State of California 

AIR RESOURCES BOARD 

STAFF REPORT 

ANALYSIS OF SACRAMENTO METRO AREA'S 

2009 STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR OZONE 

Date of Release: March 12, 2009 

Scheduled for Consideration: March 26, 2009 

This report has been reviewed by the staff of the California Air Resources Board and 

approved for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect 

the views and policies of the Air Resources Board. 

CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD 

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING TO CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF THE 2009 

SACRAMENTO METRO AREA 8-HOUR OZONE ATTAINMENT PLAN 

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

and place noted below to consider the approval of the 2009 Sacramento Metro Area 

8-Hour Ozone Attainment Plan. 

DATE: 

TIME: 

PLACE: 

March 26, 2009 

9:00a.m. 

· California Environmental Protection Agency Building 

Byron Sher Auditorium 

1001 I Street 

Sacramento, California 95814 

This item will be considered at a meeting of the Board, which will commence at 

9:00a.m., Thursday, March 26, 2009. 

If you require special accommodations or language needs, please contact the Clerk of 

the Board at (916) 322-5594 or by Fax at (916) 322-3928 as soon as possible, but no 

later than 10 business days before the scheduled board hearing. TTYfTDD Speech to 

Speech users may dial 711 for the California Relay Service. 

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 

Implementation 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 Sacramento Metro Area as a 

"serious" nonattainment area with an attainment date of June 2013. The five air districts 

that comprise the Sacramento Metro Nonattainment Area have requested from 

U.S. EPA voluntary reclassification to "severe-15." As a "severe-15" area, the 

Sacramento Metro Area has until June 2019 to attain the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS. 

The Sacramento Metropolitan, Yolo-Solano, Placer County, El Dorado County and 

Feather River Air Districts have developed an attainment plan with input from interested 
parties. The Sacramento attainment demonstration indicates that the local, State, and 

federal controls already in place, together with new local measures arid reductions from 

the California 2007 State Strategy will allow the region to attain the ozone standard by 

the 2018 deadline. 

The California Air Resources Board has previously adopted and submitted to U.S. EPA 

the 2007 State Strategy for emissions benefits from the proposed new State measures 

to d.emonstrate attainment. For informational purposes, the table below shows the 

expected NOx and ROG emission reductions from the proposed new SIP measures for 

Sacramento for 2018. The total emission reductions necessary to attain the federal 

standards will be the enforceable State commitment in the SIP upon Board adoption 

and U.S. EPA approval. 

Expected Emission NOx and ROG Reductions from 

Proposed New SIP Measures (tons per day) 

Sacramento Metro Area: 2018 

Proposed New SIP Measures 

Passenger Vehicles 

Smog Check Improvements (BAR) 

Expanded Vehicle Retirement 

Modifications to Reformulated Gasoline Program 

fleavy-Doty Trucks 

Cleaner In-Use Heavy-Duty Trucks 

Goods M0vement5ourees _ 

Clean Up Existing Harbor Craft 

Off•Rdad EquipmS:nt 

Cleaner In-Use Off-Road Equipment (over 25hp) 

Other Off"Road Sources · 

New Emission Standards for Recreational Boats 

Expanded Off-Road Rec. Vehicle Emission Standards 

Additional Evaporative Emission Standard13 

Areawide Sources 

Consumer Products Program 

Emission Reductions from Proposed New 

.Measures . ·· . . · · . 

NOx 

1.7 

1.4 

0.3 

--

9.5 

9.5 

0.2 . 

0.2 

1.9 

1.9 

0.3 

0.3 

0.0 

--

--

--

13 

ROG 

2.1? 

1.3 

0.2 

1.1 

o:8 

0.8 

0.0 

0.0 

0.4 

0.4 

6.1 ·. 

3.0 

2.7 

0.4 

.·. 1 .. 9 ·, 

1.9 

I ... 11 ' 

The Plan also contains a Reasonable Further Progress (RFP) demonstration. The RFP 

demonstration shows that existing ·local, State, and federal controls are sufficient for the 

Sacramento Metro Area to achieve the required minimum three percent per year 

reduction in ozone-precursor emissions. 

ii 
Proposed Action 

The districts released their draft plan on September 10, 2008 and held public workshops 

in several locations throughout the region September 22-25, 2008. The governing . 

boards of all five districts approved the plan at duly noticed public hearings on 

January 22 (Sacramento), February 2 (Feather River), February 10 (EI Dorado County), 

February 11 (Yolo-Solano), and February 19,2009 (Placer County). The Sacramento 

Air District has made minor technical corrections to the plan since its adoption by the 

local boards. The corrections are available at 

http://www.airquality.org/notices/CAPUpdate/8hrAPandFEIRHearinqsJanFeb2009.shtml 

The corrections do not materially affect any conclusions in the plan. 

At the Board meeting, the Board will consider adoption of the 2009 Sacramento Metro 

Area 8-Hour Ozone Attainment Plan as a revision to the SIP. The Board will also 

consider an emissions reduction commitment as shown in the table below, providing the 

reductions that, along with reductions from local and federal measures, will allow the 

Sacramento area to achieve attainment of the ozone standard by 2018. 

