Air Quality CEQA Review

Update June 10, 2010: The Amendments to Indirect Source Review Guidelines were adopted by the FRAQMD Board of Directors on June 7, 2010.  All CEQA environmental analysis may utilized the ISR Guidelines below.

Download entire document here

            Or download each chapter individually:

             Title Page and Chapter 1

             Chapter 2 Introduction

             Chapter 3 Thresholds of Significance

             Chapter 4 Construction Generated Emissions

             Chapter 5 Operational Emissions

             Chapter 6 Toxic Air Contaminants

             Chapter 7 Odors

             Chapter 8 Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change

             Chapter 9 Permitted Sources

             Chapter 10 District Rules Applicable to Indirect Sources

             Chapter 11 NEPA and Conformity Thresholds

             Chapter 12 Program Level Analysis-General/Area Plans

             Chapter 13 Mitigation Measures

             Appendix A National and State AAQS

             Appendix B Online Resources and Publications for Land Use Planning

             Appendix C Best Available Mitigation Measures for Operational Phase

             Appendix D Environmental Checklist Form, State CEQA Guidelines Appendix G

 

 

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA; CEQA FAQs) requires public agencies to take responsibility for protecting the environment.  The general public and responsible/commenting agencies such as the air district are provided an opportunity to review and submit comments pertaining to the project to the Lead Agency (typically the city or county planning agency; community development; community services department) prior to project approval by their governing board.  In regulating public or private projects, agencies are expected to avoid or minimize environmental damage especially impacts to the health of its citizens. The purpose of an environmental review is to identify the significant effects of a project on the environment, identify alternatives to the project, and indicate the manner in which significant impacts can be mitigated or avoided. To this end, the District developed Indirect Source Review Guidelines to serve as a resources to lead agencies in order to estimate project air pollutant emissions, identify a project's air quality significant effects, and select the best available mitigation measures designed to avoid or reduce the air quality environmental impacts of transportation and land-use activities.

 

State and National Ambient Air Quality Standards (AAQS) Designations:

The District has several different planning areas.  All of the areas use the same Indirect Source Review Guidelines (top of page) and the same Thresholds of Significance.  For NEPA assessments, general conformity thresholds and de minis thresholds vary depending on the NAAQS 8-hour designations. See Area Designations here.

 

Standard Mitigation for All Projects within Yuba and Sutter Counties:

The District requires that all projects implement Standard Construction Phase Mitigation Measures, submit a completed Fugitive Dust Control Plan prior to beginning work, and review the State and Local Laws Applicable to Fugitive Dust.

-Fugitive Dust Control Plan

-Standard Construction Phase Mitigation Measures

-State and Local Laws Applicable to Fugitive Dust

 

Best Available Mitigation Measures (BAMM) list (MS Excel 2002 or Adobe PDF)

 

Information on Biogenic Emissions and Landscaping and Air Quality

 

The URBan EMISsions (URBEMIS) model is available for download.  This model should be used to calculated emissions from Type I (operational and construction phase) projects.

The Roadway Construction Emissions Model (in MS Excel - 1.8 Mb) is available at the SMAQMD web site to assist Type II (construction phase only) project proponents with determining the emission impacts of their projects.

 

 

If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people. - Chinese Proverb