RPM | REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES MANUAL

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    Title:

    Air Quality

    Publication date:

    9/13/2021

    Effective date:

    6/26/2013

    BRIEF

    Policy Summary

    The Air Quality Program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) ensures that operations emitting hazardous or regulated air pollutants are identified and controlled.

    Who Should Read This Policy

    Berkeley Lab employees, visitors, affiliates, and subcontractors whose work or operated equipment emits air pollutants

    To Read the Full Policy, Go To:

    The POLICY tab on this wiki page

    To Read the EHS Program Details, Go To:

    ES&H Manual Chapter 49

    Contact Information

    Air Quality: Environmental/Nonradioactive Subject Matter Expert
    EHS Division

    Title:

    Air Quality

    Publication date:

    9/13/2021

    Effective date:

    6/26/2013

    POLICY

    A. Purpose

    The Air Quality Program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) ensures that operations emitting hazardous or regulated air pollutants are identified and controlled.
    Permitted air-pollutant sources at Berkeley Lab include:

    • Asbestos projects described in work notifications to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD).
    • Boilers.
    • Diesel generators.
    • Off-road diesel vehicle use.
    • Fuel dispensing.
    • Greenhouse gases.
    • Large spark-ignition forklifts.
    • Paint spray booths.
    • Refrigerant equipment.
    • Sandblasting booths.
    • Soil vapor extraction operations.
    • Solvents for wipe-cleaning.
    • Sulfur hexafluoride.

    B. Persons Affected

    Berkeley Lab employees, visitors, affiliates, and subcontractors whose work or operated equipment emits air pollutants

    C. Exceptions

    Because Berkeley Lab is a research and development institution, laboratory space within any single building that does not exceed 25,000 square feet and have more than 50 fume hoods is exempt.

    D. Policy Statement

    This program addresses stationary and mobile air-pollution sources at Berkeley Lab's main site. Other off-site leased facilities are not covered, as Berkeley Lab does not own the regulated equipment (e.g., boilers, emergency generators, or asbestos demo or renovation operations). If operations emitting hazardous or regulated air pollutants are identified, a BAAQMD permit may be required (see Work Process B, Permits).

    E. Roles and Responsibilities

    Role

    Responsibilities

    Principal Investigators and Supervisors
    • Ensure that environmental laws, regulations, and policies are followed.
    • Request technical advice from the Environmental Services Group on environmental requirements and compliance strategies for their operations.
    • Provide training for employees in operational requirements for environmental protection, and maintain records of such training.
    • Ensure that activities are performed within acceptable operating standards and that any required records are current.
    • Notify the Environment, Health and Safety(EHS) Division immediately of any unplanned accidental releases.

    Employees
    • Follow applicable environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
    • Must be fully aware of the environmental impact of their activities, and comply with all requirements that govern those activities.
    • Adhere to all environmental requirements contained in Berkeley Lab air permits for their facility.
    • Perform activities within acceptable operating standards, and maintain current records whenever required.
    • Ensure that exposures of the public and the environment to radioactive emissions are kept as low as reasonably achievable.
    • Participate in energy-conservation, recycling, pollution-prevention, and waste-minimization programs.
    • Take immediate action to stop unplanned releases to the environment, and report all instances of unplanned environmental releases to the EHS Division.
    • Complete all required training provided by supervisors and the EHS Division.

    Environmental Services Group
    • Develops Laboratory policies and procedures to assure operations are conducted in an environmentally safe manner and in full compliance with all applicable environmental laws and regulations and Department of Energy (DOE) orders.
    • Prepares environmental compliance plans and reports as mandated by the California Air Resources Board and BAAQMD regulations and DOE orders.
    • Assesses current and planned Berkeley Lab programs, and helps define environmental protection compliance upgrades and corrective actions.
    • Identifies significant institutional environmental compliance issues, and develops cost-effective mechanisms for resolving them.
    • Manages the preparation, submittal, and renewal of air quality operating permits.
    • Monitors Laboratory air emissions and discharges to the environment to verify compliance with applicable regulations and permits.
    • Investigates reports of unplanned environmental release, and notifies federal, state, and local authorities in a timely manner, as required.
    • Coordinates and represents Berkeley Lab activities during environmental audits and inspections by regulatory agencies and the DOE.
    • Responds to information requests from the public.
    • Participates in DOE audits of off-site analytical laboratories to ensure the quality of analytical results received for environmental monitoring programs.

