committee Working Group

 ICAPCD developed a SIP Committee Working Group 

to help with:

 Community Involvement

 Comments

 Opinions

 Ideas

 In general their support!

 SIP Committee Working Group meets every last 

Wednesday of the every month.
Grant Programs

 Goods Movement Emission Reduction Program

 Carl Moyer Grant Program

 Lower-Emission School Bus Program

 Border 2012

 Unpaved Parking Lots

 Diesel Truck Retrofits Project
Goods Movement Emission Reduction 

Program

 Proposition 1B

 Program provides $3.748 Million plus in the fall for emission 

reduction projects related to goods movement. 

 Benefits diesel trucks and freights.

 Replaces old heavy trucks with new trucks.

 Retrofit – install particulate matter filters.

 Projects must achieve surplus emission reductions
Carl Moyer Grant Program

 Carl Moyer Grant Program has $400,000 in grant 

funds.

 The purpose of the Carl Moyer program is to reduce air 

pollution emissions by providing grants for the 

incremental cost of cleaner vehicles and equipment.

 Carl Moyer grant applies to: 

 Stationary Diesel Agricultural Engines 25-750 horsepower 

(uncontrolled & tier I/II engines). 

 Off-Road Agricultural Equipment (tractors). 

 Off-Road Equipment in Small/Med Fleets (certain 

conditions may apply).
Lower-Emission School Bus Program

 $2.6 Million in Grant funds are available for the 

Imperial County.

 The Program provides grant funds to purchase new 

school buses to replace older higher emitting buses in 

public schools and to 

 Retrofit in-use diesel school buses to reduce PM 

emissions.
Border 2012 - Unpaved Parking Lots

 EPA granted $60,000 for the Unpaved Parking Lots 

project.

 PM10 emissions from Unpaved Parking Lots and 

Staging Areas in Southern Imperial County.

 Goal is to identify these areas, evaluate and quantify 

emissions, inform owners to comply

 27 locations identified

 Aerial and Ground photos taken

 Physical info. collected (mailing, assessors #, what control 

measure, if any, being used)

 Data quantification surveys sent out
Border 2012-Diesel Truck Retrofits Project

 EPA granted $100,000 for the Diesel Truck Retrofit 

project.

 Diesel Truck Retrofits (drayage trucks)

 Goal was to retrofit 25 heavy duty diesel trucks operating in 

Mexicali/Imperial Valley with diesel oxidation catalysts and 

crankcase filtration systems. 

 Presentation given to CANACAR (national chamber of 

heavy duty trucking)

 Contract for purchase and installation of retrofit technology 

has been signed and approved (Ironman).

 12 Diesel Truck Retrofits have been completed.
New Rules Development

 ATCM

 Agricultural Engines Registration Program

 School Bus Idling

 Emission Reduction Credits

 Rule 310 - Operation Development Fee
Agricultural Engines Registration Program

 The purpose of the ATCM is to phase out older, 

higher-polluting diesel engines and replace them with 

cleaner-burning equipment 

 Diesel Engines 50 horsepower or greater, to comply 

with CARB’s PM control measure. Owner/Operators 

are required to register Stationary and Portable Diesel 

Agricultural Engines 
ATCM - School Bus Idling

 Airborne toxic control measure (ATCM) that limits 

school bus idling and idling at or near schools to only 

when necessary for safety or operational concerns. 

 A driver of a school bus or vehicle, transit bus, or other 

commercial motor vehicle to manually turn off the bus 

or vehicle engine upon arriving at a school and to 

restart no more than 30 seconds before departing. 

 Applies to school buses, transit buses, school pupil 

activity buses, youth buses, general public vehicles, and 

other commercial motor vehicles. 
Emission Reduction Credit

 An ERC is a credit earned by a company when it 

reduces air emissions beyond what is required by 

permits and rules. 

 Companies earn ERCs when they reduce emissions of 

ROC, NOx, PM (including PM10), CO or SOx beyond 

what is required by APCD permits and rules.

 ERCs have a market value. They can be bought and 

sold between companies. Companies can also use ERCs 

to reduce costs involved in an expansion—or just to 

protect a variety of expansion options for the future 
Operation Development Fee

 Rule 310

 Provides the Air District with a method of mitigating 

the emissions produced from the operation of 

commercial and residential development projects. 

