2020 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
Title 30 - Minerals, Oil, and Gas and Environmental Quality
§2054. Air quality control; secretary of environmental quality; powers and duties

RS 2054 - Air quality control; secretary of environmental quality; powers and duties

A. The secretary shall have the following powers and duties with respect to air quality control:

(1) To prepare and develop a general plan for the proper control of the air resources in the state of Louisiana including the compilation and maintenance of an ongoing comprehensive air emissions inventory.

(2) To make investigations upon receipt of information concerning an alleged violation of this Chapter or any rule or regulation promulgated hereunder and to issue any appropriate orders in accordance with R.S. 30:2025. This Paragraph shall in no way detract from the power of the office to make investigations and inquiries upon its own motion.

(3) To prepare and develop a general plan for the proper control of noise in the state of Louisiana.

B. The secretary shall have the following powers and duties:

(1) To adopt and promulgate rules and regulations consistent with applicable state and federal law and the general intent and purposes of this Chapter for the maintenance of air quality within the state of Louisiana.

(2)(a) To develop permitting procedures and regulations conforming to applicable state and federal laws, and to require and issue permits, licenses, variances, or compliance schedules for all sources of air contaminants within the state of Louisiana and when the secretary deems it advisable to delegate the power to issue or deny such permits, licenses, variances, or compliance schedules to the appropriate assistant secretary subject to his continuing oversight. The authority to execute minor permit actions, to issue registrations, certifications, notices of deficiency, and notification of inclusion under a general permit or a regulatory permit may be delegated by the secretary or the appropriate assistant secretary to an authorized representative, notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 30:2050.26.

(b) Nothing in this law shall be deemed to grant to the secretary any jurisdiction or authority to make any rule, regulation, recommendations, or determination with respect to any of the following:

(i) Air conditions existing solely within the property boundaries of commercial and industrial plants, works, or shops.

(ii) Relations between employers and employees with respect to or arising out of any air condition.

(iii) Burning of agricultural by-products in the field in connection with the planting, harvesting, or processing of agricultural products.

(iv) Controlled burning of cotton gin agricultural wastes in connection with cotton gin operations.

(v) Controlled burning in connection with timber stand management.

(vi) Controlled burning of pastureland or marshland in connection with trapping or livestock production.

(vii) Imposition of a motor vehicle fuels program respecting any characteristic, other than Reid vapor pressure, or component of a fuel or fuel additive not specifically required by federal law and specifically authorized by this Subtitle.

(viii) Confiscation of emission reduction credits or imposition of additional emission reductions from industrial sources to compensate for restrictions in vehicle inspection and maintenance or motor vehicle fuels programs, unless no other reasonable or practical alternatives exist to bring about timely attainment of the ozone ambient air standard.

(ix) Permitting regulations, with respect to air quality, requiring authorization to construct or operate any source for which facility-wide potential emissions are less than five tons per year for each of any regulated air pollutant as defined by the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq., less than fifteen tons per year emitted of all such defined pollutants combined, and less than the minimum emission rate for each toxic air pollutant established pursuant to R.S. 30:2060, unless such source is required to obtain a permit pursuant to the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7661 et seq. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Item, the secretary may adopt, promulgate, and enforce standards, limitations, and other regulations applicable to sources which are not required to obtain a permit. The standards or regulations shall not include any requirement for approval by the department. The standards or regulations may include the requirement to determine, document, and maintain records to demonstrate the potential or actual emissions of the facility. For purposes of this Item, "potential emissions" shall mean the emissions the facility is capable of emitting considering all control measures in place, utilized, and properly maintained and historical practices, including hours of operation and number of employees at the facility.

(x) Controlled burning, after written notice to the local fire department and sheriff's office, of agriculture materials, including crates, used in connection with the storage or transportation of sweet potatoes.

(3) To adopt and promulgate regulations necessary in establishing and administering an air pollution emission reduction credit banking system for the state as an inducement for Louisiana industries to reduce emissions of air pollutants. Such regulations shall at a minimum provide:

(a) For the administration of the banking system.

(b) Criteria under which emission reduction credits may be earned.

(c) Geographical limitations or emission offset areas for which emission offsets may be earned.

(d) Criteria for the use, banking, or sale of banked emissions.

(e) For the approval of the department for the earning, use, banking, or sale of banked emissions.

(f) Requirements for the maintenance and submission of records concerning emission levels, amounts of emission offsets, and banked emissions.

(g) The implementation of the banking system to allow credit for all emission offsets meeting the criteria established pursuant to Subparagraph (b) which have been accomplished subsequent to December 21, 1976.

(h) Appropriate recognition of the efficacy of permits issued prior to the promulgation of final regulations and reductions of emissions made in compliance with said permits.

(i) For the establishment of a schedule requiring banked air emissions of permitted facilities and credits to be discounted or decreased over time in nonattainment areas so as to comply with state and federal regulations which require improvement in air quality within nonattainment areas. Banked air emissions of permitted facilities and credits shall be discounted from a base year at a rate so as to effect decreases in banked air emissions consistent with state and federal law relative to nonattainment areas.

(j) In the absence of regulations, the secretary shall have the authority to create emissions credits by permit and shall authorize the transfer of credits by permit actions.

(4) The present air law and air regulations shall remain in effect until the final promulgation of new regulations is completed in accordance with the provision of this Section and the Administrative Procedure Act; R.S. 49:950 et seq.

