SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

RULE 3006 - PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
(Adopted October 8, 1993)(Amended August 11, 1995)(Amended November 14, 1997)

(a) Public Participation Requirements for Permit Actions

1. All permit actions for initial permit issuance, significant permit revisions, establishment of general permits and permit renewals shall include the following public participation procedures:

   (A) The District shall give notice by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the source is located, by mail to those who request in writing to be on a list to receive all such notices, and by any other means determined by the Executive Officer to be necessary to assure adequate notice to the affected public.

   (B) The notice shall include:

   (i) The identity and location of the affected facility;

   (ii) The name and mailing address of the facility’s contact person;

   (iii) The identity and address of the South Coast Air Quality Management District as the permitting authority processing the permit;

   (iv) The activity or activities involved in the permit action;

   (v) The emissions change involved in any permit revision;

   (vi) The name, address, and telephone number of a person who interested persons may contact to review additional information including copies of the proposed permit, the application, all relevant supporting materials, including compliance documents as defined in paragraph (b)(5) of Rule 3000, and all other materials available to the Executive Officer that are relevant to the permit decision;

   (vii) A brief description of the public comment procedures provided; and,

   (viii) The time and place of any proposed permit hearing that may be held or a statement of the procedures to request a proposed permit hearing if one has not already been requested.

   (C) Costs of such notice and public participation process shall be paid, as specified in Regulation III, by the applicant.

   (D) The notice shall provide at least 30 days for public comment, and shall give at least 30 days of notice if any proposed permit hearing is scheduled.

   (E) The Executive Officer shall keep a record of the commenters and also of the issues raised during the public participation process, for 5 years, so that the EPA Administrator may fulfill the obligation under Section 505(b)(2) of the federal Clean Air Act to determine whether a citizen petition may be granted. Such records shall be available to the public as provided in the California Public Records Act.

   (F) Any person may request a proposed permit hearing on an application for initial permit, permit renewal, or significant permit revision, or for establishment of a general permit, by filing with the Executive Officer a complete request for a proposed permit hearing within 15 days of the date of publication of notice. On or before the date the request is filed, the person requesting a proposed permit hearing must also mail by first class mail a copy of the request to the contact person of the Title V facility at the address listed in the notice. A complete request for a proposed permit hearing shall include all of the following information:

   (i) Identification of the permit action on which a proposed permit hearing is requested;

   (ii) Name, address, and telephone number of the person requesting the proposed permit hearing and of the person to whom further notices should be sent, if different;

   (iii) Specific identification of the portion or portions of the proposed permit or revision to which objection is made;

   (iv) Specific identification of the regulatory requirement or requirements, or provisions of these rules, with which the proposed permit or revision is inconsistent, and the reasons the inconsistency is believed to exist;

   (v) Identification of proposed permit terms or conditions, if any, which would eliminate the inconsistency; and,

   (vi) A statement of the reason or reasons the requester believes a public hearing would clarify one or more issues involved in the permit decision.

   (G) If a valid request for a proposed permit hearing is received in accordance with subparagraph (a)(1)(F) of this rule, the Executive Officer shall hold a proposed permit hearing noticed at least 30 days prior to the hearing and shall deny or approve the proposed permit, or continue the hearing to a specific announced date on which a revised proposed permit would be available for further public review and comment.

   (H) Unless there is an objection made by an affected facility, the Executive Officer may conduct a group permit hearing for facilities identified in the public’s requests for permit hearings.

(b) Exemptions
Permit revision applications eligible for processing using administrative permit revision, minor permit revision, or de minimis significant permit revision procedures shall be exempt from the public participation requirements of subdivision (a) of this rule.