 Progress towards achieving

 Will help the ICAPCD reach attainment as 

prescribed by the legislature by the earliest 

practicable date.
Imperial/Mexicali Air Quality Issues

 New LNG pipeline expansion (Sempra Energy’s Energia 

Costa Azul) near Rosarito

 Nearly triple capacity to 2.7 billion cubic/feet per day with a send out 

capacity of 1.0 billion cubic/feet per day.

 Reverse flow into U.S.(bi-directional) will require two new compressor 

stations south of Imperial County border. This is comparable to two 

additional power plants.

 Construction/Operational emissions, safety concerns.

 “Hot Gas” issue – higher Wobbe (heat) Index = higher NOx 

 Impacts on control technology in industrial sources not determined, 

emissions from unregulated units (water heaters, stoves, etc.)

 On Oct. 3, 2007 FERC awarded NBP, LLC certificates and permit 

authorizing construction and operation of facilities to import NG.
Imperial/Mexicali Air Quality Issues

 All-American Canal Lining Project

 Line approx. 24 miles of canal\Massive amounts of material 

to be moved

 Dust Control Plans for PM (2 to 3 year project)

 Use of CARB PERP program/need for APCD permits

 3 lawsuits were finished authorizing IID to continue the 

work.

 Will save 70,000 acre/feet water per year – will be shipped to 

San Diego as part of the QSA.
Imperial/Mexicali Air Quality Issues

 Green Path / Sunrise Power link proposed 

transmission lines

 Increase capacity, reliability

 Tap renewable energy from I.C. – meet portfolio 

requirements.

 Several Enviro concerns – ranging from land use sitting, air 

quality, necessity, control

 Potential link to San Felipe Substation

 Provide additional transmission capacity

 Potential for additional power facilities in Mexico
Imperial/Mexicali Air Quality Issues

 Air Emissions associated with the Colorado River 

Water Transfer/Salton Sea exposed shoreline

 Existing and New Electric Power Generating Projects 

in Mexicali

 Limited controls

 Use of water/reduction of flow in New River

 New transmission line corridors and modifications

 Proposed new LNG pipeline
Cross Border Emission 

Reduction Credits Challenges

 Recognize Imperial County/Mexicali as one Air Shed.

 NOx, CO, and PM10 emissions produced in Mexicali 

are transported to Imperial County and vice versa.

 Clean Air Act requires change

 Continue to work on this issue with Imperial/Mexicali 

Air Quality Task Force and with political 

representatives (CEC currently evaluating feasibility).
Cross Border Emission 

Reduction Credits Challenges

 Identifying the primary source or emissions.

 Characterizing pollutants and their effects on the health 

of the environment.

 Regions socioeconomic and historic conditions.

 Make changes

 Permanent

 Enforceable

 Quantifiable

 Surplus
Imperial County Ports of Entry

0

2,000,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

8,000,000

10,000,000

12,000,000

Personal

Vehicles

Passenger

Vehicles

Pedestrians Commercial

Trucks

Andrade

Calexico West

Calexico East

U.S. Border Crossings in 2006
Imperial County Border Wait Times

 Average wait time at border lines

 Over the past six years – since the terrorist attacks of 9/11 – the wait time 

at the border has doubled. Before 9/11, the average wait at the evening 

peak hour was 26 minutes, and even that was cause for “regional 

concern,” according to a Department of Commerce study at the time. 

Now, the typical rush-hour wait is about 55 minutes or longer.

 Air Quality Effects

 due mostly to the presence of carbon monoxide and suspended particles 

which transport to the U.S. 

 increasing transcontinental transport of air pollutants
Impacts of the New River

 New River has been regarded as the most polluted river in the 

U.S.

 The source of the pollution is the refuse and waste from 

manufacturing plants operating in Mexico; agricultural chemical 

runoff from the area’s farm industry; and human waste form the 

ever-expanding population in Mexicali. 

 Impacts are seen throughout the City of Calexico which have 

direct exposure to the New River. 

 New River pollution clean-up would involve complex 

international negotiations. 
Cooperative Efforts

 Imperial /Mexicali Air Quality Task Force was created 

under the U.S. – Mexico Border 2012 to assist in the 

implementation of bi-national environmental projects.

 Imperial County Air Pollution District works in 

conjunction with Mexicali stakeholders towards:

 Border Ozone Reduction 

 Air Quality Improvement 

 Data collection

 Projects that reduce air pollution, promote outreach and 

public involvement in air quality issues.
Contact Information

BRAD POIRIEZ

APCO

IMPERIAL COUNTY APCD

150 S. 9TH ST. EL CENTRO, CA. 92243

(760) 482-4606

bradpoiriez@imperialcounty.net