Summary of Emission Reduction Commitments- Sacramento 

Year NOx ROG 

2018 13 11 

ARB staff will present a written Staff Report at the meeting. Copies of the report may be 

obtained from the Board's Public Information Office, 1001 "I" Street, 1

51 Floor, 

Environmental Services Center, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 322-2990, at least ten 

days prior to the Board meeting. The report may also be obtained from ARB's internet 

site at that time at http://www.arb.ca.gov/planning/sip/sip.htm. 

Interested members of the public may also present comments orally or in writing at the 

meeting, and in writing or by email before the meeting. To be considered by the Board, 

written comments not physically submitted at the meeting must be received no later 

than 12:00 noon, Wednesday, March 25, 2009, and addressed to the following: 

Postal mail: Clerk of the Board, Air Resources Board 

1001 I Street, Sacramento, California 95814 

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

Facsimile submittal: (916) 322-3928 

iii 
The Board requests, but does not require, 30 copies of any written submission. Also, 

the ARB requests that written and email statements be filed at least 1 0 days prior to the 

meeting so that ARB staff and Board members have time to fully consider each . 

comment. Further inquiries regarding this matter should be directed to Laura Lawrence, 

Air Pollution Specialist, (916) 324-9264, 1001 "I" Street, Sacramento, California, 95814. 

Date: February 24, 2009 

· CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD 

Is! 

James N. Goldstene 

Executive Officer 

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.qov. 

iv 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ... , .................................... : ........................................................ 1 

I. BACKGROUND ... · ....................................... , ........................................................... 3 

Profile of Sacramento ........ : ..................................................................................... 3 

Health Effects of Ozone ......................................... : ... : .......................... : ................. 3 

Historical Air Quality ...................... : ......................................................................... 4 

II. AIR QUALITY PLANNING ....................................................................................... 8 

Air Quality Planning Background ............................................................................. 8 

8-hour Ozone Planning Requirements ......................... : .......................................... 8 

Ill. PLAN EVALUATION ............................................................................................. 10 

Baseline Emissions Inventory ............................................................................... 10 

Attainment Demonstration ..................................................................................... 14 

Control Strategy .................................................................................................... 15 

Commitments to Reduce Emissions ..................................................................... 17 

Reasonably Available Control Technology .......................... : ................................. 18 

Transportation Control Measures .......................................................................... 18 

Contingency Strategy ............................................................................................ 18 

Reasonable Further Progress ............................................................................... 19 

Transportation Conformity Budgets ....................................................................... 19 

IV. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS .............................................................................. 20 

V. LEGAL AUTHORITY ............................................................................................. 20 

VI. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS .................. ; .......................................................... 21 

v 
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vi 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

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 

Implementation 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, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) promulgated a new 

8-hour NAAQS for ozone. U.S. EPA-classified the Sacramento Metro Area.as a 

"serious" nonattainment area with an attainment date of June 2013. The five air districts 

that comprise the Sacramento Metro Nonattainment Area have requested from 

U.S. EPA voluntary reclassification to "severe-15," with an attainment date of 

June 2019. 

The five air districts in the Sacramento nonattainment area developed the Sacramento 

Regional 8-Hour Ozone Attainment and Reasonable Fufther Progress Plan with input 

from interested parties. The region's attainment demonstration indicates that new State 

and local measures, together with State, local, and federal controls already in place, will 

reduce emissions sufficiently by 2018 to allow Sacramento to attain the ozone standard 

by the June 2019 deadline. 

This staff report contains a proposed State commitment for reductions from the 

measures in the 2007 California State Strategy. These reductions had not been 

quantified at the time the 2007 State Strategy was adopted in September 2007. Major 

reductions come from the Heavy-Duty Truck Rule, adopted by ARB in December 2008. 

Reductions frorn emissions from construction equipment and future changes in the 

smog check program are also important. 

ARB staff has reviewed the Plan and concluded that it meets applicable federal State 

Implementation Plan (SIP) requirements. ARB staff also concludes that the 

implementation of the Plan would reduce ozone levels through the Sacramento area to 

the benefit of public health and result in attainment of the 8-hour standard by 

June 2019. ARB staff recommends that the Board approve the December 2008 version 

of the Plan as a revision to the California SIP and direct the Executive Officer to submit 

the Plan to U.S. EPA. 

1 
[This page intentionally left blank.] 

2 
. ' 

I. BACKGROUND 

Profile of Sacramento 

The Sacramento federal non-attainment area is comprised of all of Sacramento and 

Yolo Counties and includes portions of El Dorado, Placer, Solano and Sutter Counties 

(see Figure 1 ). On the westernmost edge, it extends to the inland side of the California 

Coastal Range, and continues to the border of the Lake Tahoe air basin to the east, 

taking in portions of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. It extends southward to the 

Sacramento Delta Region and northward to include the southern portion of Sutter 

County; the elevation in the region varies from near sea level to over 7000 feet. 

