exceptional events; air quality; wildfires, the official text

PREFILED    NOV 18 2025

REFERENCE TITLE: exceptional events; air quality; wildfires

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2013

Introduced by

Representative
Fink

AN
ACT

Amending section 49-424, Arizona
Revised Statutes; RELATING to state air pollution control.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 49-424, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE49-424. Duties of department

The department shall:

1. Determine whether the meteorology of the state is
such that airsheds can be reasonably identified and air pollution, therefore,
can be controlled by establishing air pollution control districts within well
defined geographical areas.

2. Make continuing determinations of the quantity
and nature of emissions of air contaminants, topography, wind and temperature
conditions, possible chemical reactions in the atmosphere, the character of
development of the various areas of the state, the economic effect of remedial
measures on the various areas of the state, the availability, use and economic
feasibility of air-cleaning devices, the effect on human health and danger to
property from air contaminants, the effect on industrial operations of remedial
measures and other matters necessary to arrive at a better understanding of air
pollution and its control. In a county with a population in excess
of one million two hundred thousand persons, the department shall locate a
monitoring system in at least two remote geographic sites.

3. Establish substantive policy statements for
identifying air quality exceptional events that take into consideration this
state's unique geological, geographical and climatological conditions and any
other unusual circumstances. These substantive policy statements
shall be developed with the planning agency certified pursuant to section 49-406,
subsection A and the county air pollution control department or district. If a wildfire occurs on federally managed land that affects this
state, the department shall submit an exceptional event demonstration to the
United States environmental protection agency.

4. Determine the standards for the quality of the
ambient air and the limits of air contaminants necessary to protect the public
health, and to secure the comfortable enjoyment of life and property by the
citizens of the state or in any defined geographical area of the state where
the concentration of air pollution sources, the health of the population, or
the nature of the economy or nature of land and its uses so require, and
develop and transmit to the county boards of supervisors minimum state standards
for air pollution control.

5. Conduct investigations, inspections and tests to
carry out the duties of this section under the procedures established by this
article.

6. Hold hearings relating to any aspect of or matter
within the duties of this section, and in connection therewith, compel the
attendance of witnesses and the production of records under the procedures
established by section 49-432.

7. Prepare and develop a comprehensive plan or plans
for the abatement and control of air pollution in this state.

8. Encourage voluntary cooperation by advising and
consulting with persons or affected groups or other states to achieve the purposes
of this chapter, including voluntary testing of actual or suspected sources of
air pollution.

9. Encourage political subdivisions of the state to
handle air pollution problems within their respective jurisdictions, and
provide as it deems necessary technical and consultative assistance therefor.

10. Compile and publish from time to time reports,
data and statistics with respect to those matters studied and investigated by
the department.

11. Develop and disseminate air quality dust
forecasts for the Maricopa county PM-10 nonattainment or maintenance area
and any other PM-10 nonattainment or maintenance areas that are
designated in this state from and after December 31, 2011.  Each forecast 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.  At a minimum, the forecasts shall be posted on the department's
website and distributed electronically. When developing these
forecasts, the department shall consider all of the following:

(a) Projected meteorological conditions for the PM-10
nonattainment or maintenance area, including all of the following:

(i) Wind speed and direction.

(ii) Stagnation.

(iii) Recent precipitation.

(iv) Potential for precipitation.

(b) Existing concentrations of air pollution at the
time of the forecast.

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