Learn about the Air District's process for developing draft amendments to Regulation 6, Rule 5, which would further reduce particulate matter emissions from petroleum refinery fluidized catalytic cracking units.
Find out about the status and anticipated timeline of the rule development process. Information on hearings, workshops, and other events is provided below, along with supporting documents and materials.
Air District staff are currently developing draft amendments to Regulation 6, Particulate Matter, Rule 5: Particulate Emissions from Refinery Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Units (Rule 6-5). Rule 6-5 was originally adopted by the Air District Board of Directors in December 2015, and subsequently amended in December 2018 for minor clarifications and revisions. The purpose of the current rule development effort for drafting amendments to Rule 6-5 is to further reduce emissions of particulate matter, including condensable particulate matter, from petroleum refinery fluidized catalytic cracking units (FCCU), which are some of the largest individual sources of particulate matter emissions in the Bay Area.
This current rule development effort for amending Rule 6-5 follows previous Air District rulemaking and planning actions to address emissions from these sources. Rule 6-5 was originally adopted in 2015. The Air District’s 2017 Clean Air Plan and AB 617 Expedited Best Available Retrofit Control Technology (BARCT) Implementation Schedule identified the need to further evaluate and consider additional efforts to control particulate matter emissions from these sources.
Following the release of the draft amendments in May 2020, Air District staff have further evaluated other potential control options. The Air District has published workshop materials, including a Workshop Report, draft amendments, and supporting appendices, and hosted a public workshop in February 2021.
- Updated Public Workshop Notice - Draft Amendments to Regulation 6, Rule 5: Particulate Emissions from Petroleum Refinery Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Units(100 Kb PDF, 2 pgs, revised 01/27/21)
- Workshop Report - Draft Amendments to Regulation 6, Rule 5: Particulate Emissions from Petroleum Refinery Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Units(1 Mb PDF, 45 pgs, revised 01/27/21)
- Draft Amendments to Regulation 6, Rule 5: Particulate Emissions from Petroleum Refinery Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Units (Control Scenario A)(126 Kb PDF, 9 pgs, revised 01/28/21)
- Draft Amendments to Regulation 6, Rule 5: Particulate Emissions from Petroleum Refinery Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Units (Control Scenario B)(117 Kb PDF, 9 pgs, revised 02/04/21)
- Workshop Report appendices:
- Appendix A.1: Exposure and Health Equity Assessment for Regulation 6, Rule 5(1 Mb PDF, 6 pgs, revised 01/27/21)
- Appendix A.2: Modeling Fine Particulate Matter Emissions from the Chevron Richmond Refinery: An Air Quality Health Impact Analysis(1 Mb PDF, 21 pgs, revised 01/27/21)
- Appendix A.3: Modeling Fine Particulate Matter Emissions from the Chevron Richmond Refinery: An Air Quality Analysis(7 Mb PDF, 56 pgs, revised 01/27/21)
- Appendix A.4: Modeling Fine Particulate Matter Emissions from the PBF Martinez Refinery: An Air Quality Analysis(6 Mb PDF, 57 pgs, revised 01/27/21)
- Note that additional information on the Air Quality Health Impact Analysis for the PBF Martinez Refinery is forthcoming, and will be discussed at the workshop.
Written comments on the draft amendments and workshop materials will be accepted through Monday, March 1, 2021, at 5:00 PM. Written comments on these materials may be submitted to:
David Joe
Bay Area Air Quality Management District
375 Beale Street, Suite 600
San Francisco, CA 94105
Or by email to
Hearings, Workshops and Other Events
Throughout the rule development process, we provide information on upcoming and past workshops, hearings, and other events.
Documents
Supporting materials, such as staff reports, regulatory language, and other technical documents related to rule development, are posted throughout the development process.
Comments
The Air District provides opportunities for the public to submit comments throughout the development process, and posts comments received during the open public comment periods.