Figure 1. Sacramento Metro Nonattainment Area 

Sacramento Metro 

Nonattainment Area 

... 

·' ·+·;' ' 

The area includes mountainous terrain, agricultural land, lakes and rivers, as well as 

one of California's largest urban areas. While winters in the valley are mild, summer 

generally brings very hot weather to the valley floor, with temperatures routinely 

exceeding 1 OO'F. Mountainous areas are considerably cooler in both summer and 

winter. Air quality in the region is affected by both local emissions and ozone and 

ozone precursor emissions transported from the San Francisco Bay Area. 

Health Effects of Ozone 

Ozone is a highly reactive gas that forms in the atmosphere through complex reactions 

between chemicals directly emitted from motor vehicles, industrial plants, consumer 

products and many other sources. Ozone is a secondary gas, formed in the 

atmosphere by the interaction of reactive organic gases (ROG) and oxides of nitrogen 

(NOx) in the presence of sunlight. 

3 
Considerable research conducted over the past 35 years has shown that ozone can 

lead to inflammation and irritation of the tissues lining human airways. This causes the 

muscle cells in the airways to spasm and contract, thus reducing the amount of air that 

can be inhaled. Symptoms and responses to ozone exposure vary widely, even when 

the amount inhaled and length of exposure is the same. Typical symptoms include 

cough, chest tightness, and increased asthma symptoms. Ozone in sufficient doses 

can also increase the permeability ("leakiness") of lung cells, making them more 

susceptible to damage from environmental toxins and infection. 

Medical studies of large populations have found that ozone exposure is associated with 

an increase in hospital admissions and emergency room visits, particularly for lung 

problems such as asthma .and chronic obstructive pulmonary disea·se. Several studies 

have also associated exposure to high ozone levels with increased premature mortality 

in elderly people with chronic diseases of the lungs and circulatory system. 

People who exercise or work outdoors are at greater risk of experiencing adverse health 

effects from ozone exposure because they inhale more ozone. One study in soutHern 

California found that children who participated in more sports activities in high ozone 

areas were more likely to develop asthma than those who participated in fewer sports. 

Children and adolescents are at increased risk because they are more likely to spend 

time outdoors engaged in vigorous activities, and because they inhale more ozone per 

pound of body weight than adults. 

Historical Air Quality 

The number of days over the standard (exceedance days) is an indication of how 

frequently the population is exposed to unhealthful air quality. Although some 

monitoring sites in the region still exceed the 8-hour standard of 0.08 parts per million 

(ppm), the size of the area thafexceeds the standard has dramatically decreased since 

1995, as shown in figure 2. · 

4 
Figure 2. Sacramento Metro Area 8-Hour Ozone Exceedance Days (1995-2005) 

Sacramento Metro NA 8-Hr Ozone 

3-yr Avg of Exceedance Days 

Legend 

O,~,,s~sn 

Ocouotv 

'"' 6·15 

IT;lKJj15-50 

-51·100 

-101• 

1995 (93-95) 

Sacramento Metro NA 8-Hr Ozone / /" 3-yr Avg of Exceedance Days ,-' 

2005 (03·05) / 

) 

/.------

,~·-;· 

._ . .-./-"-····-. ..... ______ .. ..-• ,-.!' 

r' 

Legend 

c:JAtrB~sln 

Oeounly 

... D:Z"il 16-so 

msl-100 

-101• 

5 

10J31100' 

11lJ3111>11 
Ozone "design values" are used to characterize a region's air quality for SIP planning 

purposes. The design value is a three-year average of the annual fourth highest daily 

maximum 8-hour ozone concentrations. The use of the three-year average helps 

minimize the year-to-year influence of meteorology. Figure 3 shows that, while some 

areas in the region still have high design values, the design value has decreased 

markedly in many parts of the region. 

The air quality monitors at Cool in El Dorado County and Folsom in Sacramento County 

have recorded the region's highest ozone levels for the last ten years. These · 

monitoring sites are both in the eastern portion of the nonattainment area, in the foothills 

of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and are impacted by emissions from the urban areas 

to the west-" 

6 
Figure 3. Sacramento Metro Area 8-hour Ozone Design Value (1995-2005) 

Sacramento Metro NA 8-Hr Ozone 

Legend 

I::JMBU5il> 

Qcot101y 

• 0.000. 0 06-1 

0.005. 0.094 

Design Value 

1995 

i 

i]~ 0.005·0109 

-0,110-0.129 

.. 0.130• IJ.l/0 1 10 7 ~ ~~~~~---' 

Sacramento Metro NA 8-Hr Ozone 

Design Value 

Legend 

I::JMBa£ill 

c=:Jcoumy 

0.000. 0.00.: 

0.0!55. ()_094 

f.:UXI O.O!l5. 0.109 

Em 0.110·0.12g 

.0.130• 

2005 

7 

()4/Ql/07 
II. AIR QUALITY PLANNING 

Air Quality Planning 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 enact State Implementation 

Plan.s (SIPs) that demonstrate how they will attain the standards by specified dates. 

