SAN FRANCISCO – The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has disapproved Fenceline Air Monitoring Plans for all five Bay Area refineries because the plans do not meet the requirements of the Air District’s Refining Emissions Tracking Rule.
The Air District’s Refining Emissions Tracking Rule (Regulation 12, Rule 15) requires Bay Area refineries to operate fenceline air monitoring systems that measure specific pollutants that cross their property lines. The refineries must monitor, record and publicly report concentration levels of multiple compounds, including hydrogen sulfide. That monitoring is already underway and the data are available to the public in near real time.
“Fenceline monitoring is crucial to informing the public about air pollution levels near refineries and helps to safeguard the health of those living in frontline communities,” said Dr. Philip Fine, executive officer of the Air District. “Our disapproval of the air monitoring plans is an important step in the process to advance the operation of the fenceline monitoring systems, improve data quality and make the data more transparent for the public.”
Most recently, the refineries were required to update their monitoring plans to address requirements for monitoring hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas with the odor of rotten eggs. Exposure to hydrogen sulfide can induce tearing of the eyes, headaches, nausea and vomiting.
Fenceline Air Monitoring Plans must include detailed descriptions of the equipment used for fenceline monitoring; the siting, operation and maintenance of that equipment; procedures for implementing data quality assurance and quality control; and procedures for reporting the measured pollutant concentrations. Following disapproval of the plans, the Air District will work with the refineries to make improvements in these areas.
Fenceline monitoring is one tool among many that the Air District uses to measure air pollutant concentrations and facility emissions. The Air District works to continually improve its emissions and air quality measurement programs as needs for air quality data evolve, particularly for communities that are disproportionately impacted by air pollution. For more information about the fenceline monitoring program visit: https://bit.ly/3M2ObXN
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is the regional agency responsible for protecting air quality in the nine-county Bay Area.