Ariz. Admin. Code § 18-2-612

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section R18-2-612 - Definitions for R18-2-612.01

The definitions in R18-2-101 and the following definitions apply to R18-2-612.01:

1. "Access restriction" means reducing PM emission by reducing the number of trips driven on unpaved operation and maintenance and unpaved utility roads by restricting or eliminating public access by the used of signs or physical obstruction at locations that effectively control access to roads.

2. "Aggregate cover" means reducing PM emissions, wind erosion and stabilizing soil by applying and maintaining gravel, concrete, recycled road base, caliche, or other similar material to unpaved roads. The aggregate should be clean, hard and durable, and should be applied a depth sufficient to create soil stabilization in accordance with material specifications. A minimum depth of three inches is the standard in the absence of such specifications.

3. "Apply and maintain water" means reducing PM emissions and wind erosion by applying water to bare soil surfaces until the surfaces are visibly moist.

4. "Best management practice" means a technique verified by scientific research, that on a case-by-case basis is practical, economically feasible, and effective in reducing PM emissions from a regulated agricultural activity.

5. "Biological control of aquatic weeds" means reducing at least one trip, or to one trip if only one trip is needed, per treatment, made by vehicles for the purposes of removing aquatic weeds from canals by using fish, and other biologic means, within the canal through the use of to control the growth of aquatic weeds that reduce operating capacities and create debris that causes other operational issues.

6. "Canals" means facilities constructed for the sole purpose of the control, conveyance, and delivery of water. These facilities may be either open earthen channels, lined or unlined, or buried pipelines, which are used to convey water uphill and under obstructions, such as roadways and wash and river channels. These facilities include, but are not limited to, gate, inlet, outlet, safety, and measuring structures required to control water along the canals and deliver water to irrigation district customers, as well as compacted earthen banks constructed to protect these facilities from storm runoff events.

7. "Committee" means the Governor's Agricultural Best Management Practices Committee.

8. "Debris" means trash, rubble, and other non-soil materials.

9. "Dredge canals" means reducing PM emissions by mechanically removing muck, debris, and other foreign objects from canals while material is still wet or damp.

10. "Dust Control Forecast" means a forecast, which shall identify a low, moderate or high risk of dust generation for the next five consecutive days and shall be issued by noon on each day the forecast is generated. When developing these forecasts, the department shall consider all of the following:

a. Projected meteorological conditions, including:

i. Wind speed and direction,

ii. Stagnation,

iii. Recent precipitation, and

iv. Potential for precipitation;

b. Existing concentrations of air pollution at the time of the forecast; and

c. Historic air pollution concentrations that have been observed during meteorological conditions similar to those that are predicted to occur in the forecast.

11. "Earth materials" means natural materials covering the ground surface, which includes, but are not limited to, dirt, rocks, or soil.

12. "Grading roadways" means mechanically smoothing and compacting the roadway surface.

13. "Irrigation District" means a political subdivision, governed by title 48, chapter 19.

14. "Limit activity" means performing only critical operational or emergency activity on a day forecast to be high risk for dust generation as forecasted by the Pinal County Dust Control Forecast.

15. "Major earth moving activities" means the mechanical movement of earth materials to reconstruct, relocate, reshape, reconfigure canals, including operation and maintenance roads and utility access roads.

16. "Maricopa PM nonattainment area" means the Phoenix planning area as defined in 40 CFR 81.303, which is incorporated by reference in R18-2-210.

17. "Minor earth moving activities" means the mechanical movement of earth materials to repair and maintain the existing configuration, location, bank slopes, or inclines of canals.

18. "Muck" means water that is saturated with mud, dirt, and soil, which accumulates over time along the bottom of canals.

19. "Paved Public Road" means any paved roadways that are open to public travel and maintained by a City, County, or the State.

20. "Pinal County PM Nonattainment Area" means the West Pinal PM₁₀ planning area and the West Central PM_2.5 planning area, as defined in 40 CFR 81.303, and incorporated by reference in R18-2-210.

21. "PM" includes both particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 2.5 micrometers as measured by a reference method based on 40 CFR 50 Appendix L, or by an equivalent method designated according to 40 CFR 53; and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 10 micrometers as measured by a reference method contained within 40 CFR 50 Appendix J or by an equivalent method designated in accordance with 40 CFR 53, as incorporated by reference in Appendix 2.

22. "Reduce vehicle speed" means reducing PM emissions and soil erosion from the use of vehicles owned or operated by the irrigation district on unpaved operation, maintenance, and utility access roads, at speeds not to exceed 25 mph. This can be achieved through worker behavior modifications, signage, or any other necessary means.

23. "Regulated agricultural activity" means activities of an irrigation district, which affects those lands and facilities that are under the jurisdiction and control of an irrigation district, as described in § 49-457(P)(1)(f) and A.R.S. § 49-457(P)(5)(b).

24. "Regulated area" means a regulated area as defined in A.R.S. § 49-457(P)(6)(c).

25. "Sediment" means muck that has dried after removal from canals.

26. "Supervisory control system" means a system that allows the irrigation district to control operational structures from a remote computer location in order to reduce at least one trip made by vehicles to access structures for operational purposes.

27. "Synthetic or natural particulate suppressant" means reducing PM emissions and wind erosion by providing a stabilized soil surface with organic material, such as muck, animal waste or biosolids, or with a manufactured product such as lignosulfate, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, an emulsion of a petroleum product, an enzyme product, or polyacrylamide.

28. "Track-out control system" means minimizing any and all material that adheres to and agglomerates on all vehicles and equipment and falls onto paved public roads or shoulders to paved public roads by using a device or system to remove mud or soil from a vehicle or equipment before the vehicle enters a paved public road. Devices such as a grizzly, a gravel pad or a wheel wash system can be used.

29. "Unauthorized use" means any travel or access by non-district personnel in non-district vehicles along roadways under the control of an irrigation district without the permission of the irrigation district.

30. "Unpaved operation and maintenance roads" means unpaved roadways that lay adjacent to canals, which provide access for irrigation district personnel and equipment for direct operation and maintenance of canals, and are under the control of the irrigation district.

31. "Unpaved utility access roads" means unpaved roadways used to provide access to canals, and also includes office and shop facilities, equipment yards, staging areas and other lands under the control of the irrigation district.

32. "Weed management" means reducing at least one trip made by vehicles for the purposes of removing weeds by using a combination of techniques, including organic, chemical, or biological means, to control weeds along canal banks and land surfaces not used for conveying water, excluding unpaved roadways.

33. "Wind barrier" means reducing PM₁₀ emissions and wind erosion by constructing a fence or structure, or providing a woody vegetative barrier by planting a row of trees or shrubs, perpendicular or across the prevailing wind direction to reduce wind speed by changing the pattern of air flow over the land surface. For fences and structures, the wind barrier shall have a density of no less than 50% and the height of the wind barrier must be proportionate to the downwind protected area. The downwind protected area is considered ten times the height of the wind barrier. For vegetative barriers, compliance shall be determined by NRCS Conservation Practice Standard, Code 380, Wind-break/Shelterbelt Establishment, amended through August 21, 2009 (and no future editions).

Ariz. Admin. Code § R18-2-612

New Section R18-2-612 renumbered from R18-2-610 at 6 A.A.R. 2009, effective May 12, 2000 (Supp. 00-2). Former Section R18-2-612 renumbered to R18-2-614; new Section R18-2-612 made by final rulemaking at 11 A.A.R. 2210, effective July 18, 2005 (Supp. 05-2). Adopted by exempt rulemaking at 30 A.A.R. 1156, effective 7/2/2015.