WASHINGTON - The California Supreme Court recently upheld an appeals-court decision that voided stringent new VOC limits on architectural and industrial maintenance coatings imposed by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).

The action affirms the appellate court's ruling that the SCAQMD must correct errors it made in the adoption of amendments to the district's Rule 1113.

But the South Coast district board has already begun efforts to "re-adopt" the 1999 amendments, scheduling a hearing for Dec. 6 to consider amendments that are identical to those voided by the courts, the National Paint & Coatings Association said. The association said it plans to seek a delay in enforcement of the amendments, and said the district's actions could result in renewed litigation by the NPCA.

The appeals-court decision upheld by the California Supreme Court found that the SCAQMD disregarded evidence that some of the future VOC limits included in the amendments are not technologically feasible, the NPCA said.