Introduced to Senate and referred to Committee on Sporting Heritage, Mining and Forestry.
This bill requires an owner or operator of an industrial sand mining or processing facility to monitor the ambient air near the facility for small crystalline silica particles and other particulate matter and report the results to the Department of Natural Resources. Under current law, DNR may require an owner or operator of an air contaminant source to monitor the ambient air near the air contaminant source and report the results.
This bill also requires DNR to promulgate an ambient air quality standard for small crystalline silica particles. Under current law, DNR may promulgate an ambient air quality standard for an air contaminant for which a standard has not be promulgated under the federal Clean Air Act, but only if certain conditions are met. Silica is not a contaminant for which a standard has been promulgated under the federal Clean Air Act. This bill allows DNR to promulgate an ambient air quality standard for crystalline silica without meeting conditions required under current law.