P UBLIC H EARING : P ROPOSED A MENDMENTS TO R ULE 444 O PEN B URNING - - PDF document

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Oct 19, 2022 225 likes •340 views

7/12/2013 P UBLIC H EARING : P ROPOSED A MENDMENTS TO R ULE 444 O PEN B URNING Governing Board Meeting July 12, 2013 B ACKGROUND Newport Beach request to the Coastal Commission to remove fire rings Commission staff cited exemption in

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PUBLIC HEARING: PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO RULE 444 – OPEN BURNING

Governing Board Meeting July 12, 2013

BACKGROUND

Newport Beach request to the Coastal

Commission to remove fire rings

Commission staff cited exemption in SCAQMD

rules as a justification to deny request

“AQMD’s Rule 445 specifically exempts beach fire rings…from its restrictions.” “…AQMD has excluded beach fire pits from its air quality control program.” “…the City is not under any order to remove their fire pits to meet any requirement of any air pollution control district.”

SCAQMD schedule driven by Coastal

Commission’s hearing date pursuant to the permit streamlining act

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AGENCY POSITIONS ON WOOD SMOKE

 California Air Resources Board

“Wood smoke a serious threat to public health”

“Aggravates lung and heart disease” “Can cause 10% increase in children's hospital admissions for respiratory symptoms”

 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

“Wood smoke can affect everyone” “Children, persons with existing health conditions most vulnerable” “Health risks can be reduced by switching to gaseous fuels”

WOOD SMOKE

Particulates primarily in <PM2.5 size range
Source of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs)

Toxic Compound Wood Smoke Cigarettes Multiple PAHs, including Benzo(a)pyrene

 

Benzene

 

Formaldehyde

 

Ultrafine Particles

 

PM2.5

 

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FIRE RING EMISSION RATE

Number of Fire rings PM2.5 Emission Rate Equivalent to

ne fire ring

Three 2013 fleet average diesel trucks

ne fire ring

Second hand smoke from 800 cigarettes ~275 fire rings Current Huntington Beach AES power plant ~30 fire rings Average large south coast refinery (FCCU only) ~17 fire rings Average of recent unplanned refinery flaring events

POTENTIAL HEALTH IMPACTS

Beach Fire Rings
Approximately 765 along public

coastline

High utilization, seasonal basis
Some in close proximity to residences
Other materials being burned
Coastal Air Monitoring
Fire ring wood smoke impacting

beach areas and extends into communities

1-hour average PM2.5 concentrations

can exceed public health guidance levels

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BALBOA BEACH

700 Foot Buffer

PM2.5 Monitor 7

BALBOA BEACH PM2.5 HOURLY AVERAGE TIME SERIES

USG = Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Unhealthy – “consider canceling public events, based on public health and travel considerations”

50 100 150 200 250

4/3/13 0:00 4/4/13 0:00 4/5/13 0:00 4/6/13 0:00 4/7/13 0:00 4/8/13 0:00 4/9/13 0:00 4/10/13 0:00 4/11/13 0:00 4/12/13 0:00 4/13/13 0:00 4/14/13 0:00 4/15/13 0:00 4/16/13 0:00 4/17/13 0:00 4/18/13 0:00 4/19/13 0:00 4/20/13 0:00 4/21/13 0:00 4/22/13 0:00 4/23/13 0:00 4/24/13 0:00 4/25/13 0:00 4/26/13 0:00 4/27/13 0:00 4/28/13 0:00 4/29/13 0:00 4/30/13 0:00 5/1/13 0:00 5/2/13 0:00 5/3/13 0:00 5/4/13 0:00 5/5/13 0:00 5/6/13 0:00 5/7/13 0:00 5/8/13 0:00 5/9/13 0:00 5/10/13 0:00 5/11/13 0:00 5/12/13 0:00 5/13/13 0:00 5/14/13 0:00 5/15/13 0:00 5/16/13 0:00 5/17/13 0:00 5/18/13 0:00 5/19/13 0:00 5/20/13 0:00 5/21/13 0:00 5/22/13 0:00 5/23/13 0:00 5/24/13 0:00 5/25/13 0:00 5/26/13 0:00 5/27/13 0:00 5/28/13 0:00 5/29/13 0:00 5/30/13 0:00 5/31/13 0:00 6/1/13 0:00 6/2/13 0:00 6/3/13 0:00 6/4/13 0:00 6/5/13 0:00

