Proposed Amended Rule 1171 – Solvent Cleaning Operations
Summary
SCH Number
2025060280
Public Agency
South Coast Air Quality Management District
Document Title
Proposed Amended Rule 1171 – Solvent Cleaning Operations
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/6/2025
Document Description
Rule 1171 limits emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC), toxic air contaminants, stratospheric ozone-depleting compounds, and global-warming compounds from solvent cleaning materials used in solvent cleaning operations. The purpose of Proposed Amended Rule (PAR) 1171 is to reduce toxicity in formulations of certain solvent cleaning materials and to make other changes to limit the usage of certain solvent cleaning materials by: 1) prohibiting the use of parachlorobenzotrifluoride (pCBtF) and tert-Butyl Acetate (t-BAc) in solvent cleaning materials due to toxicity concerns effective January 1, 2026; 2) including a sell-through and use-through provision for solvent cleaning materials that include pCBtF and/or t-BAc and are manufactured prior to the proposed prohibition date of January 1, 2026; 3) prohibiting the possession of non-compliant solvent cleaning materials; 4) including alternative usage and product weighted-maximum incremental reactivity (PW-MIR) VOC limits for electricity and water distribution facilities to allow for the use of liquid denatured alcohol instead of denatured alcohol packaged as an aerosol product; 5) including alternative usage limits for solvent cleaning products packaged as an aerosol; 6) including a higher VOC limit to allow for the manufacturer-recommended use of alcohol-based solvent cleaning materials for cleaning energy curing lamps and reflectors used in the printing industry; 7) including an alternative PW-MIR VOC limit for solvent cleaning materials used for cleaning lithographic printing and screen printing equipment; 8) including an alternative PW-MIR VOC limit of 0.38 gram of ozone per gram of VOC for any solvent cleaning activity; and 9) updating the rule structure, adding new definitions, and removing outdated rule provisions. Implementation of the proposed project is not expected to result in a change in VOC emissions relative to baseline conditions because: 1) alternative formulations of cleaning solvents that do not contain pCBtF or t-BAc are currently available and capable of meeting the established VOC emission limits; 2) the use of liquid alcohol solvent cleaning materials in certain solvent cleaning activities at water and electric utilities are chemically equivalent to aerosol alcohol solvent cleaning materials; 3) only the VOC emission limit for solvent cleaning materials used for energy-curing lamps and reflectors is proposed to be increased, but the use of these materials is minimal and occurs infrequently; and 4) reduced usage limits for aerosol solvent cleaning products that contain VOC in excess of the proposed VOC emission limits are proposed for most solvent cleaning activities. The primary benefit of phasing out pCBtF and t-BAc will reduce the risk of exposure of these toxic chemicals to workers, nearby receptors and the public.
Contact Information
Name
Sina Taghvaee
Agency Name
South Coast AQMD
Job Title
Air Quality Specialist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino
Regions
Countywide
Other Information
The proposed project is located within the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (South Coast AQMD) jurisdiction, which includes the four-county South Coast Air Basin (all of Orange County and the non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties), and the Riverside County portion of the Salton Sea Air Basin and the non-Palo Verde, Riverside County portion of the Mojave Desert Air Basin.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
15061 (b)(3), 15308
Reasons for Exemption
South Coast AQMD, as Lead Agency, has reviewed the proposed project (PAR 1171) pursuant to: 1) CEQA Guidelines Section 15002(k) – General Concepts, the three-step process for deciding which document to prepare for a project subject to CEQA; and 2) CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 – Review for Exemption, procedures for determining if a project is exempt from CEQA. Since PAR 1171 is not expected to result in a change in VOC emissions relative to baseline conditions, and the alternative compliant formulations that do not contain pCBtF and t-BAc are commercially available such that the sell-through and use-through provisions provide sufficient time to find suitable replacements which will prevent stranded assets and the generation of waste, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the proposed project may have a significant adverse effect on the environment. Therefore, the proposed project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) – Common Sense Exemption. The proposed project is also categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15308 – Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment, because PAR 1171 is intended to further protect or enhance the environment by reducing the potential exposure to toxic chemicals. Further, there is no substantial evidence indicating that any of the exceptions to the categorical exemption set forth in CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 – Exceptions, apply to the proposed project.
County Clerks
Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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