California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) issued a notice of public workshop for its Proposed Amended Rule 1151 (Auto-Refinish). The public workshop is scheduled for Aug. 30 at 12:00 pm ET (9:00 am PT). The district also published preliminary draft rule language and a preliminary draft staff report.

Notable changes from the initial draft rule language to the preliminary draft rule language are as follows:

  • Matte-Clear Coating – removal of Phase II VOC limit of 520 g/L (Phase I remains at 550 g/L)
  • Color Coating – new effective date for the lower Phase II VOC limit of 250 g/L on 1/1/2032
  • Metallic Color Coating – new Phase II VOC limit of 250 g/L with an effective date of 1/1/2032
  • Primer Sealer – new Phase II VOC limit of 150 g/L with an effective date of 1/1/2028
  • Primer Surfacer – new Phase II VOC limit of 150 g/L with an effective date of 1/1/2028
  • New category for “Tinted Mid-Coat” – Phase I VOC limit of 750 g/L and Phase II VOC limit of 250 g/L by 1/1/2032
  • Revised alternative VOC limit for color coatings and metallic color coatings supplied in half-pints or smaller (see Footnote 2 of Table 1 and paragraph (d)(3))
  • Product-Weighted MIR VOC Limit for Reducers & Thinners (see Table 2)
  • Revised PCBTF & TBAC Timelines (see Table 3):
    • Prohibition Effective Date: May 1, 2025
    • Sell-Through End Date: May 1, 2026
    • Use-Through End Date: July 1, 2027
  • New definitions for tinted mid-coat, MIR, PW-MIR, and reducer or thinner

SCAQMD is accepting written comments on the proposal through Sept. 13, 2024. The district  SCAQMD intends to present the Proposed Amended Rule 1151 to the Governing Board at a public hearing on Nov. 1 (subject to change).

Additional information on this rulemaking is available on SCAQMD’s PAR 1151 webpage.

Contact ACA’s Rhett Cash for more information.