SCAQMD Rule 1415 Registration Process Moves Online

Are you aware of an upcoming and important change to the South Coast AQMD (SCAQMD) Rule 1415 registration process? Facilities with regulated air-conditioning systems pay attention because the SCAQMD Rule 1415 registration process is moving online. This is important for both environmental sustainability and decreasing your company’s environmental footprint.

We’ve been saying it for a while now: Paper is the past when it comes to HVAC/R compliance, and this shift with the SCAQMD Rule 1415 program further solidifies this fact and is but another example of the transition away from paper for the permit to operate. We’ve seen this need in corporate sustainability initiatives with ESG reporting and answering sustainability audit questions, and now we’re also seeing it with general compliance. With little time left, here’s the details your facility needs to know now.
 

Last Day for Paper Submissions is July 31 

Facilities with regulated air-conditioning systems by the SCAQMD Rule 1415 should be aware that beginning August 1, 2020, electronic registrations will be required for public records. 

Indeed, after July 31, 2020, all paper submissions will not be accepted. In other words, there’s little time left for those that are still using paper. 

As a reminder, SCAQMD Rule 1415 has numerous requirements including as it relates to submitting registration; performing an annual audit; and conducting leak inspections and repairs.

A Registration Plan must be submitted to the agency 1) at the start of operation, and 2) every two years thereafter. This plan includes information such as facility name and address; type of business; number of air-conditioning systems in operation; type of refrigerant in each system; full charge of each system; and date of last audit. All of this information will be submitted online, starting August 1st.
 

Keep Accurate Records to Ensure Rule 1415 Compliance

Have a plan in place now to ensure a smooth transition to the online registration process.

It’s especially important to make sure that, amidst this transition, accurate recordkeeping for compliance is maintained.

In these unsettling times of COVID-19, the last thing you would want is to have your facility investigated or be issued a notice of violation, or, worse, fined.

Typically, our refrigerant geeks have learned, SCAQMD comes to your facility and asks for the required documentation. If they don’t obtain what they requested, they will send you a letter to the designated contact in your Registration Plan. 

Ted Atwood, President of Trakref, states, “You then have about four weeks to respond. If no response occurs, then a non-compliance letter is sent and a case is now open.”

If your facility has been disrupted due to COVID-19 and you question your preparedness for such a scenario, now may be a good time to assess whether your facility, too, should move past paper-based hassles and into the future with electronic recordkeeping.

If you have any questions or concerns about how best to go about this electronic transition, feel free to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to speak with one of our refrigerant geeks.

That’s the latest with Rule 1415, and it certainly shows that paper is the past. 
 

HVAC/R Industry Transitioning to Electronic Records

Numerous regulatory agencies are now emphasizing electronic recordkeeping for refrigerant compliance, including EPA 608, CARB, and now SCAQMD.

That’s why we put together a one-pager on the top 10 HVAC/R documentation practices you should be following to ensure compliance.

Get the one-pager now by clicking the button below.
 
Get the One-Pager  
 
And if you’re looking to work with a company that is always staying on top of the latest in refrigerant tracking, get in touch with us today. We’re a software corporation that has been in the regulatory compliance software and environmental compliance calendar software space for years. As an environmental software provider, we make sure our refrigerant capabilities will keep you in compliance. Get in touch with a Refrigerant Geek today. 

Thanks for reading the Trakref blog, and be sure to tune in next week for our popular monthly #HVACNewsRoundup.