State law 1 designates ARB as the State's air pollution control agency for all purposes 

set forth in federal law, including the preparation of the SIP. State law further specifies 

that ARB must adopt the nonattainment area plan approved by a local air district, unless 

ARB finds, after a public hearing, that the locally adopted plan will not meet the 

requirements of the Act. 2 California SIP revisions must be submitted to U.S. EPA by 

ARB. The provisions and commitments in a U.S. EPA-approved SIP are federally 

enforceable. The Act also allows interested parties to sue U.S. EPA, the state, or local 

agencies to compel implementation of an approved SIP. 

8-hour Ozone Planning Reguirements 

In July 1997, U.S. EPA promulgated a NAAQS for ozone that requires that ozone 

concentrations not exceed 0.08 ppm over an 8-hour period. 'in April 2004, U.S EPA 

finalized Phase 1 of the ozone implementation rule,3 which set forth the classification 

scheme for nonattainment areas. U.S. EPA classified the Sacramento Metro Area as a 

"serious" nonattainment area with an attainment date of June 2013. The five air districts 

that comprise the Sacramento Metro Nonattainment Area have requested ·from 

U.S. EPA voluntary reclassification to "severe-15." As a "severe-15" area, the 

Sacramento Metro Area has until June 2019 to attain the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS. 

On November 9, 2005, U.S. EPA supplemented its Phase 1 implementation rule with a 

Phase 2 rule.4 The Phase 2 rule outlines the emission controls and planning elements 

that nonattainment areas must address in their implementation plans, including: 

• air quality modeling that demonstrates attainment of the 8-hour ozone 

standard; 

• a weight-of-evidence analysis; 

• adopted control strategies capable of meeting attainment, and contingency 

reductions in the event the controls fall short of achieving needed reductions; 

1 California Health and Safety Code (HSC) section 39602. 2 HSC Section 41650(a). 3 Federal Register: April 30, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 84, pages 23951-24000) 4 Federal Register: November 29, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 288, pages 71612-71705) 

8 
• demonstration that all reasonably available control technology (RACT) has 

been applied to existing sources; 

• reasonable further progress plans to show ongoing progress toward 

attainment; and 

• transportation conformity emission budgets to ensure transportation plans 

and projects are consistent with, and will not hinder attainment. 

In order to demonstrate attainment of the 8-hour ozone standard by June 2019, all of 

the emission reductions needed for attainment must be in place by the beginning of the 

full ozone season in the prior year, 2018. 

ARB staff has reviewed the plan and determined that it includes all of the required 

elements listed above. These various plan elements are summarized in Section Ill. 

Staff concurs with the districts' conclusion that the reductions listed in the plan are 

sufficient to show attainment by the 2018 deadline. 

9 
Ill. PLAN EVALUATION 

The 2009 Sacramento 8-Hour Ozone Plan is the latest step in the air quality planning 

process that over the years has helped define 9ew actions to improve the Sacramento 

region's air quality. The districts released their draft plan on September 10, 2008 and 

held public workshops in several locations throughout the region. The governing boards 

of all five districts approved the plan at duly noticed public hearings on 

January 22 (Sacramento), February 2 (Feather River), February 10 (EI Dorado County), 

February 11 (Yolo-Solano), and February 19, 2009 (Placer County). 

Baseline Emissions Inventory 

Sacramento's main sources of emissions are on-road vehicles, including passenger 

vehicles and heavy-duty diesel trucks, reflecting the region's large urban and suburban 

population, as well as its role as a goods movement hub. Though the region does have 

bus and light rail service, particularly in the downtown Sacramento area, the primary 

mode of transportation is passenger vehicles. 

Other large sources of ozone precursor emissions are off-road agricultural and 

construction equipment, recreational boats, and consumer products. Emissions from 

industrial activities make up a much smaller portion of the inventory. 

Tables 1 and 2 show the top 25 sources of NOx and ROG in the region for 2008 and 

2018. The tables demonstrate that emissions of both precursors will decline markedly 

by the attainment year. 

10 
Table 1. NOx Emissions (tons/day): Summer Season Emissions Inventory 

Sacramento Metro Nonattainment Area 

Source Category 2008 2018 

HEAVY DUTY DIESEL TRUCKS 57 25 

PASSENGER VEHICLES 29 13 

Light Trucks, Minivans and SUVs 13 6 

Medium Duty Trucks 5 3 

Passenger Cars 11 4 

OFF-ROAD EQUIPMENT (CONSTRUCTION AND MINING) 15 8 

FARM EQUIPMENT (COMBINES AND TRACTORS) 10 5 

LOCOMOTIVES 9 9 

OFF-ROAD EQUIPMENT (OTHER) 8 5 

AGRICULTURAL IRRIGATION PUMPS 6 4 

RECREATIONAL BOATS 6 6 

GASOLINE-FUELED COMMERCIAL TRUCKS 6 4 

RESIDENTIAL FUEL COMBUSTION 3 3 

Cooking <1 <1 

Other {Clothes Dryers, BBQs, Pool Heaters and Fireplaces) 1 1 

Space Heating <1 <1· 

Water Heating 2 2 

MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRIAL (BOILERS, IC ENGINES) 3 3 

