CHEMTRADE WEST US LLC - Renewal of an Authority to Construct for an Alteration of Existing Source 1, Sulfuric Acid Plant (Air District Application 31721).
Summary
SCH Number
2025100367
Public Agency
Bay Area Air Quality Management District
(BAAQMD)
Document Title
CHEMTRADE WEST US LLC - Renewal of an Authority to Construct for an Alteration of Existing Source 1, Sulfuric Acid Plant (Air District Application 31721).
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/8/2025
Document Description
This permit action renews the Authority to Construct for an alteration. Chemtrade
was issued an Authority to Construct to physically alter a mist eliminator (Abatement device 2) that abates the facility's sulfuric acid plant (Source 1). The Authority to Construct for this alteration expired on January 16, 2025. Chemtrade expects to complete the work to alter mist eliminator in either the first or second quarter of 2026. The new expiration date after the Authority to Construct is renewed is January 16, 2027. The renewed Authority to Construct will include no changes to proposed permit conditions that limit the annual production throughput and daily and annual emissions. Therefore, the physical changes will continue to constitute an alteration per Regulation 2-1-233.
Contact Information
Name
Kevin Perez
Agency Name
Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District)
Job Title
Air Quality Engineer
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Name
Bashar Alwash
Agency Name
Chemtrade West US LLC
Job Title
Plant Manager
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Phone
Location
Cities
Richmond
Counties
Contra Costa
Regions
Citywide
Cross Streets
Richmond Lane, Richmond, CA 94801
Zip
94801
Other Location Info
525 Castro Street. Cross Street: Richmond Lane. Richmond, Contra Costa County, CA 94801
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Ministerial
Type, Section or Code
Sec. 21080(b)(1); Sec. 15268(a)
Reasons for Exemption
This permit application is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because the Air District's evaluation is a ministerial action (Public Resources Code Section 21080(b)(1) and CEQA Guidelines Section 15268(a)) conducted using the fixed standards and objective measurements in the Air District's rules and regulations.
The Air District's renewal of the Authority to Construct for this alteration is exempt
under the ministerial action exemption because it does not involve the exercise of engineering judgment or discretion.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
CEQA Guidelines§ 15301
Reasons for Exemption
The Air District has determined that the renewal of this Authority to Construct is categorically exempt from CEQA because the project involves no expansion of use beyond that previously existing at the time of the Air District's CEQA determination. {CEQA Guidelines§ 15301).
The Class 1 categorical exemption applies because it does not authorize any expansion of the existing or former use. Because there will be no expansion in use at the sulfuric acid plant, theproject is exempt under CEQA Guidelines§ 15301.
Based on the review of the permit application materials, the project will not result in any additional or different environmental impacts beyond what is already entailed in the applicant's existing use of the source. In making the determination that this application is categorically exempt: the Air District reviewed the permit application materials which indicate that there is no potential for a significant adverse environmental impact from the project; and the Air District determined that the project will not have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances, or due to cumulative impacts from successive projects of the same type in the same place.
County Clerk
Contra Costa
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit LCI’s Accessibility Site.