Air Quality Bureau

SMP II Registration Form Instructions

The SMP II Registration Form is required for all burns expected to produce more than one ton of PM₁₀ per day, or that are more than 5,000 cubic feet (cu ft) of pile volume per day. The form is due to the AQB no later than two weeks prior to the anticipated start of the burn project or preferably as early as November 1^st of the preceding year. This form is also used for registration of Wildland Fire Use fires once they reach 10 acres in size. All information is required to be filled out unless otherwise indicated. There may be several options presented; in those cases, check the appropriate box. At least one box must be checked when there are options. See Smoke Management Program Guidance Document for further information. This form may be submitted on-line at http://smoke.state.nm.us or to the AQB by mail at 2044 Galisteo, Santa Fe, NM 87505, fax at (505) 827-1543 or e-mail to smoke@nmenv.state.nm.us. 

Explanation: This information is needed to estimate the potential total burning activity across the state, allow the state Air Quality Bureau (AQB) to be able to plan the Annual Emission Goal, and aid in any necessary coordination efforts.

The table below can be used by burners to determine if the acreage or pile volume of the burn project falls under SMP II.

Following are line-by-line instructions for filling out the SMP II Registration Form.

Year. Enter the year the burn will take place. 

Explanation: This will allow AQB to develop an annual emission goal as required by federal regulations.

Burn Project.  Enter the name of the Burn Project (25 characters or less including spaces).

Explanation: This is to help the AQB identify separate projects by the same burner. The burner assigns the burn project name. A burn project needs to be contiguous on the landscape and have similar burn objectives: e.g., one field, pasture, or orchard. If you do not typically name your burn project, a last name or some other descriptor will suffice, as long as each burn project name is unique.

ID. Leave the ID space blank. You will receive this once you have submitted the form. If you are submitting this electronically through the web site, you will receive the ID number after submittal. Make sure you write this number down as you will need this number for future correspondence with the AQB regarding this burn project.

Explanation: This ID number will be assigned by the AQB upon receipt of the Registration Form. Once AQB has assigned this number to a burn project, the number will be provided to the burner. This number will be unique to a burn project and will be used for Waiver Requests, Notifications, Cancellations, and on the Tracking Form once the burn project is completed, and in any other communication with the AQB.

Contact Information. Enter information for the primary contact for this burn; i.e., landowner, burn manager or burn boss. Give agency/company, name, address, phone, and fax and e-mail if available.

Explanation: This enables the AQB to contact the burner if necessary.

Project type. Fill in the appropriate project type: federal, state, municipal or private.

Explanation: The project type will help AQB characterize burning across the state.

Burn Location Information. Provide the name of the County in which the burning will occur. If the project overlaps two counties, provide the county in which ignition will take place. Provide the average elevation of the burn project. Provide one locator: latitude/longitude (use the Help button on the on-line form for entering different variations of latitude and longitude), Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM), or Township, Range and Section (TRS). This information can be determined using USGS topographic maps. Provide only one location for the center area of the burn project. If using township, range and section, provide the information for only one section near the center area of the burn project. If unable to find this information, contact the AQB for help.

Explanation: This information allows the AQB to plot all burns on a map, assisting with the analysis of burning across the state or in a given airshed.

For Grassland, Shrub Land and Forests ONLY: Restoration Burn or Maintenance Burn and/or Wildland Fire Use. Indicate if the project will help restore the land to more healthy conditions, or if it will maintain existing healthy conditions. If this is Wildland Fire Use (e.g., a burn that started by lightning and that you are letting burn), check the box. (See Appendix H for definitions of restoration and maintenance.) If you know the Fire Regime Condition Class of the burn the following may help; a condition class of 1 would equal a maintenance burn and a 2 or 3 would equal a restoration burn.

Explanation: This information helps the AQB predict future levels of emissions from fire.

Time of Year Expect to Burn. Indicate the time(s) of year the burn project is expected to take place.  For example, if it could be either a fall or spring burn, check both the “March-May” and “September-November” boxes. All four boxes can be checked. For Wildland Fire Use check the box(es) for the seasons you expect the burn to continue through.

Explanation: This information helps the AQB understand when burning is likely to occur in various airsheds.

Acreage and Pile Volume. Enter the number of day(s) you expect the burn to last. If this is only a broadcast burn only list acres. If this is only a pile burn only list cubic feet. If this is a combination burn list both acres and cubic feet and make a note of this in the comment section. Also enter the maximum you expect burn in a day. See SMP Appendix K for more help with determining pile volume. If this is a Wildland Fire Use enter the Maximum Allowable Acreage (MAA) for the total project acres and leave the daily acreage blank.

