Draft Environmental Impact Report - California Off Highway Vehicle ...

3.2 Air Quality
During this 3‐year period, the station exceeded the state 8‐hour and 1‐hour and the national 8‐
hour standard for ozone. The state CO and NO2 standards were not exceeded in any of the last
3 years. The state 24‐hour PM10 standard was exceeded on multiple days in 2008, but not once
during 2009 or 2010. The national 24‐hour PM2.5 standard was also exceeded on multiple days
during 2008, but not in 2009 or 2010.
Table 3.2‐2 summarizes that Butte County is in state nonattainment for 1‐ and 8‐hour ozone, PM10,
and PM2.5 under the CAAQS. Under the NAAQS, Butte County is in federal nonattainment for 8‐
hour ozone, and areas of lower elevation are in federal nonattainment for PM2.5. The majority of
reactive organic gases (ROG) and oxides of nitrogen (NOX) emissions within the county are
attributable to “mobile sources.” Mobile sources of emissions are emissions from a moving source,
such as passenger vehicles; light‐, medium‐, and heavy duty trucks; buses; motorcycles; and motor
homes.
TABLE 3.2­2. BUTTE COUNTY AMBIENT AIR QUALITY ATTAINMENT STATUS
Pollutant
State
(CAAQS)
Federal
(NAAQS)
1‐hour ozone Nonattainment – 1
8‐hour ozone Nonattainment Nonattainment 2
Carbon monoxide Attainment Attainment
Nitrogen dioxide Attainment Attainment
Sulfur dioxide Attainment Attainment
Inhalable particulates (PM10) Nonattainment Attainment
Inhalable particulates (PM2.5) Nonattainment Nonattainment 3
Notes: CAAQS = California Ambient Air Quality Standards; NAAQS = National Ambient Air Quality Standards
1 The 1‐hour ozone NAAQS was revoked in 2005 and the annual NAAQS for particulate matter with an aerodynamic
diameter of 10 micrometers or less was revoked in 2006.
2 The Butte County Air Quality Management District (Butte County AQMD) expects the 8‐hour ozone levels under
the State Implementation Plan (SIP) to meet NAAQS. The SIP will be due to the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) by 2013 (Butte County AQMD 2009a).
3 In December 2009 EPA designated the lower elevations of Butte County as nonattainment for the new standard for
particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 micrometers or less (PM2.5). Butte County AQMD staff
expects the PM2.5 SIP to be completed by 2012 (Butte County AQMD 2009a).
Source: Butte County AQMD 2009b
“Area sources” are the greatest contributor of particulate matter emissions in Butte County (CARB
2008). Area sources of emissions are emissions from a source that is not mobile, such as natural
gas combustion, wood fuel combustion, consumer products (e.g., hairspray, deodorants, cleaning
products, spray paint, insecticides), and architectural coatings. Consumer products of concern
Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area
Draft EIR 3.2-3 February 2012