SERVICE AND COMMERCIAL (BOILERS, IC ENGINES) 2 3 

AIRCRAFT 2 3 

?HIPS AND COMMERCIAL BOATS (Includes OCS) 2 1 

ELECTRIC UTILITIES 1 2 

OTHER (FUEL COMBUSTION) 1 1 

MOTORCYCLES 1 1 

OFF-ROAD EQUIPMENT (LAWN AND GARDEN) 1 1 

PUBLIC TRANSIT BUSES 1 1 

SCHOOL BUSES 1 1 

MOTOR HOMES 1 <1 

COMMERCIAL TRANSIT BUSES 1 <1 

MINERAL PROCESSES (MINING, CEMENT MANUFACTURING) <1 1 

OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION (COMBUSTION) <1 <1 

AG BURNING <1 <1 

ALL OTHER SOURCES <1 1 

TOTAL 167 101 

11 
Table 2. ROG Emissions (tons/day): Summer Season Emission Inventory 

Sacramento Metro Nonattainment Area 

Source Cate!lorv 2008 2018 

PASSENGER VEHICLES 33 19 

Light Trucks, Minivans and SUVs 13 9 

Medium Duty Trucks 4 3 

Passenger Cars 16 7 

RECREATIONAL BOATS 18 16 

CONSUMER PRODUCTS 13 15 

ARCHITECTURAL COATINGS (PAINTS AND THINNERS) 4 5 

OFF-ROAD EQUIPMENT (LAWN AND GARDEN) 6 5 

OFF-ROAD RECREATIONAL VEHICLES 5 7 

PETROLEUM MARKETING (GASOLINE EVAPORATIVE LOSSES) 4 5 

GASOLINE-FUELED COMMERCIAL TRUCKS 4 2 

HEAVY DUTY DIESEL TRUCKS 4 2 

MOTORCYCLES 4 4 

COATINGS (PAINTS AND THINNERS- NON ARCHITECTURAL) 3 4 

OFF-ROAD EQUIPMENT (OTHER) 3 2 

OFF-ROAD EQUIPMENT (CONSTRUCTION AND MINING) 2 1 

CHEMICAL (PROCESS AND STORAGE LOSSES) 2 2 

GAS CANS 2 1 

PESTICIDES 2 2 

DEGREASING 1 2 

FARM EQUIPMENT (COMBINES AND TRACTORS) 2 1 

LIVESTOCK WASTE (RANGE CATTLE) 1 1 

RESIDENTIAL FUEL COMBUSTION 1 1 

Cooking <1 <1 

Other (Clothes Dryers, BBQ~, Pool Heaters and Fireplaces) 1 1 

Space Heating <1 <1 

Water Heating <1 <1 

PRINTING 1 1 

OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION (EVAPORATIVE LOSSES/FLARING) 1 1 

ASPHALT PAVING I ROOFING 1 1 

LIVESTOCK WASTE (DAIRY CATTLE) 1 1 

PRESCRIBED BURNING 1 1 

ALL OTHER SOURCES .14 15 

TOTAL 136 117 

12 
Table 3 summarizes the emissions reductions from 2008, the base year for this plan, to 

2018, that are the result of State and local emissions reductions programs in place as cif 

. 2006. This table does not include reductions from measures in the 2007 California 

State Strategy. Substantial reductions are projected, especially for. the on-road motor 

vehicles category. 

Table 3. Baseline Emissions Trends with Measures Adopted as of 2006 

Sacramento Metro Area 

Summer Planning Inventory (tons/day) 

NOx ROG 

Source 2008 20185 Percent 2008 20186 Percent 

Category Change Change 

Stationary 

& 19 20 7% 50 60 20%' 

Areawide . 

On-Road 

Motor 95 45 -53% 45 27 -40% 

Vehicles 

Off-Road 

Vehicles 53 38 -27% 41 34 -16~ and 

Equipment 

TOTAL 167 104 -38% 136 121 -11% 

Emission Reduction Credits 

Federal New Source Review (NSR) rules require new and modified major stationary 

sources that increase emissions in amounts exceeding specified thresholds to provide 

emission reduction offsets to mitigate the emission growth. Emission reduction offsets 

represent either on-site emission reductions or the use of banked emission reduction 

credits (ERGs). ERGs are voluntary, surplus emission reductions that are registered 

with the District for future use as offsets. 

5 Includes 3 tons/day NOx ERC 

' Includes 4 tons/day ROG ERC 

Table 4. Emission Reduction Credits 

Sacramento Metro Area (tons/day) 

Pollutant ERC Total 

NOx 2.3 

ROG 3.5 

13 
The district added the banked ERGs shown in Table 4 into the 20.18 emission inventory 

used in the modeling demonstration of attainment. This ensures that these ERGs, 

which could be used to enable growth at major sources at any time, are fully accounted 

for in the inventories used to demonstrate attainment of the 8-hour ozone standard. 

