WSR 18-15-026

PERMANENT RULES

BENTON CLEAN AIR AGENCY

[Filed July 10, 2018, 3:36 p.m., effective August 10, 2018]

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

Purpose: The changes to Article 3 are to address concerns regarding odors from marijuana processors and producers commercially licensed through the Washington state liquor and cannabis board. The changes to Articles 8 and 10 are administrative and are proposed to make Regulation 1 more consistent.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Benton Clean Air Agency Regulation 1.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 70.94.141, 70.94.380(2).

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 18-10-070 on April 12, 2018.

Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: None other than to include the effective date of August 17, 2018.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Date Adopted: June 28, 2018.

Robin Priddy

Director

A. Purpose.

The production and processing of marijuana emits air contaminants. Section 3.04 establishes standards to minimize air contaminants from stationary sources that produce or process marijuana.

B. Applicability.

This section applies to all persons or entities having an active Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) license for marijuana production operations and marijuana processing operations in Benton County.

C. Definitions.

Unless a different meaning is clearly required by context, words and phrases used in this section will have the following meaning:

1. "Control of environmental conditions" means modifying surroundings to facilitate plant growth, may include, but is not limited to; lighting, temperature, relative humidity, and carbon dioxide levels. For implementation of Section 3.04, watering plants and short term covering of plants for a portion of each day as needed for frost protection are not considered control of environmental conditions.

2. "Housing unit" means a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room that is occupied as separate living quarters, in which the occupants live and eat separately from any other persons in the building, and which have direct access from the outside of the building or through a common hall.

3. "Indoor marijuana production and indoor marijuana processing" means production or processing occurring in a fully enclosed building that is permanently affixed to the ground, has permanent rigid walls, a roof that is permanent and non-retractable, and doors. The building is equipped to maintain control of environmental conditions. Hoop houses, temporary structures, or other similar structures are not considered indoor.

4. "Marijuana" means all parts of the cannabis plant, as defined in Chapter 69.50 RCW as it now exists or as amended.

5. "Processor (process, processing)" means LCB licensed operations that dry, cure, extract, compound, convert, package, and label usable marijuana, marijuana concentrates, and marijuana-infused products.

6. "Producer (production, producing)" means LCB licensed operations that propagate, grow, harvest, and trim marijuana to be processed.

7. "Public Place" - means that portion of any building used by and open to the public. A public place does not include a private residence. A public place also includes a lot, parcel, or plot of land that includes a building or structure thereon that is used by and open to the public.

8. "Responsible person" means any person who owns or controls property on which Section 3.04 is applicable.

D. Marijuana Odor.

With respect to odor, it shall be unlawful for any production or processing facility of marijuana to cause an odor that can be detected beyond the facilities property line. The agency may take enforcement action pursuant to chapter 70.94 RCW, under this section if the Control Officer or a duly authorized representative has documented the following:

1. The odor or can be readily smelled from a public place or the private property of another housing unit;

2. An affidavit from a person making a complaint that demonstrates that they have experienced the odor of marijuana so as to unreasonably interfere with their life and property. (The affidavit should describe or identify, to the extent possible, the location, duration, and offensiveness of the odor experienced by the complainant);

3. The source of the odor.

E. With respect to odor, the agency will determine whether or not a violation of Section 3.04D has occurred based on its review of the information obtained during the investigation.

F. When determining whether to take formal enforcement action authorized in Section 3.04D, the agency may consider written evidence provided by the person causing the odors which demonstrates to the satisfaction of the agency that all controls and operating practices to prevent or minimize odors to the greatest degree practicable are being employed. If the agency determines that all such efforts are being employed by the person causing the odors and that no additional control measures or alternate operating practices are appropriate, the agency may decline to pursue formal enforcement action.

G. Nothing in this section shall be construed to impair any cause of action or legal remedy of any person, or the public for injury or damages arising from the emission of any air contaminant in such place, manner or concentration as to constitute air pollution or a common law nuisance.

H. Requirements.

All persons or entities subject to the requirements of Section 3.04 must comply with the following:

1. Production and processing must occur indoors, as defined in 3.04(C), unless the operation is exempt under Section 3.04(M);

2. Indoor production and processing requirements:

a. Control equipment and facility design:

i. Operations must be equipped with air pollution control equipment that is properly sized for the air flow to be controlled. Air pollution control equipment may include, but is not limited to, carbon adsorption within the facility, carbon filtration on facility exhaust points, vertical exhaust stacks. Air pollution control equipment is not required for windows, doors, or other openings, provided these openings are kept closed except as needed for active ingress or egress; or

ii. Operations must be designed to prevent exhaust from production and processing operations directly to the outside; or

iii. Both.

b. Operations must meet the requirements of Section 3.04(D).

3. Operation and maintenance plan. Air pollution control equipment must be operated and maintained in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations. An operation and maintenance plan for the air pollution control equipment must be available on site. The plan must include written operation instructions and maintenance schedules. Record shall be kept of the dates and description of all maintenance and repair performed on the air pollution control equipment. Record must be kept on site for the previous 24 months and be provided to the agency upon request.

