Notice of Board Hearing

To be published February 13, 2011

Proposed Amended Rule 202, Exemptions to Rule 201 and
Proposed Amended Rule 102, Definitions-Semiconductor Operations and Facilities

Thursday, March 17, 2011, at 1:30 p.m. or
as soon thereafter as the matter can be heard
Board of Supervisors Hearing Room
511 East Lakeside Parkway
Santa Maria, California 93455

General Project Description

The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (District) Board of Directors will hold a public hearing at the time and location listed above to accept comments and consider adoption of revised rules to implement the California Air Resources Board (CARB) requirements for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from semiconductor operations.  This proposed rulemaking project involves the revision of the following two existing rules:

  1.  Rule 102, Definitions
  2. Rule 202, Exemptions to Rule 201

Sources Potentially Affected

The proposed revision to Rule 202 affects any owner or operator of a semiconductor or related devices operation that uses fluorinated gases or heat transfer fluids.  This includes, but is not limited to, the processing of diodes, zeners, stacks, rectifiers, integrated microcircuits, transistors, solar cells, light-sensing devices, and light-emitting devices.

Public Comment

The District is soliciting comments on the project.  You may submit written comments to the project manager identified below.

Project Details

The California Air Resources Board has adopted a regulation to reduce fluorinated gas and fluorinated heat transfer fluid emissions from semiconductor operations pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill 32).  The regulation establishes emission standards and includes recordkeeping and reporting requirements.  Emission controls may be required in certain cases.

In order to enforce this new regulation the District is proposing to amend Rule 202 to remove the permit exemption for semiconductor or related device operations which use and/or emit fluorinated gases or fluorinated heat transfer fluids.  Rule 102 (Definitions) will also be revised to include the addition of a definition for “Fluorinated Gases”.

For more information regarding this rule revision and the state?s Final Regulation Order please see this page of this website and the CARB website:  http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/2009/semi2009/semifro.pdf.

Environmental Review Findings

District staff has reviewed the proposed project and found that there are no potential significant environmental impacts as a result of this rule revision project. The District will file a Notice of Exemption with the County Clerk following adoption of the revised rules by the District Board.

Document Availability

Copies of the proposed revised rules may be downloaded for review from this page of this web site. Hard copies will be made available upon request.

How to Comment

Written comments should be submitted to the project manager, Rebecca Armstrong, by email at [email protected], or by mail at Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, 260 N. San Antonio Rd, Suite A, Santa Barbara, CA 93110, Attention:  Rebecca Armstrong.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations to participate in the meeting should contact the District at least three working days prior to the scheduled meeting.

Published Sunday, February 13, 2011


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