Lake County Air Quality Management District Rules and Regulations Update (PL-25-337)
Summary
SCH Number
2025090459
Public Agency
Lake County
Document Title
Lake County Air Quality Management District Rules and Regulations Update (PL-25-337)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
9/10/2025
Document Description
California Health & Safety Code (“H&SC”) Sections 40702, 42311, 42311.5, 41512.5, 10 42364, 44380, and 40726 authorize the Lake County Air Quality Management District ("District") 11 to adopt a fee schedule to recover the reasonable regulatory costs of the District's programs. In response to changes within CalFire processes, Federal regulations, Federal Environmental Protection Agency 15 (EPA) requirements, California Ambient Air Quality Standards, and California Health and Safety 16 Code requirements, the Lake County Air Quality Management District’s (District’s) Rules and compliance programs must be updated to align with the aforementioned regulations.
The proposed changes to the District Rules and Regulations results from increased costs of District operations, compliance with Federal requirements, changes in CalFire policies, and Fire Agencies withdrawal from burn permit issuance, as summarized below.
•The existing fee schedule was created in the 1970s and has not changed significantly since. The second reason for the fee rule update is to move the District from a potential to emit model for fees to a cost recovery model for fees.
•Several burn rules are proposed to be updated at this time. These are being proposed for several reasons including: changes in CalFire’s policies related to declaring an end to fire season; the local Fire Chiefs, through the Fire Chiefs’ Association requested to no longer be active participants in the issuance of Air District burn permits; and to provide clarification to several burn rules to ensure program clarity.
•The District is proposing two Title V rules to be repealed. These rules relate to emergency events. They operate similar to a breakdown rule, but the Federal Regulation that they were based on has been repealed, and EPA has sent a letter requiring the District repeal these rule sections as they are no longer valid. There are no sources in Lake County subject to Title V permitting at this time, so no sources are impacted by this change.
Contact Information
Name
Michelle Irace
Agency Name
County of Lake
Job Title
Senior Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Doug Gearhart
Agency Name
Lake County Air Quality Management District
Job Title
Air Pollution Control Officer
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Lake
Regions
Countywide, Unincorporated
Cross Streets
n/a Distrcit boundaries within Lake County
Other Location Info
Lake County Air Quality Mangement District jurisdictional boundaries
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15273. Rates, Tolls, Fares, and Charges
Reasons for Exemption
The updates to the District’s Rules and compliance programs is exempt under Section 15273. Rates, Tolls, Fares, and Charges, as the proposed action is for the establishment, modification, structuring, restructuring, and approval of rates, fees, and other charges by the District which the District Board finds are for the purpose of meeting financial reserve needs and requirements, obtaining funds for projects necessary to maintain service within existing service areas, and meeting operating expenses.
Approval of the updated regulations is required for compliance with state and federal regulations that have been recently updated. The updated regulations include updated fee calculations and permit processes; they do not authorize approval of any permits or other projects that would result in an impact to the environment.
County Clerk
Lake
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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