Air Resources Board Improves Criteria Pollutant Regulation
In the final version of the criteria pollutant regulation recently released, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) improved its mandatory reporting rule for criteria pollutants. Food processors in the cap and trade program must continue to comply with reporting requirements. However, in the final regulation, most commodity dryers, mid-sized family farms, and production agriculture should not have to report criteria pollutant emissions at this time. As background, criteria pollutants include: ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide and other emissions.
Ag Council partnered with California Farm Bureau Federation staff to lead a coalition to advocate for this significant change to the rule.
In the previous version of the rule, CARB went beyond the original intent of the statute by reducing the threshold for reporting from 250 tons of criteria pollutant emissions to 4 tons. At 4 tons, most mid-sized family farms and all dairies would have to report their emissions to CARB. After discussions with CARB officials, the final regulation now reflects the original reporting threshold requirement in the statute of 250 tons and clarifies that fugitive emissions are excluded from the regulation. Reported emissions under this regulation will be disclosed on a map on the CARB website in the future.
CARB intends to have a deeper discussion on the 250 ton threshold to determine whether or not to lower it in future months. Ag Council remains engaged on this issue as an updated rule is expected to be considered in the spring of 2020.
Background on this regulation can be found in a previous Capitol Farm Connection podcast available HERE.