    F. Definitions

    Term

    Definition

    Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)

    The local agency responsible for regulating stationary sources of regulated or hazardous air pollutants in the San Francisco Bay Area

    CARB

    California Air Resources Board

    Emission

    Any filtered or unfiltered substance released to the air

    Hazardous air pollutant

    Any pollutant that is listed in Section 112(b) of the Clean Air Act

    Regulated air pollutants

    Pollutants for which standards have been promulgated under the authority of the Clean Air Act, and that include the classes of substances defined as nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, toxic air contaminants, or ozone-depleting substances

    United States Environmental Protection Agency

    A federal agency responsible for enforcing environmental laws.  In California, some of this responsibility is typically delegated to state and local regulatory agencies.

    G. Recordkeeping Requirements

    Copies of issued permits are maintained for at least three years.

    H. Implementing Documents

    Document number

    Title

    Type

    07.09.001.001

    Air Quality

    Program

    07.09.001.002

    Work Process A, General Requirements and Flowchart

    Process

    07.09.001.003

    Work Process B, Permits

    Process

    07.09.001.001

    Asbestos Hazards and Controls

    Program

    I. Contact Information

    Air Quality: Environmental/Nonradioactive Subject Matter Expert
    EHS Division

    J. Revision History

    Date

    Revision

    By Whom

    Revision Description

    Section(s) Affected

    Change Type

    1/2/2012

    0

    N. Borglin

    Rewrite for wiki (brief)

    All

    Minor

    7/19/2013

    1

    N. Borglin

    Rewrite for wiki (policy)

    All

    Minor

    9/1/2021

    1.1

    J. Buehler

    Periodic review

    All

    Minor

    DOCUMENT INFORMATION

    Title:

    Air Quality

    Document number

    07.09.001.000

    Revision number

    1.1

    Publication date:

    9/13/2021

    Effective date:

    6/26/2013

    Next review date:

    9/13/2026

    Policy Area:

    Environmental Protection Program

    RPM Section (home)

    ESH

    RPM Section (cross-reference)

    None

    Functional Division

    EHS

    Prior reference information (optional)

    ES&H Manual, Section 11.3.2, moved to Chapter 49

    Source Requirements Documents

    • Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) Rules and Regulations Manual Implementing Documents
      • BAAQMD Regulation 2: "Permits"
      • BAAQMD Regulation 8, Rule 7: "Gasoline Dispensing Facilities"
      • BAAQMD Regulation 8 Rule 16: "Solvent Cleaning Operations"
      • BAAQMD Regulation 8, Rule 47: "Air Stripping and Soil Vapor Extraction Operations"
      • BAAQMD Regulation 8 Rule 51: "Adhesive and Sealant Products"
      • BAAQMD Regulation 9, Rule 7: "Nitrogen Oxides and Carbon Monoxide from Industrial, Institutional, and Commercial Boilers, Steam Generators, and Process Heaters"
      • BAAQMD Regulation 11, Rule 2 "Asbestos Demolition and Renovation and Manufacturing"
      • BAAQMD Regulation 12, Rule 4: "Sandblasting"
    • 17 CCR 93115, "ATCM for Stationary Diesel Engine"
    • 17 CCR 95340 to 95346, "CARB Regulation for Reducing Sulfur Hexafluoride Emissions"
    • 17 CCR Division 3, Chapter 1, Subchapter 10, Article 4, "Regulations to Achieve Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions"

    Other Driving Requirements

    • 13 CCR article 4.8, chapter 9, sections 2449, 2449.1, 2449.2, and 2449.3
    • 13 CCR article 4.5, "Off-Road Large Spark-Ignition Engines"
    • California Code of Regulations (CCR), AB 1085 CARB Refrigerant Management Program

    Implementing Documents

    Document number

    Title

    Type

    07.09.001.001

    Air Quality

    Program

    07.09.001.002

    Work Process A, General Requirements and Flowchart

    Process

    07.09.001.003

    Work Process B, Permits

    Process

    07.09.001.001

    Asbestos Hazards and Controls

    Program



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