Controlling sources.

Ensuring compliance of pollution sources.

Permits

The Air District evaluates permit applications and issues permits for stationary sources and abatement devices to comply with regulatory standards, including requirements to use the Best Available Control Technology, give public notice, or provide emissions offsets. The Air District Permit Program is also responsible for emissions banking and interchangeable emission reduction credit activities in the Bay Area, as well as California Environmental Quality Act review.

Permit applications evaluated by the Air District include those for Prevention of Significant Deterioration, Acid Rain, and federal Title V permits. The federal Title V Permit Program enhances compliance with the Clean Air Act by explicitly including all applicable federal, state, and local air quality requirements into a single permit.

Information that is gathered in the Air District Permit Program is used to develop the emissions inventory from permitted facilities.

Toxics

The Air District’s Toxics Evaluation Program integrates federal and state requirements concerning toxic air contaminants into the Air District’s Permit Program. The Air District performs health risk screening analyses for all new projects in the region that require air quality permits and emit toxic air contaminants in quantities greater than de minimis levels. Facilities that emit significant quantities of toxic air contaminants are required to prepare health risk assessments that estimate the facility’s health risks for local residents and off-site workers. A facility that is determined to pose an unacceptable health risk must implement measures to reduce risks to acceptable levels.

Compliance and Enforcement

The Air District’s Compliance and Enforcement Program ensures a high degree of compliance with air quality-related federal, state, and Air District laws, regulations, and permit conditions. A full range of educational and compliance assistance activities are provided to help companies and residents proactively comply with air quality regulations. Air quality inspectors investigate air pollution complaints from the public and conduct regular compliance inspections to promote compliance with air quality regulations. When violations of air quality regulations are discovered, the Air District provides an appropriate level of enforcement action to expedite a return to compliance and assesses monetary penalties to provide an effective deterrence.

Source Test

The Air District monitors emissions from facilities with stationary pollution sources. The Air District’s Source Test staff collect samples that can usually be analyzed on-site with instrumentation in specially outfitted vans.

An immediate determination can typically be made as to whether or not emissions are in compliance with Air District regulations and permit conditions. The Air District also conducts source tests in support of its Rule Development, Permitting Services, Compliance and Enforcement, and Emission Inventory efforts.