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Region 9:
Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands
For
EPA related news and events in Region 9,
click
here.
California
JANUARY 2010
EPA Mandates SIP
Revisions
On January 6, EPA ordered California to submit SIP revisions for three ozone
nonattainment areas to include language for assessing and collecting penalty
fees under section 185 of the Clean Air Act. These areas include:
-
Sacramento
Metro Area, CA (Severe-15)
– Yolo/Solano Air Quality Management District portion; Feather River Air
Quality Management District portion; Placer County Air Pollution Control
District portion; El Dorado County Air Quality Management District portion.
-
Southeast
Desert Modified Air Quality Management Association (Severe-17)
- Includes
Coachella Valley
-
Los
Angeles-South Coast Air Basin (Extreme)
JULY 2009
EPA Grants California’s
Waiver Request
On July 8, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted California Air
Resources Board’s (CARB) waiver request to enforce a regulation designed to
control greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from motor vehicles. Standards will
apply beginning with model years 2010. This decision replaces EPA’s prior
denial of CARB’s December 21, 2005 waiver request, which was published in the
Federal Register on March 6, 2008. For more information,
click
here.
In addition to enforcing
tailpipe emission standards, CARB is considering lowering the GHG reporting
threshold from 25,000 metric tons to 10,000 metric tons for industrial
facilities. Currently, the state legislature is debating a bill, the
Global Warming
Solutions Act (AB32), which calls for the reduction of greenhouse
gas emissions in California to 1990 levels by 2020, and by 80 percent by 2050.
If enacted, AB32 could serve as a precursor to what burdens may come under a
nationwide cap and trade program.
FEBRUARY 2009
EPA Revisits
California Waiver Decision
EPA will reconsider its decision denying California permission to set standards
controlling greenhouse gases from motor vehicles. The waiver request was made
to allow the state the right to control greenhouse gas emissions from motor
vehicles. EPA initially denied the request on March 6, 2008, however on January
26, 2009, President Barak Obama requested that EPA revisit the matter of the
denial. EPA will issue a request for public comment in February 2009 and will
hold a hearing on the issue in March 2009.
JANUARY 2009
California Prepares
to Enforce CAA 185 Provisions
EPA has confirmed that California is in the process of submitting revisions to
its State Implementation Plan to include language for the collection of CAA 185
fees from major sources in several regions, including:
-
South Coast Air
Quality Management District
-
San Joaquin
Valley
-
Sacramento
Metro
-
Los Angeles
South Coast Air Basin
-
Southeast
Desert Modified Air Quality Management Area
These revisions are
under review, and a decision from EPA is expected sometime this year.
AUGUST 2007
California
Board Adopts 10 Percent Ethanol Rule
California’s Air Resources Board has adopted a resolution stating that all
refineries producing gas sold in California will have to blend 10 percent
ethanol into their gas, to coincide with new fuel standards set by Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger that will take effect in late 2009. Analysts predict the
ruling might nearly double the demand for biofuel in California. In 2006, the
state consumed nearly one-fifth of all ethanol sold in the U.S. (Wisconsin
Ag Connection, August 8, 2007)
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