I. Compliance with Other Laws and Regulations. Compliance with Regulation I, Article 3, Section 3.04, does not constitute an exemption from compliance with other Sections of Regulation I, or other laws or regulations.

J. Producers, Processors and Responsible Persons. If there is a violation of Regulation I, Article 3, Section 3.04D, a Notice of Violation may be issued to all producers and processors on the parcel, and all responsible persons.

K. Compliance Schedule. All persons or entities subject to the requirements of Article 3, Section 3.04 must be in compliance with Section 3.04 requirements as follows:

1. New producers and processors or expansion at existing producers and processors, that begin or expand operations after August 17, 2018, must be in full compliance with Section 3.04 requirements before production and/or processing begins.

L. Any new marijuana production or processing facility must notify the agency by completing the proof of notification form found on bentoncleanair.org.

M. Exemptions.

1. Existing marijuana producers and processors, in-operation prior to the Section 3.04 effective date (xx/xx/xxx) are exempt from of Section 3.04H. This exemption does not exclude them from the requirements of Section 3.04D.

2. Any existing marijuana producer or processor, in-operation prior to the section 3.04 effective date August 17, 2018 found to be in violation of Section 3.04D, may be required to comply with Section 3.04H within 180 days of receipt of the penalty from said violation or as defined by a compliance schedule agreed upon with the Benton Clean Air Agency.

A. "AHERA Building Inspector" means a person who has successfully completed the training requirements for a building inspector established by United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Asbestos Model Accreditation Plan: Interim Final Rule (40 CFR Part 763, Appendix C to Subpart E) and whose certification is current.

B. "AHERA Project Designer" means a person who has successfully completed the training requirements for an abatement project designer established by EPA Asbestos Model Accreditation Plan: Interim Final Rule (40 CFR Part 763, Appendix C to Subpart E) and whose certification is current.

C. "Asbestos" means the asbestiform varieties of actinolite, amosite (cummingtonite-grunerite), tremolite, chrysotile (serpentinite), crocidolite (riebeckite), or anthophyllite.

D. "Asbestos-Containing Material" means any material containing more than one percent (1%) asbestos as determined using the method specified in the EPA publication, Method for the Determination of Asbestos in Building Materials, EPA/600/R-93/116, July 1993 or a more effective method as approved by EPA.

E. "Asbestos-Containing Waste Material" means any waste that contains or is contaminated with asbestos-containing material. Asbestos-containing waste material includes asbestos-containing material that has been removed from a structure, disturbed, or deteriorated in a way that it is no longer an integral part of the structure or component, asbestos waste from control equipment, materials used to enclose the work area during an asbestos project, asbestos-containing material collected for disposal, asbestos-contaminated waste, debris, containers, bags, protective clothing, or high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. Asbestos-containing waste material does not include samples of asbestos-containing material taken for testing or enforcement purposes.

F. "Asbestos Project" means any activity involving the abatement, renovation, demolition, removal, salvage, clean-up or disposal of asbestos-containing material, or any other action or inaction that disturbs or is likely to disturb any asbestos-containing material. It includes the removal and disposal of asbestos-containing material or asbestos-containing waste material. It does not include the application of duct tape, rewettable glass cloth, canvas, cement, paint, or other non-asbestos materials to seal or fill exposed areas where asbestos fibers may be released.

G. "Asbestos Survey" means a written report resulting from a thorough inspection performed pursuant to Section 8.02 of this Regulation.

H. "Asphalt Shingles" means asphalt roofing in shingle form, composed of glass felt or felts impregnated and coated on both sides with asphalt, and surfaced on the weather side with mineral granules. Some asphalt shingle styles are commonly referred to as three-tab shingles.

I. "Competent Person" means a person who is capable of identifying asbestos hazards and selecting the appropriate asbestos control strategy, has the authority to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate the hazards, and has been trained and is currently certified in accordance with the standards established by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, the federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration, or the United States Environmental Protection Agency (whichever agency has jurisdiction).

J. "Component" means any equipment, pipe, structural member, or other item or material.

K. "Contiguous" means touching or adjoining.

L. "Controlled Area" means an area to which only certified asbestos workers, representatives of the Agency, or other persons authorized by the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA), have access.

M. "Demolition" means wrecking, razing, leveling, dismantling, or intentional burning of a structure, making the structure permanently uninhabitable or unusable in part or whole. It includes any related handling operations. It also includes moving a structure (except a mobile home which remains intact) and wrecking or taking out of any load-supporting structural member.

N. "Disposal Container" means a carton, bag, drum, box, or crate designed for the purpose of safely transporting and disposing of asbestos-containing waste material.

O. "Facility" means any institutional, commercial, public, industrial, or residential structure, installation, or building (including any structure, installation, or building containing condominiums or individual dwelling units operated as a residential cooperative, but excluding residential buildings having four or fewer dwelling units); any ship; and any active or inactive waste disposal site. For purposes of this definition, any building, structure, or installation that contains a loft used as a dwelling is not considered a residential structure, installation, or building. Any structure, installation or building that was previously subject to this subpart is not excluded, regardless of its current use or function.