(5) To adopt and promulgate regulations establishing a noxious odor control and abatement program for the state of Louisiana. The odor control and abatement program authorized by this Paragraph shall not apply to odors caused by agricultural, fiber, timber, poultry, seafood, or fisheries production or by byproducts created by agricultural, fiber, timber, poultry, seafood, or fisheries production unless such odors are detected in concentrations or intensities above that normally detected from these processes or byproducts when using applicable air pollution control devices. Nothing in this provision shall be construed as precluding a private litigant's right to sue for abatement of odors.

(6) To adopt and promulgate rules and regulations implementing a comprehensive toxic air pollutant emission control program in accordance with R.S. 30:2060.

(7) To adopt and promulgate rules and regulations establishing and implementing a comprehensive program for the control and abatement of environmental noise pollution. The regulations shall be consistent with applicable federal laws, rules, and regulations and, at a minimum, shall provide for the following:

(a) Criteria and standards for noise control and abatement.

(b) Levels of noise appropriate to defined areas under various conditions.

(8) To establish and implement a program for the control and abatement of motor vehicle emissions in accordance with R.S. 30:2060 and other applicable state and federal laws, particularly the Clean Air Act as amended, but not to exceed the requirements provided in such act unless specifically authorized. Such program shall be applicable only in parishes and municipalities as necessary to comply with the requirements of the federal Clean Air Act or regulations promulgated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. If such program includes the periodic inspection of motor vehicles, the frequency of performing such inspections shall be as allowed by federal law or regulations or by agreements with federal agencies. During each calendar year, the secretary may exempt vehicles of that model year and vehicles from prior model years from on-board diagnostic (OBD II) testing. The fees due the department for this program pursuant to R.S. 32:1306(C)(3) shall be deposited into the Environmental Trust Account.

(9)(a) To develop regulatory permits for certain air emissions provided the conditions in Subparagraph (b) are satisfied.

(b)(i) A regulatory permit cannot be used for any facility which is a new major stationary source or for any major modification of an existing source as defined in applicable rules and regulations and which is subject to the New Source Review (NSR) requirements of the Federal Clean Air Act.

(ii) Use of a regulatory permit may be precluded by specific permit conditions contained within a Federal Clean Air Act Part 70 Operating Permit.

(iii) A regulatory permit may not authorize the maintenance of a nuisance or a danger to public health or safety. All emissions control equipment shall be maintained in good condition and operated properly.

(iv) A regulatory permit shall not preclude the secretary from exercising all powers and duties as set forth in R. S. 30:2011(D), including but not limited to, the authority to conduct inspections and investigations and enter facilities as provided in R.S. 30:2012, and to sample or monitor, for the purpose of assuring compliance with a regulatory permit or as otherwise authorized by the Louisiana Environmental Quality Act, Federal Clean Air Act, or regulations adopted thereunder, any substances or parameters at any location.

(v) A regulatory permit shall require compliance with all applicable provisions of the Louisiana Air Quality Regulations and the Federal Clean Air Act. Violation of the terms or conditions of a regulatory permit constitutes a violation of such regulation or Act.

(vi) A regulatory permit shall, as appropriate, prescribe emission limitations, any necessary control requirements, other enforceable conditions, and associated monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting provisions necessary for the protection of public health and the environment.

(vii) A regulatory permit shall require any person seeking such permit to submit a written notification and any fee authorized by this Subtitle and applicable regulations to the secretary. Submission of a written notification and any fee authorized by this Subtitle and applicable regulations shall be in lieu of submission of a permit application. The written notification shall be signed and certified in accordance with LAC 33:III governing permit application submittal. Any person who submits a written notification and any fee authorized by this Subtitle and applicable regulations shall be authorized to operate under the regulatory permit for which the notification was submitted when notified by the department that the notification was complete.

(viii) All regulatory permits promulgated by the secretary shall establish notification procedures, permit terms, and confirmation of notification by the department and shall be promulgated in accordance with the procedures provided in R.S. 30:2019.

(ix) No later than January 1, 2007, the secretary shall consider which activities are appropriate for coverage under a regulatory permit and publish an initial list of such activities.

(10) To develop rules and regulations providing for an expedited review process for permit applications with minor air emissions.

Acts 1979, No. 449, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1980; Acts 1980, No. 194, §7; Acts 1981, No. 626, §1; Acts 1981, No. 915, §1; Acts 1982, No. 468, §1; Acts 1982, No. 783, §1; Acts 1983, No. 34, §1; Acts 1983, No. 97, §1, eff. Feb. 1, 1984; Acts 1983, No. 538, §1; Acts 1984, No. 117, §1, eff. June 22, 1984; Acts 1984, No. 254, §1; Acts 1984, No. 316, §1, eff. July 2, 1984; Acts 1989, No. 184, §1, eff. June 23, 1989; Acts 1990, No. 245, §1; Acts 1991, No. 872, §1; Acts 1991, No. 873, §1; Acts 1993, No. 570, §3; Acts 1995, No. 393, §1, eff. June 16, 1995; Acts 1995, No. 457, §1; Acts 1995, No. 1216, §1; Acts 1999, No. 303, §1, eff. June 14, 1999; Acts 1999, No. 348, §1, eff. June 16, 1999; Acts 1999, No. 468, §1, eff. June 18, 1999; Acts 1999, No. 576, §1, eff. June 30, 1999; Acts 2003, No. 918, §1; Acts 2004, No. 584, §1, eff. July 1, 2004; Acts 2006, No. 115, §1; Acts 2006, No. 445, §2, eff. June 15, 2006; Acts 2006, No. 445, §3, eff. July 1, 2007; Acts 2008, No. 547, §1; Acts 2010, No. 49, §1; Acts 2010, No. 393, §1; Acts 2012, No. 637, §1; Acts 2018, No. 612, §9, eff. July 1, 2020; Acts 2019, No. 404, §1, eff. July 1, 2020.