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
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 |
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 |