Attainment Demonstration 

Sacramento's attainment date under the "severe-15" classification gives it a 

June 15, 2019 attainment date. In accordance with U.S. EPA modeling guidance, the 

region needs to demonstrate a design value less than 0.085 ppm for the 2018 ozone 

season in order to attain the standard. 

ARB performed the photochemical modeling on behalf of the districts. That modeling 

when accounting for reductions from regulations adopted through 2006 predicted a 

2018 design value of 0.088 ppm, which exceeds the 0.08 ppm attainment standard. 

Reductions from additional measures are, therefore, neede.d for the region to attain the 

standard by 2018. Further details on the photochemical modeling can be found in 

Appendix B of the local plan element. 

Based on the modeling results, for the region to meet the standard, the districts 

determined that 2018 N.Ox emissions will need to be reduced by 12.5 percent and 2018 

ROG emissions by 3.3 percent beyond the levels that will be achieved with regulations 

adopted through 2006. Table 5 summarizes how those 12.5 percent and 3.3 percent 

reductions will be achieved in tons per day. These reductions will come from new local 

measures and measures in the California 2007 State Strategy. ARB adopted the 2007 

State Strategy in September 2007. Since then, ARB has completed rulemaking on 

many of the measures in the 2007 State Strategy. As a result, measures have been 

adopted to achieve most of the necessary emission reductions as indicated in Table 5. 

14 
Table 5. Emission Reduction Summary for 2018 Attainment 

Sacramento Metro Area 

Summer PlanninQ (tons/day 

NOx ROG 

Emission Reduction Target in Percent 12.5% ·3.3% 

Emission Reduction Target in tons/day 13 4 

, t. cH<,:::!:',•,\'·\'' ,''. ;:''< .'· · .. :·· .·'" : .. :·. ·:: : oO'''>' : .·: :•,:· .. ,; 

Emissions Reductions from State Measures Adopted 11 3 

since Dec. 2006 

Emissions Reductions from New State Measures 2 8 

Emissions Reductions from Local Measures Adopted 0 1 since Dec. 2006 

Emissions Reductions from New Local Measures 3 2 

Total Reductions from Recently Adopted and 16 14 

New Measures 

Weight of Evidence Analysis 

Sacramento's attainment plan incorporates a supplementary weight of evidence 

analysis as required under U.S. EPA's April 2007 Final Guidance on the Use of Models 

and Other Analyses for Attainment of Air Quality Goals for Ozone, PM2.5, and Regional 

Haze. The analysis concludes that the evidence indicates the adopted emission 

controls will reduce ozone concentrations to the level needed to meet the 8-hour ozone 

standard by the statutory attainment deadline of June 15, 2019. 

Control Strategy 

Local Strategy 

Local air districts are responsible for controlling emissions from most stationary and 

areawide sources. Such sources include factories, power plants, gas stations, dry 

cleaners, residential water heaters, and managed burning. The five districts have 

adopted a variety of control measures to control emissions from these sources. The 

local plan element includes commitments to develop and adopt new measures and to 

arnend existing measures to,strengthen controls. These measures will target 

architectural coatings, automotive refinishing products, degreasing and solvent.cleaning 

products, metal parts coatings, natural gas processing, portable asphalt dryers, water 

heaters and boilers, and stationary internal combustion engines. The new district 

measures for the five districts are expected to provide an additional 3 tons/day NOx 

reductions and 3 tons/day ROG reductions. 

15 
State Strategy 

ARB is responsible for controlling emissions from mobile sources, C\msumer products, 

and fuels. ARB's on-going mobile source control program will provide significant NOx 

and ROG emission reductions in Sacramento. Vehicles and equipment operating in 

California are subject to the most stringent tailpipe emission standards in the world. 

ARB's existing on-road vehicle emission control programs in Sacramento will decrease 

NOx emissions by more than 50 percent and ROG emissions by about 40 percent 

between 2008 and 2018. New measures in the 2007 California State Strategy, 

including the Heavy-Duty Truck Rule adopted by the Board in December 2008, will 

provide additional reductions. The truck rule alone will provide an additional 10 percent 

reduction in on-road mobile source NOx emissions in Sacramento. ·For informational 

purposes, Table 6 shows the expected NOx and ROG emission reductions from 

measures in the 2007 State Strategy in Sacramento for 2018. 

The local plan element Table 7-1 is similar to this document's Table 6. ARB staff's 

understanding of the emissions reductions from U.S. EPA's line-haul locomotive rule 

has changed since the districts published the local plan. Staff initially predicted 

emissions benefits for Sacramento, but we now understand that the rule will have very 

little impact on Sacramento emissions. Table 6 is updated to reflect this change. 

