Notices for New BACT Determinations

The public participation process in BACT determinations was enhanced to include technical review and comments by a focused Scientific Review Committee (SRC) at periodic intervals, prior to the updates of the South Coast AQMD BACT Guidelines. At the same time, a 30-day notice period has been established for the SRC and interested persons to review and comment on South Coast AQMD BACT determinations that result in BACT requirements that are more stringent than previously imposed BACT, the following are notices of new BACT determinations that are more stringent than prior BACT requirements by South Coast AQMD.

Recent BACT Notices:

The latest round of BACT Guideline updates were approved by the Board
on February 2, 2024.

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BACT SCIENTIFIC REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING

July 25, 2023 | 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

The Agenda and Presentation are available at
www.aqmd.gov/home/permits/bact/public-notices-docket

The Scientific Review Committee (SRC) was established as a standing committee by an action of the South Coast AQMD Governing Board in 9/8/95. The SRC was intended to enhance the public participation process with technical review and comments by a focused committee at periodic intervals, prior to the updates of the South Coast AQMD BACT Guidelines.  CARB and U.S. EPA Region IX were each asked to designate representatives to the committee, and neighboring San Diego APCD was invited to participate.  The balance of the committee was created by invitation of recognized experts from industry, consultants to industry, public utilities, suppliers of air pollution control equipment and environmental advocacy groups.  Whenever committee members are no longer able to participate or resign, South Coast AQMD seeks out an appropriate replacement to join the committee.  Committee members participate voluntarily and there is no specific number of members to make up the committee.

Overall Purpose of Scientific Review Committee (SRC)

1. Comment on proposed new & more stringent BACT determinations in permit applications under 30-day public review.

2. Comment on proposed BACT listings for BACT Guidelines updates (All Parts).

3. Except for above, purpose is not to comment on past permitting decisions or change them.

SRC Membership

Current SRC members are affiliated with the following organizations:

• U.S. EPA Region 9

• California Air Resources Board

• San Diego APCD

• Bay Area AQMD

• California Energy Commission

• Southern California Edison

• Southern California Gas

• Los Angeles County Sanitation District

• Los Angeles Department of Water & Power

• Orange County Sanitation District

• Western States Petroleum Association

• California Alliance of Small Business Associations 

• Natural Resources Defense Council

• UC Riverside

• UC Irvine

• Five (5) Environmental consultants

  View or Download Current SRC Membership List

Specific SRC Role

1. New & More Stringent BACT determinations under 30-day public review:

   1. Review and comment on the appropriateness of the proposed BACT determination within the 30-day comment period by e-mail/mail/fax.

   2. Permit issuance subject to South Coast AQMD rules/State law timelines.

2. Review of other Part B BACT listings:
   Staff commits to send new BACT listings to the SRC at least one week prior to the SRC meeting. There may be general discussion of the BACT listing at the first meeting, and the SRC and the public may send preliminary written comments on the BACT listing prior to the first meeting, as well as follow-up written comments within two weeks of the first meeting for staff to address. However, in order to allow staff time to research any issues raised about new BACT listings, staff will address any comments raised by the SRC or the public at the meeting following the one where the new BACT listing is introduced.

3. Review and comment on revisions to Part A –Policies and Procedures.

BACT SRC Charter

The BACT SRC Charter (PDF) details the goals and objective, composition and selection of the BACT SRC membership, desired qualifications of its membership and the operational guidelines for the BACT SRC.

South Coast AQMD Staff Role

1. BACT Team staff will present BACT forms and respond to questions received at the next SRC meeting.

2. Engineering & Permitting staff will respond to specific issues raised, if appropriate, at the next SRC meeting.

BACT Scientific Review Committee Meetings

• The BACT SRC meets periodically to introduce new BACT Guideline updates and to gather comments and feedback from committee members and the public.  Information on past meetings can be found here.