Hearing

Board

Approves

Modified

SVRA

Stipulated

Order

of

Abatement, Drops Compliance with PM10 Air Quality Standard

On September 13, 2022, State parks submitted a final draft 2022 Annual Report and Work Plan (ARWP). It included a primary dust control plan that included no new dust control area. Gary Willey, the Pollution Control Officer, required that the ARWP also include a secondary plan that provided for additional dust control projects acreage for 2023. Based on this draft ARWP, Willey made an application to the Hearing Board to modify the existing SOA. If the proposed modifications were approved by the Hearing Board the primary dust control plan would be approved by Willey. If not, the secondary plan would be approved. The proposed SOA modification was considered by the Hearing Board at its meeting on October 14, 2022. State Parks, APCD staff and the Scientific Advisory Group made presentations. Public testimony was heard. In conclusion, the Hearing Board accepted the proposed SOA modification, and Gary Willey subsequently approved the draft 2022 ARWP and the primary dust control work plan. The approved SOA modifications made the following important changes: 1. The term of the SOA was extended to six years, giving State Parks two more years to come into compliance with the SOA dust reduction goal. 2. The original SOA requirement to achieve compliance with the California air quality standard was changed to require dust control work plans to be “designed to eliminate emissions in excess of naturally occurring emissions from the ODSVRA that contribute to downwind violations of the state and federal PM10 air quality standards.” Compliance with this new criteria will be determined by comparing measured PM10 mass emissions with computer model estimates of emission levels that existed prior to significant OHV activity on the Oceano Dunes. Because excess emissions will be determined in part through computer models, the public has no means independently monitor compliance with the SOA, and to hold State Parks accountable for complying with the legal PM10 air quality standards. The computer modeling performed to date indicates that the mass emissions reduction goal should be lowered from 50% reduction to 40.7%. The Scientific Advisory Group recommended this change. Future measurements and model refinements could change this goal. However, approval of the revised SOA essentially accepted the lower PM10 emissions reduction goal. The modeling also indicates that dust controls already installed, when mature, should be sufficient to achieve this new goal. Consequently, no additional acreage of dust controls is planned for 2023. Some existing areas will be enhanced and some will be converted from temporary controls to permanent native vegetation. See the final approved ARWP and related documents ( click here) and see the approved modified SOA ( click here ).

WHAT’S HOT:  Hearing Board Approves SVRA Stipulated Order of Abatement Modification, Drops Compliance with State PM10 Air Quality Standard and Lowers Dust Emissions Reduction Goal. COMING UP:  Dust, Dust and More Dust.