2010 Technical Conference Presentations
Mike Barr, Esq. - Pillsbury - Air Quality Legal Issues Update
Dave Warner, SJVAPCD Permitting Issues
Aaron Tarango - SJVAPCD Funding Programs
Emisshield Presentation (Slow Download)
Kern County Waste Management Presentations (Slow Download)
Brian Taylor - Chevron - Long Term Energy Challenges

Additional information from the conference will be posted when available.

Golden Empire Chapter News 
Environmental News Impacting the Golden Empire

EPA ANNOUNCES NEW SMOG HEALTH STANDARD    The Environmental Protection Agency proposed a stricter new standard for smog-causing pollutants on Thursday that, if adopted, will impose large costs on industry and local governments but will also bring substantial health benefits to millions of Americans.  The proposed standard would replace one set by the Bush administration in March 2008, which has been challenged in court by environmental advocates as too weak to adequately protect human health and the environment.  The Obama administration’s proposal sets a primary standard for ground-level ozone of no more than 0.06 to 0.07 parts per million, to be phased in over two decades. The new rule would replace the standard of 0.075 parts per million imposed by the Bush administration. The agency is also proposing a secondary standard that will vary with the seasons to protect plants and trees from repeated exposure.  The agency estimated that complying with the new standard will cost $19 billion to $90 billion a year by 2020, to be largely be borne by manufacturers, oil refiners and utilities. But the agency said that those costs would be offset by the benefits to human health, which it valued at $13 billion to $100 billion a year in the same period.  For more information check out the article in the New York Times:  http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/07/us/AP-US-EPA-Smog.html

Bay Area AQMD to Vote on GHG Reduction Standards The Bay Area's air quality agency will vote in April on groundbreaking standards that would halve the emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants generated associated with new development projects. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District's guidelines are intended to help local agencies evaluate, measure and mitigate the effect of land development, construction and operation activities on air quality. They cover criteria air pollutants such as nitrous oxide and particulate matter, toxic air contaminants and greenhouse gases.  For greenhouse gases, the proposed threshold above which projects would have to mitigate their emissions would be 10,000 metric tons per year for stationary sources, and 1,100 tons of CO2 equivalent for non-stationary sources, such as housing and mixed-use developments. There is also a per-person threshold for developments of 4.6 tons per resident or employee.  For more information on this development go to http://www.baaqmd.gov/.

EPA Construction Stormwater Rule Effective February 1, 2010   EPA has issued a long-awaited final stormwater rule, impacting nearly every construction and development project in the United States. The rule, published in the Federal Register on December 1, 2009, for the first time imposes an enforceable numeric limit on stormwater discharges from large construction sites, requires monitoring to ensure compliance with the numeric limit, and requires nearly all construction sites to implement a range of erosion and sediment controls and pollution prevention measures. While the non-numeric effluent limitations will apply to every construction site over one acre when the rule takes effect on February 1, 2010, the numeric limit and associated monitoring requirements applicable to large sites will be phased in over four years.  For more information, visit the Marten Law Group's website at http://www.martenlaw.com/news/.

COURT ORDERS CLOSER LOOK AT HUMAN COST OF PROTECTING ENDANGERED FISH  U.S. District Court Judge Oliver Wanger has ordered the Bureau of Reclamation (“Reclamation”) to analyze the impacts on the human environment of water diversions meant to protect the delta smelt, a tiny fish found only in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary that is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (the “ESA”).[1] Combined with a three-year drought in California, plaintiffs allege that the water restrictions have had adverse economic and environmental consequences throughout the state. Addressing claims related to the Central Valley Project and State Water Project (the “Projects”) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the court ruled in favor of plaintiff water districts and against defendant-intervenor environmental groups. In re Delta Smelt Consolidated Cases.  (Excerpted from the Marten Law Group News Letter - to view the whole article, please go to Marten Law or go to: http://www.martenlaw.com/news/?20100106-protecting-endangered-fish

DTSC's REA E-Newsletter Available Here  The California DTSC has just published its December/January REA E-Newsletter.  Even if you're not an REA there's lots of great information available.  The newsletter provides information on currently available courses, DTSC job postings, future Webcasts, air, waste, water and pesticide issues.  If you haven't looked at this copy yet just click on the above link to view it!

