The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District on Oct. 23 reviewed its 2024 permitting and enforcement activities and described a new district-wide online reporting system that staff said achieved near-universal participation in its launch year.

Jerry Quino, identified in the presentation as the director for the engineering and compliance program, and staff member Amy presented program statistics and operations. Staff said the district issues permits to nearly 2,400 businesses and manages roughly 4,400–4,500 active permits. In calendar year 2024 staff issued 267 permits for new or modified operations. The most common permit categories were engines (primarily diesel-fired backup generators), boilers and heaters, gas stations, coatings and body shops, and various manufacturing and batching operations.

Inspectors performed over 2,400 on-site inspections in 2024. The district described its enforcement options: notices to comply for lower-grade issues and monetary penalties for violations; the minimum daily penalty noted on the record was $5,000 adjusted under the district's mutual settlement policy. In 2024 the district settled 144 violations through the mutual-settlement program, which staff described as the primary way most businesses resolve penalties without court.

Staff explained the district's role as a delegated Title V permitting authority: 14 major (Title V) sources and 16 facilities operating as synthetic minors are in the county. The presentation also reviewed the asbestos program (current rules apply to commercial renovations/demolitions only; the district said expanding to residential would require additional resources) and the burn programs that drive many public complaints, particularly during the winter's "check before you burn" season.

Staff outlined the permitting workflow: applications undergo engineering review for equipment and control technology, Best Available Control Technology determinations (BACT), and health risk assessments where applicable. The district also highlighted technology and process improvements: a new online portal (AREA) launched to collect annual throughput and emissions data from nearly all permitted facilities, which staff said yielded close to 100% participation in the first year.

During discussion, Director Dickinson asked whether inspections could be combined across agencies or use remote/virtual inspections to reduce permittee burden. Staff said interagency coordination occurs through convenings such as the Business Environmental Resource Center and local building-department relationships; staff are testing AI internally, tracking FLIR infrared cameras and other monitoring tools for enforcement, and plan virtual smoke-certification technology to reduce time burdens for training.

Director Lopez Taft asked about internal coordination to avoid duplicate inspections; staff said inspectors are assigned by zone and program purpose and that the district coordinates assignments to avoid unnecessary duplication. Staff said they will return with a memo or additional information on opportunities to coordinate more broadly.

The presentation concluded with staff identifying ongoing focus areas: continuing core permitting and compliance work, integrating the Hot Spots report into online services, supporting SERP community efforts, and tracking emerging control and monitoring technologies.