Three Refinery Rules and Amendments to Be Considered Wednesday

The agenda and packet for the December 16, 2015, Board of Directors meeting has been posted on our website.  During Wednesday’s hearing, the Board will consider:

• Amendments to Regulation 8 (Organic Compounds), Rule 18 (Equipment Leaks)
• Amendments to Regulation 11 (Hazardous Pollutants), Rule 10 (Hexavalent Chromium and Total Hydrocarbon from Petroleum Refinery Cooling Towers)
• New Regulation 6, Rule 5 (Particulate Emissions from Refinery Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Units)

Staff is bringing these rules as the first step toward reducing Bay Area refinery emissions by 20 percent by 2020. These three rules are expected to reduce refinery emissions by up to 14 percent from current levels.

Air District staff originally planned to bring six rules for Board consideration in December. Due to the large number of public comments received for several of the rules, extra time is required to consider changes to the three remaining rules. Two of the remaining rules - Regulation 9, Rule 14 (Coke Calcining) and Regulation 12, Rule 15 (Petroleum Refining Emission Tracking - will likely be brought before the Board in March of 2016, once staff has had time to adequately consider and address all comments.

Staff will continue to work with stakeholders on the remaining proposed rule, Regulation 12, Rule 16 (Petroleum Refining Emissions Limits and Risk Thresholds), to evaluate stakeholder comments and proposals, including the Community Proposal, and develop a path forward.  Staff will update the Board and stakeholders as potential solutions to concerns are formulated and timelines for Board consideration are developed for Regulation 12, Rule 16.

Additionally, Staff will continue to work on Phase II of the Refinery Emissions Reduction Strategy, bringing more rules for Board consideration later in 2016.

If you have any questions or would like to provide feedback please email staff at rulefeedback@baaqmd.gov.