NEW SCAQMD RULE FOR DIESEL GENERATORS

In June of 2003, the South Coast Air Quality Management District directed its staff to provide health protection to schools located near diesel engines. The staff proposed Rule 1470 (Control of Emissions from Diesel-Fueled Internal Combustion Engines) in response to the Board’s directive. The rule will apply to stationary compression ignition engines, defined as engines that remain in one location for twelve months or longer. District staff estimates that there are approximately 7,800 stationary engines at 4,900 facilities in AQMD’s jurisdiction. Of these engines, 250 are prime engines (used for non-emergency operations such as compressors, cranes, rock crushers and agricultural irrigation). The remaining engines, making up 97% of the total, are emergency engines (e.g., sewage disposal, lighting, ventilation, hospital and convalescent facility medical support systems). The SCAQMD estimates that the changes will impact 180 to 1,100 engines located on school grounds or within 100 meters from existing schools. This represents 125 to 750 facilities. SCAQMD staff reports that the geocodes used to determine engine location do not allow for precise pinpointing of either engine locations or school boundaries. Thus, a broad range of potentially impacted facilities and equipment was used.

In 1998, the California Air Resources Board identified diesel particulate matter as a Toxic Air Contaminant.
In addition, in 2001, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment identified diesel particulate as one of the Toxic Air Contaminants that may cause infants and children to be more susceptible to illness. As part of implementing the Diesel Risk Reduction Plan, the ARB adopted an Air Toxics Control Measure to reduce diesel PM emissions from stationary diesel engines. Rule 1470 incorporates newly adopted state requirements (see article on ARB’s Air Toxics Control Measure) and establishes more stringent requirements for stationary diesel-fueled (emergency & prime) engines located on school grounds or within 100 meters or less from existing schools.

Rule 1470 was adopted by the AQMD Board on April 2, 2004. A summary of key Rule 1470 requirements follows:

New Emergency stand-by diesel-fueled compression ignition engines >50 brake horsepower-hour:

• Engines located 100 meters or less from a school, are not allowed to operate for non-emergency use (including testing and maintenance) From 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. This operating restriction will become effective in June 2004.
• Sales or operation of diesel engines located 100 meters or less from schools existing as of April 2004, are prohibited unless: 1) the engine meets a 0.01 gram/bhp-hr PM standard and operates 100 hours per year or less for maintenance and equipment testing; emergency use and emission testing not included 2) the engine must meet hydrocarbon, NOx and CO standards for off-road engines of the same model year and horsepower rating specified in the Off-Road Compression Ignition Engine Standards; or if no standards have been established, the engine must meet the Tier I standards in Title 13 CCR section 2423 for off-road engines of the same horsepower rating, irrespective of the new engine’s model year.
• Emergency engines used for public services that are remotely located are exempt so long as: 1) the engine or engine block is located more than one mile from any onsite home, school, daycare center, nursing home, and/or hospital and 2) the cumulative impacts of emissions from all such engines or engine blocks within a one-mile radius results in a prioritization score of less than 1, or a carcinogenic risk of less than one in one million and a Hazard Index of less than 0.1.

In-Use Emergency Standby Diesel-Fueled Compression Ignition Engines > 50 bhp

• Engines located 100 meters or less from a school, are not allowed to operate for non-emergency use (including testing and maintenance) when school activities are taking place. This operating restriction will become effective two months after rule adoption.
• Diesel emergency engines sited on school property or within 100 meters of schools existing as of April 2004 and certified in accordance with the Off-Road Compression Ignition Engine Standards must choose one of two options: 1) reduce the diesel PM emission rate by at least 85 percent from baseline level and operate 75 hours per year or less for maintenance and testing [by January 1, 2006 through January 1, 2009 as specified in the applicable subdivision (e) compliance schedule] or 2) emit diesel PM at a rate less than or equal to 0.01 gram/bhp-hr and operate 100 hours per year or less for maintenance and testing [by January 1, 2006 through January 1, 2009 as specified in the applicable subdivision (e) compliance schedule].
• Diesel emergency engines sited on school property or within 100 meters of schools existing as of April 2004 and not certified in accordance with the Off-Road Compression Ignition Engine Standards shall comply with either Option 1, Option 2 (see above) or Option 3) reduce the diesel PM emission rate by at least 30 percent from the baseline level and operate 20 hours per year or less for maintenance and testing, no later than January 1, 2006 and emit diesel PM at a rate of 0.01 g/bhp-hr or less and operate 100 hours per year or less for maintenance and testing by no later than July 1, 2011.
• Emergency engines used for public services that are remotely located are exempt so long as 1) the engine or engine block is located more than one mile from any onsite home, school, daycare center, nursing home, and/or hospital and 2) the cumulative impacts of emissions from all such engines or engine blocks within a one-mile radius results in a prioritization score of less than 1, or a carcinogenic risk of less than one in one million and a Hazard Index of less than 0.1.
• Clean fuels (natural gas, methanol, or liquefied natural gas) shall be required if the fuel is determined to be available and accessible.
• Engines that will comply solely by reducing operating hours must do so by January 1, 2006.

The following table shows some alternative control strategies identified by SCAQMD:

Table 1. Diesel Control Strategies

The additional stringency for engines within 100 meters of schools (using as an example a 500 bhp engine operating 100 hours per year) is expected to reduce 40 to 60 pounds of uncontrolled emissions down to 1 pound after control. The estimated cost of compliance with the SCAQMD requirements for engines located near schools ranges from $0.6 million to $13 million (combined total cost of implementing the rule).

* ARB estimates that the cost of a new diesel generator is $93 per horsepower

ARB ADOPTS AIRBORNE TOXICS CONTROL MEASURE FOR STATIONARY DIESEL ENGINES

On February 26th of this year the California Air Resources board adopted an Airborne Toxics Control Measure for stationary compression-ignition engines. The ATCM applies to engines greater than 50 brake horsepower. The ATCM requires the use of CARB diesel, alternative fuel and/or CARB additives effective January 1, 2005.
Engines located on school grounds are not to operate the equipment for non-emergency operation (testing & maintenance) when school activities are taking place. The following tables summarize some of the ATCM requirements.

Table 2. ATCM Requirements for New Emergency Engines:

Table 3. ATCM Requirements for In-Use Emergency Engines:

Table 4. Requirements for Prime Engines

Table 5. ATCM Requirements for Engines participating in Demand Reduction Programs

Table 6. Rule 1470 Requirements for emergency engines participating in Demand Reduction Programs