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The AQMD requires the filing of an Annual Emissions Report and payment of
annual fees based on a facility's emission of air contaminants, as specified
in Rule 301, subdivision (e) and
paragraph (k)(10). Facilities required to file an annual emissions
report include the following:
- Every facility that has estimated annual emissions of four (4) or more
tons of sulfur oxides (SOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen
oxides (NOx), specific organics (SPOG), or particulate matter (PM), or
emissions of 100 tons per year or more of carbon monoxide (CO), or
emissions of specific Toxic Air Contaminants and Ozone Depleting Compounds
in excess of the thresholds listed in Table IV of Rule 301.
- Every facility subject to the AB2588 Program for reporting quadrennial
updates to its toxics emissions inventory (per
Health and Safety Code Section 44344).
- Every facility that receives an Annual Emissions Reporting package from
AQMD, regardless of the estimated annual emissions levels, even if no fees
are due, to update the facility's emissions records.
All facilities subject to AQMD Rule 301(e) (Annual Emissions Fee) must
report their annual emissions from all equipment and processes, regardless
of the quantities emitted. Facilities that meet the emission
thresholds given in the first bullet above are also required to pay
emission fees. It is each facility's responsibility to account for
all emissions whether or not the emitting equipment requires a permit.
It is the facility’s responsibility to utilize all available resources and
reference documents (such as District’s rules and guidelines, EPA’s AP-42, ARB’s reports, etc.) as necessary in quantifying
emissions.
Although default emission factors are available for some equipment and
materials, facilities are responsible for using valid emission factors that
most accurately represent their actual operations. For example, if a
facility uses lacquer and the volatile organic compound (VOC) content from the
label or MSDS for that lacquer is 1.5 lbs/gal, the facility should use 1.5
instead of the default factor of 2.3 in calculating emissions. Also, if
equipment complies with an equipment-specific rule, the rule emission limit
could be used in lieu of the default factor. Similarly, if an AQMD
pre-approved source test results in different emission factors for the
equipment, you should use the source test results in calculating emissions
from that equipment, regardless of whether the source test gives higher or
lower factors compared to the default factors. Default emission factors
are to be used only when source-specific data is not available.
The data collected by AER is used to
update the comprehensive emissions inventory for the AQMD, which
includes Orange County, the non-desert portions of Los Angeles and San
Bernardino counties, and the Riverside county areas west of the Palo
Verde Valley.
This annual emissions inventory of
pollutants and source categories is essential to effectively design and
evaluate clean air strategies to comply with state and federal public
health standards. The compiled inventory is published in each update of
the Air Quality Management Plan.
Annual emission fees are assessed on
sources which emit:
- Four tons or more per year of sulfur oxides (SOx),
volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxides (NOx), specific
organics, or particulate matter;
- 100 tons per year or more of carbon monoxide
(CO);
- In excess of the thresholds for specific toxic air
contaminants and ozone-depleting compounds listed in Table IV of
Rule 301.
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