District Facility Emission Inventories
One
of the role of the District is to collect data on the emissions of pollutants
primarily from facilities (e.g. stationary sources) from within the District boundaries.
General emission inventory data is accessible to the public on the California Air Resources Board
(CARB) website as a part of the
Community Health Air Pollution Information System (CHAPIS). The air pollutant
emission information contained in CHAPIS is provided for general informational purposes. The development
of the information used in CHAPIS was a joint effort between the ARB and the State's 35 local air
pollution control or air quality management districts. Districts like the NCUAQMD provide the data
for facilities in their jurisdiction. Please consult your local air district for the most recent data
available for specific facilities. ARB should be contacted regarding mobile source emissions.
There
are two classifications of pollutants: criteria pollutants and those termed toxic pollutants. The
criteria pollutants are: carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, ozone, sulfur oxides
and lead; all of which have health protective standards established by both the Federal EPA and
the California Air Resources Board.
The
toxic pollutants, called Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) at the federal level and Toxic Air Contaminants (TACs)
at the State level, are monitored and their emissions governed by several regulations. These requirements
are usually contained in District air quality permits for facilities (stationary sources) of emissions.
In
1987, the Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Information and Assessment Act was enacted which requires stationary sources of
emissions to report the types and quantities of certain substances routinely released into the air. The goals of the
Air Toxics "Hot Spots" Act are to collect emission data, to identify facilities having localized impacts,
to ascertain health risks, to notify nearby residents of significant risks, and to reduce those significant
risks to acceptable levels. A more general overview of the Act, including information links to related legislation
are available on the
California Air Resources Board's "Hot Spots" webpage.
If you have any questions about the emission inventory with the District, please
contact the District staff at (707) 443-3093 or
support@ncuaqmd.org.