A Notice to Comply (NTC) is a citation issued by AQMD staff that indicates that a minor violation of AQMD rules and regulations or a state or federal requirement has been discovered. By issuing an NTC, minor violations may be resolved in a more expedient manner.
In order for an NTC to be issued the violation must meet the definition of a minor violation. "Minor Violation" is defined in Rule 108, Section 206.
The NTC will:
- separately list each minor violation found at the inspection
- describe the means by which compliance can be achieved
- give a time limit, not to exceed 30 calendar days, by which compliance must be achieved
Upon correction of the violation, the NTC recipient is required to sign the NTC certifying that the violation has been corrected and submit the NTC to the AQMD within five days of correction. If this procedure is followed, the minor violations are resolved without penalty.
If the violation is not a minor violation, staff will issue a Notice of Violation. Rule 108 does not prohibit the Air Pollution Control Officer from issuing a Notice of Violation or seeking a penalty for minor violations under certain circumstances, including where such action is required under federal law.
Rule 108, Section 401 provides an appeal process if the business disagrees with an alleged violation.
Detailed information about NTCs can be found in Rule 108. Questions about NTCs should be directed to Kevin Leonard, Program Supervisor - Field Operations at (916) 874-4863 or kleonard@airquality.org.
