SUBJECT: NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PROPOSED ADOPTION OF AMENDMENTS TO RULE 421, MANDATORY EPISODIC CURTAILMENT OF WOOD AND OTHER SOLID FUEL BURNING
| Date | September 24, 2009 |
| Time | 9:30 a.m. |
| Location | Room 1450 (Board of Supervisors Chambers) County Administration Building 700 H Street Sacramento, California |
The rule restricts wood burning in fireplaces, wood stoves, pellet stoves and other wood burning devices in Sacramento County when air pollution levels are predicted to exceed federal health standards from November through February of each year. Under the current rule, on Stage 1 No Burn days, it is illegal to burn except in EPA certified and pellet stoves/inserts. On Stage 2 No Burn days all burning is illegal. Cooking, sole source of heat and financial hardships are exempt from the burning restrictions.
The District Board will consider the adoption of proposed amendments to Rule 421, Mandatory Episodic Curtailment of Solid Fuel Burning, which will:
- Lower the pollution threshold for No Burn days; and
- Maintain the special provision for EPA certified and pellet stoves/inserts.
The Board may also consider alternatives to the recommended option, which, in one case, eliminates the special provisions for EPA certified and pellet stoves/inserts and, in the other case, maintains the special provisions with even lower thresholds. In addition to any of the options, the Board may also consider a contingency option that would incorporate a provision that automatically drops the thresholds if Sacramento does not meet our federal air quality deadline.
Staff finds that the proposed rule is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act as an action by a regulatory agency for protection of the environment (Class 8 Categorical Exemption, Section 15308 State CEQA Guidelines) and because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant adverse effect on the environment (Section 15061(b)(3), State CEQA Guidelines).
Copies of this notice, the rule, and the staff report will be posted on the District's Web site (www.airquality.org). The staff report includes the matrix analysis required by Health and Safety Code Section 40727.2. Hard copies of the rule and the staff report will be provided upon request (916) 874-4800.
By this notice, all interested parties are specifically requested to provide comments on the proposed adoption of amendments to Rule 421. Oral and written testimony may be directed to the Board of Directors at the public hearing on September 24, 2009, or to the Sacramento Metropolitan AQMD, 777 12th Street, 3rd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814, Attention: Marc Cooley (916) 874-4846. You can also submit your comments via e-mail to mcooley@airquality.org.
Documents
- Proposed rule language options (PDF)
- Staff Report (PDF)
- Supplemental Information - Emissions Calculations Backup Information (PDF)
- Final 2009 Wood Burn Survey - Appendix C (PDF)
- Final STI Report - Appendix D (1.3 Mb PDF)
- Comments and Responses - Appendix F (4 Mb PDF)
- Socioeconomic Report - Appendix G (PDF)
