MECKLENBURG COUNTY
- Air Quality Commission Monday, February 22, 2016, 11:30 a.m.
Ed Woods Conference Room
Fourth Floor, 2145 Suttle Avenue, Charlotte, NC
The monthly meeting of the Mecklenburg County Air Quality Commission was held Monday, February 22, 2016
11:30 a.m. in the Ed Woods Conference Room, at 2145 Suttle Avenue, Charlotte, NC.
Air Quality Commission Members Present
Peter McGrath
Jamie Watts
Gordon Miller
Terry Lansdell
DeAndrea Salvador
Fern Paterson
Marcus Hackler
Air Quality Commission Members Absent
Jeff Baker
Lauren Billheimer
Mecklenburg County Air Quality Staff Present
Leslie Rhodes Jason Rayfield
Megan Green
Ieshishua Pierce
Jeff Francis
Jennifer Fickler
Lexin Murphy
1. Call to Order
Chair Peter McGrath called the meeting to order at 11:40 a.m.
2. Approval of Minutes
Chair McGrath opened the floor for the Approval of the January AQC meeting minutes.
Action Taken:
Motion: A motion was made to approve the January AQC meeting minutes as written.
Made: The motion was made by Gordon Miller and seconded by Marcus Hackler.
Vote: The motion was adopted unanimously.
3. Public Comments to the Air Quality Commission (AQC)
Action Required: Open Public Comment Period
Members of the public wishing to speak during the meeting should sign in with the Air Quality
Commission secretary prior to the meeting.
A.
Air Quality Permit Reviews
Public comment on the proposed permits will be received at this time. The Air Quality
Commission opens public comment for air quality permit reviews per Mecklenburg County Air
Pollution Ordinance, Regulation 1.5213 – “Action on Application; Issuance of Permit”. Inclusion
on the AQC agenda does not imply or infer any action or opinion by the AQC or its members
regarding any permit.
Chair McGrath, opened the public comment period for the facilities below, providing notice of
the Mecklenburg County Air Quality’s intent to issue/modify their air quality permit(s):
Air Quality Commission Summary Minutes
Facility Name
Facility Address
Ballabox Company Inc
529 Crestdale Road, Matthews, NC 28105
Open Public Comment
Caraustar Carolina Carton
8800 Crump Road, Charlotte, NC 28273
Open Public Comment
5200 Brookshire Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28216
Open Public Comment
C-MUD: Franklin Water
Treatment Plant
International Paper
company (Containerboard
Packaging Plant)
Novant Health:
Presbyterian Medical
Center
Vulcan Construction
Materials, LLC (Pineville
Quarry)
Action Type
5419 Hovis Road, Charlotte, NC 28208
Information Only
200 Hawthorne Lane, Charlotte, NC 282042515
Information Only
10526 Old Nations Ford Road, Charlotte, NC
28273
Information Only
Jason Rayfield, Air Quality Program Manager, was available to answer questions.
Terry Lansdell arrives at 11:45 a.m.
B.
General Comments to the Commission
None
4. Updates and Presentations
Action Required: None, information only
A.
Announcements
Chair McGrath opened the floor to receive announcements
Particle Falls Event
Terry Lansdell gave out brochures for the special opening celebration of Andrea Polli’s Particle
Falls event. The event will be held on March 4th.
AQ Spring Compliance Workshop
The AQC members were informed that the spring compliance “Dig into your permit” workshop
is scheduled for May 10th at Suttle Avenue. The workshop will focus on understanding the Air
Quality permit with emphasis on the reporting requirements and other specific conditions within
the permit and cover letter. More details on the workshop to come.
Update on NC Permitting Exemption Rule
The AQC members were informed that ten letters of objection have been received concerning the
State permitting exemption rule changes. The State rule changes went before the Rules Review
Commission in February and will go to the Legislative short session in April.
Administrative Action for Title V Facilities
The AQC members were informed that staff has issued intent to modify permit letters for all
Title V facilities. This is for an administrative action to update the address for permit-required
submittals to reflect the Suttle Avenue address.
Air Quality Commission Summary Minutes
AQC Recruitment
The AQC members were informed of vacant positions on the commission: scientist, health
professional, environmental, and general public (will become vacant after Lauren’s resignation
from the AQC in March) slots. Staff has reached out to a Professor at UNC-Charlotte to possibly
fill the scientist position. There will be more information on recruitment strategy at future AQC
meetings.
Gaston County Quality of Natural Resources Committee (QNRC)
The AQC members were reminded that Jim Burke from Gaston County contacted Megan Green
concerning the Air Quality Report last summer. As a result of that meeting, Tara Onufrak, NC
Air Awareness Coordinator, was invited to attend a meeting at CaroMont Health with Mr. Burke
and a QNRC member to discuss how CaroMont could get involved in helping to improve air
quality in the region. As a result, Tara will be meeting with the CaroMont Business Coalition for
Wellness and their Employees Wellness Coordinator at a later date.
B.
Clean Power Plan
Chair McGrath provided background information on the Clean Power Plan. It was stated that
several public meetings were held throughout the State over the past few months to receive
comments on the Clean Power Plan. At the same time, several States, including North Carolina,
asked the Supreme Court to block regulation while the legislation is pending. On February 9,
2016, the Supreme Court stayed implementation and enforcement of the Clean Power Plan
pending judicial review. After the Supreme Court decision, the North Carolina Division of Air
Quality and the State Environmental Management Commission removed consideration of the
State’s plan and hearing report from its February meeting agenda.
C.
SO2 NAAQS Implementation
Fern Paterson gave a presentation on the SO2 NAAQS implementation. The presentation
included information on the following topics:

