CEQA Guide to Air Quality Assessment
Determine if a project will have significant air quality impacts by consulting the CEQA Guide to Air Quality Assessment (CEQA Guide). The CEQA Guide works in conjunction with the State CEQA Guidelines Appendix G.
The CEQA Guide provides methods to review air quality impacts (including greenhouse gases, Chapter 6) from development projects, screening approaches, methods for calculating emissions, and mitigation measures.
Additional information on mitigation measures is available on the AQMD’s mitigation page.
Guidance on assessing the potential increase in cancer risk from diesel exhaust by siting sensitive receptors adjacent to major roadways is available on the AQMD’s Roadway Protocol page.
For questions on specific projects, contact:
| Staff | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
Jeane Berry |
Climate Change, Climate Action and Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Plans |
Rachel Dubose |
City of Citrus Heights, North and Central Areas of the County of Sacramento |
J.J. Hurley |
Cities of Folsom and Sacramento |
Karen Huss |
City of Galt |
Charlene McGhee |
City of Elk Grove, South Area of the County of Sacramento |
Paul Philley |
City of Rancho Cordova, Transportation Projects |
Staff contact information can be found on the AQMD’s staff directory. |
|
Thresholds of Significance
The AQMD Board adopted the significance thresholds on March 28, 2002 (PDF). The significance thresholds are compiled in the CEQA Guide’s thresholds table (PDF).
Models and Meteorological Data
Models are commonly used to calculate project air emissions.
URBEMIS is the model historically used to calculate project air emissions Visit www.URBEMIS.com to download the model and user’s guide.
In February 2011, a new air emissions model, the California Emissions Estimator Model (CalEEMod) was introduced. This model calculates both criteria pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions from projects. The model and user’s guide can be downloaded at www.caleemod.com.
SMAQMD Tips for Using CalEEMod is available to assist new model users in addiition to the CalEEMod provided documents.
The AQMD has tentatively set July 1, 2012 as the date when agencies conducting air emissions analyses for CEQA purposes must use this model.
In addition to URBEMIS and CalEEMod , the Roadway Construction Emissions Model (Version 6.3.2, July 2009, in Excel – 4 Mb) is available to assess the emissions of linear construction projects. Contact Karen Huss (khuss@airquality.org or (916) 874-4881) regarding this model.
For air dispersion modeling, the AQMD provides local meteorological data files (ASC) for the BEEST/ISCT3 model:
Meteorological data files are also available for the AERMOD air dispersion model. Contact Karen Huss at khuss@airquality.org to request the data for use in land use project modeling.