GHG Emissions Reporting Confusion  Federal Register on October 20, 2009. Over 10,000 facilities in the United States and its territories will be required to report their GHG emissions to EPA by March 31, 2011 for reporting year 2010. Currently, the EPA rule covers 31 emission source categories that emit over 25,000 metric tonnes (MT) of CO2e/year. (EPA is still considering another 11 source categories.) Facilities need to have their measurement systems in place and begin collecting data by January 1, 2010 unless they request and obtain a written extension from EPA. This new program is substantially different from other GHG mandatory reporting programs such as California's AB 32 and Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (http://www.rggi.org/home). Some of the differences between mandatory GHG reporting under AB 32 and EPA's new rule are summarized in the table below. Requirement EPA Mandatory GHG Reporting Rule GHG Mandatory Reporting under California's AB 32 Number of Affected Facilities >10,000 600 - 800 First Reporting Year 2010 2008 Annual Deadline for Previous Reporting Year March 31st April 1st or June 1st (depends on sector) Number of Emission Source Categories 31 (current) 11 (additional under consideration) 4 Verification EPA staff 3rd party verifiers accredited by ARB Verification Deadline None October 1st or December 1st depending on sector

Here's an interesting perspective ....does it make a difference?  Judge for yourself ...

     

For the latest news on what's happening regarding climate change, visit A&WMA's Climate Change Resource Center!  Click on the link below...

EPA Adopts Final GHG Mandatory Reporting Rule  The USEPA has adopted its final rule on the reporting of Greenhouse Gasses from "large" sources. In response to the FY2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 2764; Public Law 110–161), EPA has issued the Final Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule. The rule requires reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from large sources and suppliers in the United States, and is intended to collect accurate and timely emissions data to inform future policy decisions.  Under the rule, suppliers of fossil fuels or industrial greenhouse gases, manufacturers of vehicles and engines, and facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons or more per year of GHG emissions are required to submit annual reports to EPA. The gases covered by the proposed rule are carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC, perfluorocarbons (PFC), sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), and other fluorinated gases including nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃) and hydrofluorinated ethers (HFE).  The final rule was signed by the Administrator on September 22, 2009.  For more information take a look at EPA's News Release. 
 

NEW A&WMA Fact Sheet (Dispersion Modeling)   From time to time, A&WMA (National) publishes Fact Sheets that provide useful information in "layman's" terms that discuss various aspects of environmental issues.  The sheet we are posting here is about DISPERSION MODELING and provides lots of information about how dispersion modeling is done, what the results tell us and how the information can be beneficial to project designers, regulators and the public.  If you're interested in a "nuts and bolts" approach in "layman's" terms - this might answer some of your questions!  Check it out at this link....AIR DISPERSION MODELING or go to: http://www.awma.org/files/education/air_dispersion.pdf

Appeals Court Rules in Favor of SJVAPCD on Rule 9510 Case  An appeals court has validated the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District's pioneering regulation requiring that new developments in the Valley air basin contain air-mitigation measures.  The Fifth District Court of Appeals in Fresno affirmed a landmark 2008 decision by the Fresno County Superior Court which ruled in favor of the District in a challenge by developers to District Rule 9510. Also called Indirect Source Review, the rule was adopted in December 2005 and establishes development fees for air-pollution mitigation.

The lawsuit claimed that the District had no authority to regulate development and impose fees, and amounted to a tax under Proposition 13. It was filed in June 2006 by the California Building Industry Association.  To read more about the judgment go to the District's web page.

Employment Opportunities    If you're looking for a job in the environmental field, look no further.  A&WMA's Career Center is a new online resource for job seekers in the environmental professions.  And if you're looking for qualified environmental professionals to fill a job vacancy, we can help there, too. The A&WMA Career Center provides job seekers with free and confidential resume posting and many other benefits.  Employers get access to one of the largest audiences of qualified environmental professionals.  Be one of the first to take advantage of this new service! Visit the A&WMA Career Center today to post your resume or job listings. 

Is A&WMA Membership in Your Future?   A membership in A&WMA can prove to be a real enhancement to you personally and to your career.  If you aren't a member of A&WMA at either the Chapter or the National level - why not consider joining today?!!  Membership comes with many benefits - and there are even more being planned for YOU right now!  To learn more about what A&WMA membership has to offer you, take a few minutes to view our PowerPoint slide show titled A Partner In Your Success!   Then simply click on the MEMBERSHIP tab to join us!    
 

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MONTH'S EM MAGAZINE!  EM Celebrates over 10 years of helping environmental professionals - preview a copy today.  Just click on the cover to the left! A free subscription to EM or to A&WMA's Journal (a $49/year value) is available to all Chapter members who are National members as well.  To learn more about membership and its benefits, just go to the MEMBERSHIP tab.

The A&WMA Journal is available to all Chapter members who are National members as well.  To learn more about membership and its benefits, just go to the MEMBERSHIP tab.

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