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Table 6. Expected Emission NOx and ROG Reductions from 

2007 State Strategy Measures (tons/day) 

Sacramento Metro Area: 2018 

Proposed New SIP Measures NOx ROG 

PassengerVeliicles·• ' ..... <:·· 1,; . ·, 1.;7 ,;, li/"?·:~·-~ .;;;:0 · ... . ·,· . . Smog Check Improvements (BAR) 1.4 1.3 

Expanded Vehicle Retirement 0.3 0.2 

Modifications to Reformulated Gasoline Program -- 1.1 

j,(eav}';J)lltY;"J."ruc~if .. >'· , , ·. < .··.· <.. • ·. '' x '\. • :.·:, ·~. , ·.· • ·• '<9;5'·•, ···I' '·. :~ :;,, 

Cleaner In-Use Heavy-Duty Trucks 9.5 0.8 

G<)ods Mo'femeritSo~rceJ! . ·· · 

.. · .· :< ·< 0.2 ... ,' : ().~;.:, ;• ' ·. 

Clean Up Existing Harbor Craft 0.2 0.0 

off::R.oad Equipfn~nf · .. 1.9 0.{/,• ' 

Cleaner In-Use Off-Road Equipment (over 25hp)7 1.9 0.4 

pther Off-Road Sources 0.3 6:1·• 

New Emission Standards for Recreational Boats 0.3 3.0 

Expanded Off-Road Rec. Vehicle Emission Standards 0.0 2.7 

Additional Evaporative Emission Standards -- 0.4 

·Areawide Sources· . .. . ··. .. ·: . 1.9. .·· 

Consumer Products Program - 1.9 

·Emission Reductions from Proposed New Measures 13 11 

Commitment to Reduce Emissions 

Table 7 below describes the emission reduction commitment proposal for Board 

approval. ARB staff proposes that ARB commit to achieve the emission reductions set 

forth in this table by 2018. These reductions, along with reductions from local and 

federal measures, will allow the Sacramento area to achieve attainment of the ozone 

standard by 2018. 

Table 7 

Summary of Emission Reduction Commitments- Sacramento 

Year NOx ROG 

2018 13 11 

7 Benefits from rule as adopted by ARB. Does not reflect February 2009 budget agreement impacts. 

17 
Reasonably Available Control Technology 

U.S. EPA has issued a variety of Control Techniques Guidelines (CTGs) describing 

stationary-source control standards required to meet the-Reasonably Available· Control 

Technology (RACT) requirements in the CAA. Each district is responsible for evaluating 

their rules to determine compliance with RACT. Each of the five districts submitted 

initial RACT SIPs to U.S. EPA in 2007 (Yolo-Solano Air District in January 2007; 

El Dorado County, Feather River, Placer County and Sacramento Air Districts in 

July 2007). Districts are in the process of amending or adopting new rules, as 

necessary, to meet their RACT SIP commitments. 

U.S. EPA issued additional CTGs after the July 2007 RACT SIP submittals. 

Sacramento Air District submitted an update to their RACT SIP to address these 

additional CTGs in January 2009. Feather River Air District intends to submit a RACT 

SIP update by mid-2009. Yolo-Solano Air District, whose original RACT SIP submittal 

was disapproved by U.S. EPA, plans to submit a revision to address approvability 

issues as well as the additional CTGs later this year. Placer County and El Dorado 

County Air Districts plan to submit RACT SIP updates after 2009. 

Transportation Control Measures 

U.S. EPA has indentified Transportation Control Measures (TCMs) that must be 

evaluated as part of a Reasonably Available Control Measure Analysis. TCMs include 

options for reducing vehicle use or for reducing conditions that lead to higher vehicle 

emissions. The adopted local plan includes a variety of TCMs, including transit fleet 

acquisitions, park and ride lots for transit, bicycle and pedestrian funding projects and 

transportation demand management funding programs. The Board of Directors of the 

Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), the area's Metropolitan Planning 

Organization, approved the TCMs for inclusion in the plan during their August 2008 

Board meeting. 

Contingency Strategy 

U.S. EPA requires each plan to identify contingency emission reductions that will take 

effect should an area fail to attain by the attainment date specified in its SIP. U.S. EPA 

also requires in the SIP a demonstration that additional contingency emission 

reductions are available for each milestone year, should they be needed. These 

reductions must carne from measures that will take effect without further action. 

U.S. EPA has interpreted this to mean that the contingency reductions must come from 

measures that have already been adopted. 

Sacramento's plan relies on the existing State mobile source control measures to satisfy 

contingency requirements. These measures will continue to be implemented, and to 

reduce motor vehicle emissions, regardless of the region's attainment status in 2019. 

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The additional reductions the existing motor vehicle program will yield in 2019 serve as 

contingency in case the region does not attain the ozone standard on time. 

Reasonable Further Progress 

To ensure that.nonattainment areas make consistent progress towards attainment of. 

the ozone standard, nonattainment areas are required to show a three percent per year 

reduction in both ROG and NOx emissions, averaged over a three-year period, up to 

the attainment year. Since the region has previously submitted to U.S. EPA a 2008 

Reasonable Further Progress demonstration, the current plan includes demonstrations 

for the 2011, 2014 and 2017 milestone years as well as the 2018 attainment year. The 

demonstration is summarized in Table 8. 