Hourly Average PM2.5 (ug/m3) Date/Time

Balboa Beach PM2.5 (ug/m3) USG 1 to 3 hour (ug/m3) Unhealthy 1 to 3 hour (ug/m3) 8

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7/12/2013 5 MAXIMUM HOURLY PM2.5 CONCENTRATION COMPARISON

100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 Station Fire (2009) July 4th, 2012 South Coast Basin (2012) Huntington Beach Corona del Mar Balboa Beach

Maximum Hourly PM2.5 Concentration (ug/m3)

USG = Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Unhealthy – “consider canceling public events, based on public health and travel considerations”

Typical pallet and fire lighter in fire ring. Aliso Beach Park (3/17/13) Trash and aluminum soda cans. Huntington State Beach (3/16/13) Burnt nails from pallets and construction materials. Balboa Pier (3/17/13)

Burning particle board and furniture in a fire ring. Dockweiler State Beach (3/16/13).

Plastic, aluminum wrap, and paper burnt at Bolsa Chica State Beach (03/16/13).

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INITIAL PROPOSAL

Prohibit beach fire rings at all public beaches

and coastal areas

Initial comments and suggestions  Not a significant source of pollution  Leave decision to locality  Low cost recreation  Source of revenue for beach communities  Neighbors and visitors concerned with wood smoke

exposure and health effects

 Consider buffer zones to reduce exposure  Consider reducing, moving or spreading out fire rings  Potential no-burn days

REVISED PROPOSAL

Based on public input, revised proposal

√Allows beach fire rings with buffer zones and

spacing requirements

√Strengthens local authority √Clarifies applicability (devices only on sand, not

camping areas)

√Establishes no-burn days during PM2.5 episodes

Effective date: March 2014

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LIKELY EFFECTS

Los Angeles County: no net change,

Cabrillo Beach rings may need to be spaced

Orange County:
90% of fire rings unaffected
Most of the 10% remaining within 700 feet can likely be

retained if moved or spaced out

Impacts from local nuisance declarations unknown,

but local authority strengthened

Very few coastal no-burn days anticipated (1 in past

3 years, in the winter season)

REMAINING COMMENTS

 Local control – no AQMD restrictions  Prohibit all wood burning at beaches due to health

impacts

 Questioning basis for buffer and spacing distances  Questioning whether fire ring activity is the source of

elevated PM2.5 monitoring results

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RESPONSE – BUFFER AND SPACING

Buffer Size
Fire rings outside 700 foot buffer from residences can remain
700 foot buffer based on modeling results showing 98%

exposure reduction between 25 and 700 feet distance

One-hour PM2.5 concentrations above guidance levels
bserved beyond 700 feet
Minimum Spacing Distance (only applies within

700 feet)

Typical current spacing 40-60 feet
100 foot spacing would reduce ring density and localized

concentrations by 50-75%

50 foot spacing allowed if small number of rings on the beach

(15 or less)

RESPONSE – SOURCE OF PM2.5

Multiple analyses confirm that the short-term

elevated PM2.5 levels are caused by wood smoke from the fire ring activity  Gradients  Time-of-Day  Day-of-Week  Combustion signatures  Three independent chemical wood smoke indicators  Visual and odor observations

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HUNTINGTON BEACH: 6/22/13 ORGANIC SOURCE MARKERS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0500 to 1700 1700 to 2300 2300 to 0500 Relative Ratio to 0500 to 1700 Concentration Vehicle Combustion (Hopanes) Meat Grilling (Cholesterol) Wood Smoke (Cellusose Combustion - Levoglucosan and Mannosan) 20 40 60 80 100 120

0500 to 1700 1700 to 2300 2300 to 0500

ug/m3 PM10

(Cellulose

ADOPTION RESOLUTION

Direct SCAQMD staff :

Work cooperatively with potentially impacted

jurisdictions and state parks in development of education, outreach, and alternative fuel demonstration programs pertaining to beach burning

Any future efforts addressing wood smoke exposure

from the use of public fire rings be based on non-regulatory approaches, such as increased education, outreach, and voluntary use of alternative fuel devices

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