Air pollution: portable equipment: emergency events.

Existing law authorizes local air pollution control and air quality management districts (air districts) to establish a permit system requiring that any person who builds, erects, alters, replaces, operates, or uses any article, machine, equipment, or other contrivance that may cause the issuance of air contaminants obtain a permit to ensure compliance with applicable air quality standards. Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to establish, by regulation, an optional registration program for portable equipment that is, or may be, used in more than a single air district. Pursuant to this directive, the state board established the Portable Equipment Registration Program, which allows portable engines and equipment units to operate throughout the state without authorization or permits from air districts. The state board's regulations allow for the temporary operation of otherwise unregistered or unpermitted portable engines during an emergency event if certain conditions are met. The state board's regulations define "emergency event" as any situation arising from a sudden and reasonably unforeseen natural disaster such as earthquake, flood, fire, or other unforeseen events beyond the control of the portable engine or equipment unit operator, its officers, employees, and contractors that threatens public health and safety and that requires the immediate temporary operation of portable engines or equipment units to help alleviate the threat to public health and safety. This bill would codify the state board's regulation authorizing portable equipment to be operated during an emergency event, as defined above, and would also authorize portable equipment to be operated during a public safety power shut-off event. The bill would define "public safety power shut-off event," in part, as a planned power outage undertaken by an electrical corporation to reduce the risk of wildfires caused by utility equipment.