Explanation: This information helps AQB to forecast emissions produced in the various airsheds.

Alternatives to Burning. Explain why alternatives to burning were not used. In other words explain why you are burning what you are burning. For example, under chemical: "My objective is pest eradication, and I considered pesticides, but I cannot meet the necessary EPA requirements to use them." An example for mechanical might be "My slopes are too steep and the area is inaccessible for equipment." A biological example is "There are currently no known biological agents to remove woody fuels."  See SMP Appendix C for more information. Alternatives to burning are not required for Wildland Fire Use.

Explanation: This information will help the AQB to identify administrative barriers to the use of alternatives, so as to remove them where feasible.

Total Fuel Loading by Vegetation Type. Using the vegetation type of the burn, in the acres column, enter the acreage of the burn and tons per acre or, for pile burns, enter cubic feet. For help determining fuel loading see SMP Appendix K or call the Smoke Management Program at 1-800-224-7009 extension 8038. The total acreage or cubic feet must equal the total project acres previously entered. The tons per acre should be entered as a single number, not a range. For a Wildland Fire Use the vegetation acres should equal the Maximum Allowable Acreage (MAA).

Explanation: In order to forecast as accurately as possible the emissions produced, it is necessary to have identified the vegetation type and estimated the fuel loading. This section provides that information to the AQB.

Planned Actions to Minimize Emissions (ERTs). For each emission reduction technique (ERT) that you are planning to use, check the box. At least one ERT must be used for each burn project. See SMP Appendix D for more information on ERTs. If an ERT cannot be utilized, a waiver must be requested. See SMP Appendix H for the waiver process. This is not required for Wildland Fire Use, but check any that are applicable where possible.

Explanation: By providing this information to the AQB, a better estimate of emissions reduced per burn project can be calculated, which will aid in airshed capacity evaluation and setting of the Annual Emission Goal.

Public Notification. Check the appropriate box(es) if there are population(s), Class I areas, or non-attainment areas within a 15-mile radius of your burn project. Enter the name of the local fire authority you have notified, and, if the burn is within a 15-mile radius of population(s), list the other method(s) of public notification used. For Wildland Fire Use, public notification takes effect the day the decision is made to manage the fire. See SMP Appendix F and Appendix G for more information.

Explanation: Providing this information makes the burner aware of the people who could be affected by the burn project and notifies the AQB of the requirements for monitoring and public notification. Public notification alerts the public so that precautions against smoke exposure can be taken.

Ventilation Category Expect to Burn Under.  Check the appropriate box(es) to indicate which ventilation conditions the burn will be conducted under. The Smoke Management Regulation allows only burning under "Good" to "Excellent" ventilation categories. However, if for example, night burning is needed due to moisture requirements, check the "Fair" and "Poor" boxes. See SMP Appendix E for information on calculation of ventilation categories.  When checking "Fair" or "Poor", an individual waiver must be requested or the burner agrees to abide by the conditions of the statewide waivers for broadcast (fair only) or piles (fair and poor). See the Smoke Management web page for information on the statewide waiver for piles and broadcast burns. See SMP Appendix H for information on the waiver process. If a waiver is requested give the distance and direction of the populations previously checked in relation to the burn. Ventilation categories do not apply to Wildland Fire Use. Please check all boxes since there is the possibility of burning under all conditions, but do not check a waiver box.

Explanation: Burning under ventilation categories of "Good" or above equates to better smoke dispersion, which should lessen the smoke impacts.

Waiver Request. If the fair or poor ventilation category box (s) are checked, select the appropriate waiver request. Enter the distance and direction to the burn project from populations, Class I areas and/or nonattainment areas. For Wildland Fire Use, this is not required.

Explanation: This will help AQB evaluate your waiver request.

Planned Wind Direction.  Enter wind direction(s) under which the burning will occur. This can be a very limited wind direction such as "SW", it may be a range such as "S – E" or it can be "all" or "any". Wind directions are given in clockwise order. For Wildland Fire Use, enter "all".

Explanation:  This information helps identify populations that may be affected.

Smoke Management Education. Check the appropriate box for the type of smoke management training you have received. See SMP Appendix H for more information.

Explanation: By participating in an education program the AQB expects burners to become more aware of the smoke they produce, the impacts the smoke may create, and ways to minimize the potential impacts.

Air Quality Monitoring. Indicate by checking the appropriate box(es) what smoke monitoring is planned for the project. Visual Monitoring is required for Wildland Fire Use. See SMP Appendix F for more information.

Explanation: Providing this information makes the burner aware of the population(s) who could be affected by the burn project.

Comments.  Enter any other comments that might help clarify or explain other entries.

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