Two Public Notices Currently Accepting Public Comment: Exceptional Event Demonstrations for 2020 and 2021 Wildfire Smoke Impacts and Yuba City-Marysville Second Maintenance Plan for the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS.

Exceptional Event Demonstrations for 2020 and 2021 Wildfire Smoke Impacts

The Feather River Air Quality Management District is accepting public comments on the 2020 and 2021 PM2.5 Exceptional Event Demonstrations for the Yuba City – Marysville area.  Unusually high PM2.5 concentrations were recorded in the summers of 2020 and 2021 that exceeded the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 national ambient air quality standard of 35 ug/m3 in the Yuba City – Marysville area.  The analysis and data presented in the Demonstrations show that the unusually high concentrations were from wildfire smoke and that without the impacts, the 2020 and 2021 design value would have been below the standard.

The District has prepared these Demonstrations with the assistance of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), for submittal to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).  The District will request that the USEPA concur that the Demonstrations support the flagging of PM2.5 exceedances in this area as exceptional events due to wildfire smoke impacts from numerous fires in the State of California in accordance with 40 CFR 50.14.

Comments on the Demonstrations can be submitted by mail to the District office addressed to: PM2.5 Maintenance Plan, FRAQMD, 541 Washington Avenue, Yuba City, CA 95991 or by email to sspaethe@fraqmd.org. 

The 30-day public comment period required by 40 CFR 50.14(c)(3)(v) will begin on February 15, 2023, and will end on March 17, 2023. 

Yuba City-Marysville Second Maintenance Plan for the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS

The District prepared a second maintenance plan, with assistance from CARB, to demonstrate maintenance of the 2006 PM2.5 24-hour NAAQS through 2035.  The Plan will be available for public review and comment beginning March 3, 2023, and a public hearing will be held on April 3, 2023.