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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session |
House: LARA DP 5-1-0-2 | Third Read 31-22-7-0-0Senate: NR DP 5-3-0-0 | Third Read 16-12-2-0-0 |
HB 2013: exceptional events; air quality; wildfires
Sponsor: Representative Fink, LD 27
Senate Engrossed
Overview
Adds an exceptional event demonstration submission requirement to the duties of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) when a wildfire occurs on federally managed land and affects the state.
History
The Clean Air Act requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for six principal pollutants which can be harmful to the public and the environment. The standards are periodically reviewed and sometimes revised (40 CFR § 50 et. seq) (EPA NAAQS Table).
Exceptional events are unusual or naturally occurring events that can affect air quality but are not reasonably controllable using techniques that tribal, state or local air agencies may implement in order to attain and maintain the NAAQS. Exceptional events may include wildfires, high wind dust events, prescribed fires, stratospheric ozone intrusions, and volcanic and seismic activities (EPA, Exceptional Events).
The Exceptional Events Rule (EER) allows for states and tribes to flag specified air quality monitoring data as an exceptional event and exclude that data from use in determinations with respect to exceeding or violating NAAQS if the EPA concurs with the exceptional event demonstration submission (ADEQ, Natural and Exceptional Events Demonstration).
Provisions
1. Requires ADEQ to submit an exceptional event demonstration to the EPA if a wildfire occurs on federally managed land and affects Arizona. (Sec. 1)
Senate Amendments
1. Specifies that:
a. a wildfire must be larger than 25,000 acres; and
b. the attributable smoke or land damage affect the state. (Sec. 1)
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Initials CW HB 2013
4/8/2026 Page 0 Senate Engrossed
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