What is “Implementation”?

History of the primary SO2 NAAQS

What is so controversial about the data requirements rule?

Three options for characterizing areas around larger sources

Timeline for characterizations
A summary of this unique and highly debated topic was provided to the AQC for information. It
was stated that the US EPA established the NAAQS on June 22, 2010. The US EPA designated
areas based on input from State/Local agencies on August 21, 2015. The 24-hour and annual
primary SO2 NAAQS initially established in 1997 were revoked when the 2010 SO2 NAAQS was
established.
Air Quality Commission Summary Minutes
Controversy concerning the data requirements rule is that designations can be based on
monitoring or modeling data around larger SO2 sources. It was noted that “the EPA believes that
the approach set forth in this rule directing air agencies to gather additional data to characterize
ambient air in the vicinity of larger SO2 sources is uniquely suited for implantation of the 1-hour
SO2 NAAQS, and the Agency does not anticipate it to be used for other NAAQS pollutants.”
D.
Relocation of County Line Monitor
Jeff Francis, Air Monitoring Program Manager, gave a presentation on the relocation of the
County Line Monitor. The AQC members were informed that the property has been sold and
staff were instructed to remove the air monitoring equipment from the property. MCAQ has
proposed to relocate the County Line monitor to University Meadows Park due to termination of
the lease at the current location.
The addendum to the “2015 Annual Monitoring Network Plan for Mecklenburg County” has
been submitted to the EPA and a 30-day public comment period has been opened on the
addendum regarding the relocation of the County Line Ozone Monitoring station to the new site,
approximately 4.3 kilometers southwest of the current station.
E.
GRADE for Freight
Jennifer Fickler, Air Quality Specialist, was introduced to give an update on the GRADE for
Freight outreach. The AQC members were reminded that the Mobile Source program was
awarded $500,000 in DERA grant funding for GRADE for Freight, which will focus on goods
movement from short haul, ports, and airport sectors. Over the next few months, outreach will
consist of one-on-one meetings, presentations, newsletter publications, email/mailers, and a
workshop/informational session to gather information for the target fleet. The AQC members
were asked to email any business contacts that may qualify for this project to Ieshishua or
Megan.
[Written handouts: Air made visible brochure; SO2 NAAQS Implementation (presentation);
GRADE for Freight Outreach Plan]
5. Director’s Remarks
FY17 Budget
Leslie Rhodes, Air Quality Director, informed the AQC members that the FY17 budget for the Air
Quality program has to be entered by March 16th. An email summary of the FY17 budget will be sent out
to the AQC members for review. The AQC members have been asked to reply to the email summary of
the FY17 budget with any questions via email or telephone call as well as to state if they endorse the
budget. An official vote to endorse the budget will take place at the March AQC meeting.
Air Quality Commission Summary Minutes
6. Next Meeting
March 28, 2016 at 11:30 a.m.
7. Adjournment
1:05 p.m.
Mecklenburg County will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination
against people with disabilities. Mecklenburg County will make reasonable accommodations in all programs to
enable participation by an individual with a disability who meets essential eligibility requirements. Mecklenburg
County programs will be available in an integrated setting for each individual. If accommodations are necessary
for participation in any program or services, participants are encouraged to notify staff.