P. "Homogenous Area" means an area of surfacing material, thermal system insulation material, or a miscellaneous material that is uniform in color or texture. Unless approved otherwise by the Agency, rubble piles, debris piles, ash, soil, and similar materials are not homogeneous areas.

Q. "Friable Asbestos-Containing Material" means asbestos-containing material that, when dry, can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure or by the forces expected to act upon the material in the course of demolition, renovation, or disposal. Each of these descriptions is separate and distinct, meaning the term includes asbestos-containing material that, when dry, can be:

1. Crumbled by hand pressure or by the forces expected to act upon the material in the course of renovation, demolition, or disposal;

2. Pulverized by hand pressure or by the forces expected to act upon the material in the course of renovation, demolition, or disposal; or

3. Reduced to powder by hand pressure or by the forces expected to act upon the material in the course of renovation, demolition, or disposal.

R. "Leak-Tight Container" means a dust-tight and liquid tight disposal container, at least 6-mil thick, that encloses asbestos-containing waste material and prevents solids or liquids from escaping or spilling out. Such containers may include sealed plastic bags, metal or fiber drums, and sealed polyethylene plastic.

S. "Nonfriable Asbestos-Containing Material" means asbestos-containing material that is not friable (e.g., when dry, cannot be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure or by the forces expected to act on the material in the course of demolition, renovation, or disposal).

T. "Owner-Occupied, Single-Family Residence" means any non-multiple residential unit that is used by one family who owns the property as their domicile (permanent and primary residence) both prior to and after renovation or demolition, and can demonstrate such to the Agency upon request (e.g. utility bills). This term does not include rental properties, multiple unit buildings (e.g. duplexes and condominiums with two or more units) or multiple-family units, nor does this term include any mixed-use building (e.g. a business being operated out of a residence), structure, or installation that contains a residential unit.

U. "Owner's Agent" means any person who leases, operates, controls, or is responsible for an asbestos project, renovation, demolition, or property subject to Article 8 of this Regulation. It also includes the person(s) submitting a notification pursuant to Section 8.03 of this Regulation and/or performing the asbestos survey.

V. "Person" means any individual, firm, public or private corporation, association, partnership, political subdivision, municipality, or government agency.

W. "Renovation" means altering a structure or component in any way, other than demolition, that disturbs materials totaling greater than or equal to 10 linear feet, or greater than or equal to 48 square feet, that ((a material that)) was considered a suspect asbestos containing material prior to performing an asbestos survey.

X. "Residential Unit" means any building with four or fewer dwelling units each containing space for uses such as living, sleeping, preparation of food, and eating that is used, occupied, or intended or designed to be occupied by one family as their domicile. This term includes houses, mobile homes, trailers, houseboats, and houses with a "mother-in-law apartment" or "guest room". This term does not include any facility that contains a residential unit.

Y. "Structure" means something built or constructed, in part or in whole. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following in part or in whole: houses, garages, commercial buildings, mobile homes, bridges, "smoke" stacks, pole-buildings, canopies, lean-tos, and foundations. This term does not include normally mobile equipment (e.g., cars, recreational vehicles, boats, etc.).

Z. "Surfacing Material" means material that is sprayed-on, troweled-on, or otherwise applied to surfaces including, but not limited to, acoustical plaster on ceilings, paints, fireproofing material on structural members, or other material on surfaces for decorative purposes.

AA. "Suspect Asbestos-Containing Material" means material that has historically contained asbestos including, but not limited to, surfacing material, thermal system insulation, roofing material, fire barriers, gaskets, flooring material, and cement siding. Suspect asbestos-containing material must be presumed to be asbestos-containing material unless demonstrated otherwise (e.g. as determined using the method specified in the EPA publication, Method for the Determination of Asbestos in Building Materials, EPA/600/R-93/116, July 1993).

AB. "Thermal System Insulation" means material applied to pipes, fittings, boilers, tanks, ducts, or other structural components to prevent heat loss or gain.

AC. "Visible Emissions" means any emissions that are visually detectable without the aid of instruments. The term does not include condensed uncombined water vapor.

AD. "Wallboard System" means joint compound and tape specifically applied to cover nail holes, joints and wall corners. It does not mean "add on materials" such as sprayed on materials, paints, textured ceilings or wall coverings. A wallboard system where joint compound and tape have become an integral system (40 CFR Part 61 FRL4821-7) may be analyzed as a composite sample for determining if it is an asbestos-containing material.

AE. "Waste Generator" means any owner or owner's agent that generates, produces, or is in part or whole, responsible for an activity that results in asbestos-containing waste material.

AF. "Workday" means Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. excluding legal holidays observed by the Agency.

A. Any fee required under Table 10-1 for asbestos projects will be due and payable at the time of filing, unless otherwise specified to the applicant by the Agency.

B. Failure to pay all or part of the fee may result in the commencement of a formal enforcement action.

C. The waiting period begins at the time of filing.