Table 8.Reasonable Further Progress 

Sacramento Metro Area 

Summer Planning Inventory (tons/day) 

2011 2014 2017 2018 

Required percent change since 2002 (ROG or NOx) 27% 36% 45% 48% 

Three percent required for contingency 3% 3% 3% 3% 

Total percent reduction required 30% 39% 48% 51% 

'•. ,. ' ' ·· .. · '' ., ',, · ... ·, ' '".::. [,/•::•.•: 

Percent ROG reduction since 2002 17% 20% 21% 21% 

Percent NOx reduction since 2002 19% 26% 32% 33% 

Total percent reduction 36% 46% 53% 55% 

: 

RFP met? YES YES YES YES 

Contingency provision satisfied? YES YES YES YES 

Transportation Conformity Budgets 

Sacramento's plan establishes on-road motor vehicle emissions transportation 

conformity budgets for 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2018 for the Sacramento nonattainment 

area. The emission budgets reflect the latest planning assumptions and were 

developed using ARB's latest on-road mobile source emission factor model 

EMFAC2007. 

The new emission budgets, based on summer planning daily emissions for ROG and 

NOx, are shown in Table 9. The budgets were developed from activity data provided by 

the SACOG, and are consistent with the latest Metropolitan Transportation Plan, MTP 

2035. ARB incorporated the SACOG activity data into the EMFAC2007 motor vehicle 

emission model. EMFAC outputs were also adjusted to account for baseline emission 

reductions not reflected in EMFAC2007. 

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The emission budgets established in this plan fulfill the requirements of the Act and 

U.S. EPA regulations to ensure that transportation projects will not interfere with 

progress towards, and attainment of, the national 8-hour ozone standard. 

Table 9. Motor Vehicle Emissions Budgets 

Sacramento Metro Area 

Summer Planning Inventory (tons/day) 

2011 2014 2017 2018 

NOx 78 61 4~ 34 

voc 38 32 29 24 

IV. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS 

The California EnvironmentaL Quality Act (CEQA) requires that State and local agency 

projects be assessed for potential significant environmental impacts. Air quality plans 

are "projects" that are potentially subject to CEQA requirements. The Sacramento 

Metropolitan Air District contracted with an environmental consultant to prepare an 

Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for this plan. The EIR, which is available through 

the Sacramento Air District, identified and analyzed the possible environmental effects 

of the. plan. The EIR concluded that the impacts of the plan on air quality and 

hazards/hazardous materials would be less than significant. Furthermore, the plan 

found no potentially significant adverse affects for other environmental indicators 

studied. ARB staff has reviewed .the EIR and concurs that the plan will have less than 

significant environmental impacts. 

V. LEGAL AUTHORITY 

The Act requires states to provide for the attainment of national ambient air quality 

standards. The primary tool to be used in the effort to attain national ambient air quality 

standards is a plan that any state with one or more nonattainment areas rnust develop, 

which provides for implementation, maintenance and enforcement of the standardsthe State Implementation Plan (section 110(a)(1 )). Section 110(a)(2)(A) of the Act 

broadly authorizes and directs states to include in their SIPs: 

" ... enforceable emission limitations and other control measures, means or 

techniques (including economic incentives such as fees, marketable permits, and 

auctions of emission rights), as well as schedules and timetables for compliance, 

as rnay be necessary or appropriate to meet the applicable requirements of the 

Act." 

20 
State law charges the ARB with coordinating State, regional, and local efforts to attain 

and maintain both State and national ambient air quality standards. The direct statutory 

link between ARB and the mandates of the Clean Air Act is found in section 39602 of 

the Heath and Safety Code (HSC). This provision states: 

"The state board is designated the air pollution control agency for all purposes 

set forth in federal law. 

The state board is designated as the state agency responsible for the preparation 

of the state implementation plan required by the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C., 

Sec. 7 401, et seq.) and, to this end, shall coordinate the activities of all districts 

necessary to comply with that act." 

VI. STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS 

As described in this report, ARB staff has reviewed the 2009 Sacramento Regional 

8-Hour Ozone Attainment and Reasonable Further Progress Plan, and consulted 

extensively with the staff at the local air districts during this review. 

ARB staff finds that the 2009 Sacramento Regional 8-hour Ozone Attainment and 

Reasonable Further Progress Plan meets applicable requirements. Staff further 

concludes that the implementation of this plan would reduce ozone levels throughout 

the Sacramento area, benefit public health, and result in attainment of the 1997 8-hour 

ozone standard by June 15, 2019. Therefore, we recommend that the Board take the 

following actions: 

1. Adopt the 2007 Sacramento Regional 8-hour Ozone Attainment and Reasonable 

Further Progress Plan as a revision to the California SIP, including the control 

strategy, emission inventories, attainment demonstration, reasonable further 

progress demonstration, and motor vehicle emission budgets. 

2. Commit to achieve emission reductions of 13 tons/day NOx and 11 tons/day 

ROG by2018. 

3, Direct the Executive Officer to submit the plan to U.S. EPA as a revision to the 

California SIP. 

4. Direct the Executive Officer to subrnit to U.S. EPA the districts' RACT SIP 

elernents, as the districts adopt those elernents. 

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