The rule revisions represent the second of three rounds of amendments to Rule 1113 called for in AQMD's 1997 Air Quality Management Plan. Currently, architectural coatings emit some 59 tons a day of VOCs on average. The first amendments, which reduced VOC emissions by some 10 tons a day, were adopted late in 1996. The Board's approval was based on some modifications to the original staff proposal by creating new categories for chemical storage tank coatings, specialty primers and recycled coatings. The Board also directed staff to work with the paint industry over the next 90 days to resolve outstanding issues and to report back to the Board, to work with the industry on implementation issues on an ongoing basis and to provide the Board an annual status report on the state of coatings technology.
Resins are the basic building blocks of architectural coatings.
AVES will adapt the same patented resin for use in stains and sealers. Once developed, the new finishes would be used to comply with the third and final phase of AQMD's architectural coatings emission reduction program outlined in the agency's Air Quality Management Plan. The budget creates eight new positions funded by a federal Environmental Protection Agency grant for particulate monitoring and analysis, bringing AQMD's total authorized staff to 761 positions. The Board's action on fees also includes numerous minor adjustments and a one-year deferral of a fee increase for gasoline stations approved last year. AQMD charges fees for permits, annual renewal of permits and emissions from large sources of pollution.