CARB Alters and Adds Stationary Source Emissions Measurements to Improve Local Air Pollution and Health

Emissions inventory data is critical to understanding the sources of emissions that may contribute to adverse health risks.

The California Air Resources Board has approved “significant changes to the requirements for reporting emissions from stationary sources to help communities assess air pollution at a local level.” It’s the latest step in CARB’s long-standing commitment to further reduce emissions of pollutants that cause smog as well as toxic air pollutants in communities.* The additional data collected is also required to support multiple state and federal programs, including regional air quality planning, toxics risk reduction and strategies to reduce criteria pollutants.

Once fully implemented, the amendments aim to create a unified reporting mechanism resulting in the most comprehensive emissions inventory programs in the nation. They also established expanded and consistent reporting applicability criteria that determines which facilities need to report their emissions data, CARB said.

“Emission inventories are the foundation of all CARB programs and a fundamental tool for understanding the sources that contribute to California’s air quality and climate challenges, especially in lower income communities of color which bear a disproportionate burden of exposure to toxic air contaminants,” Board Member John Balmes said. “The new toxics emissions inventory will increase the number of reportable emission-producing chemicals from approximately 450 to more than 1,300, over a phase-in period. The improved inventory will provide the evidence needed to focus policies on reducing hot spots of toxic emissions.”

* CARB developed the “Regulation for the Reporting of Criteria Air Pollutants and Toxic Air Contaminants” (or CTR) to implement statewide annual reporting of criteria air pollutant and toxic air contaminant emissions data from facilities. The reporting regulation became effective January 1, 2020. CTR supports the mandates of AB 617, AB 197, and AB 2588, and also continues California’s environmental leadership by establishing innovative new policies to improve many aspects of air quality including emission inventory. Emissions inventory data is critical to understanding the sources of emissions that may contribute to adverse health risks or other impacts at the local, regional, and statewide level.