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California Environmental Protection Agency. Air Resources Board. California’s Smoke Management Program. Presentation Overview. California Health and Safety Code Smoke Management Guidelines Burner/ARB/Air District Communication Burn Authorization Process Alternatives to Burning.
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California Environmental Protection Agency Air Resources Board California’s Smoke Management Program
Presentation Overview • California Health and Safety Code • Smoke Management Guidelines • Burner/ARB/Air District Communication • Burn Authorization Process • Alternatives to Burning
U.S. EPA Certified Program • California’s Smoke Management Program meets the 7 program elements described in the Interim Air Quality Policy on Wildland and Prescribed Fires (April, 1998) • U.S. EPA approval in August, 2003
Legislative Authority • AB 16, Statutes of 1970 directed ARB to establish guidelines for the control of agricultural burning • Rice Straw Burning Reduction Act – AB 1378, Statutes of 1991 • San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Burn Phase-Down SB 705, Statutes of 2003
Sacramento Valley Air Basin Rice Straw Phase-Down • 1991 Legislative Mandate • Prohibits Burning Rice Straw in Sac Valley • Permits to Burn Allowed Only for Disease Control • 25% of grower’s planted acres • Up to 125,000 acres basin-wide
San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Burn Phase-Down • Prohibits Burning of: • 2005 – Field crops, pruning, and weed abatement • 2007 – Orchard removals • 2010 – Vineyard Removals, Surface-Harvested Prunings • Permits to Burn Allowed Only for Disease Control
Smoke Management Guidelines(CCR Title 17) • Enhanced Smoke Management Though Improved Planning and Communication • Help Minimize Smoke Impacts • Allow for More Burn Opportunities • Requirements for: • Use of an air district burn authorization system • Provision for “Marginal” burn day determination • Burn Registration • Smoke management plans • Consideration of Burn Alternatives
Communication • U.S. EPA -- Federal Air Quality Managers • ARB -- State Air Quality Managers • Air Districts -- Local Air Quality Managers • GACC-- Federal Weather Forecasters • Other Air Quality/Meteorology Resources • Land/Fire Managers • Wildlands • Agricultural
Air District Programs Smoke Management Guidelines • Each air district shall adopt, implement, and enforce a smoke management program consistent with the Guidelines • Air District submittals due by Dec. 31, 2001 • As of February 3, 2005, ARB has approved 28 Air District programs • Electronic version of programs at:www.arb.ca.gov/smp/district/adstat.htm
Burn Authorization Process • Burn Must be Registered with the district • Approved Smoke Management Plan (SMP) and Permit Required • May Request ARB Burn Day Forecast -- CB3 • 96-hour Outlook • 72-hour Trend • 48-hour Forecast • Daily Burn Forecast Conference Call • ARB 24-hour Basin Burn Day Determination • Air District 24-hour Burn Authorization
Burn Determination • ARB makes Burn/No-Burn Determinations for each air basin statewide • Determinations based on air quality and meteorology • Tools include Satellite Images, Surface and Upper Air Observations, Model Forecasts
Burn Registration • Required for All Prescribed Burns • Initiates Smoke Planning Process • Allows for Cataloguing of Planned Burns • Most DistrictsRequest6 Months in Advance • Many Air Districts do Annual or Semi-Annual Registration Meeting
Smoke Management Plan Elements Tiered Planning/Reporting System: • 10 Acres or Under 1 Ton Particulate Need Only Register Burn (May need to address Impacts on Smoke Sensitive Areas) • Burns with Potential Smoke Impacts – Must Address Smoke Sensitive Areas, Project Monitoring Considerations, and Potential Multi-day Burn Coordination • Burns Over 10 acres or 1 ton particulate – Must Complete Simplified Smoke Management Plan (SMP) • 100 acres or over or more than 10 tons particulate must complete more comprehensive SMP • Projects over 250 acres require Project Monitoring Considerations and Post-burn Evaluation • Wildland Fire Use fires Must Submit SMP Within 72 Hours to Air District (Based on Expected Total Burn Area)
Consideration ofAlternatives to Burning • Non-burn Alternatives • Hand Thinning • Mechanical Treatments, Chipping • Goats • Alternatives End Uses • Building Products • Landscape Materials • Energy Production
WFU Protocol • Wildland Fire Use Coordination and Communication Protocol – July 2004 • Framework to minimize smoke impacts from naturally ignited wildland fires managed for resource benefit • WFUs greater than 10 acres must submit an SMP within 72 hours • Air district notified if WFU exceeds 100 acres or 250 acres within 24 hours
California Smoke Management Program ARB Smoke Management Web Page www.arb.ca.gov/smp/smp.htm ARB Meteorology Desk (916) 322-6014 Jill Glass jglass@arb.ca.gov (916) 322-6161