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Overview
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The South Coast Air
Basin has the worst air
quality in the nation. This
is primarily a result of
pollution emitted by mobile
sources such as cars,
trucks, buses, trains,
planes, ships, and off-road
construction equipment and
support vehicles.
Since our region has the
busiest port complex in the
nation (the Ports of Los
Angeles and Long Beach),
as well as numerous airports, railyards,
and cars, trucks and buses
in operation, mobile sources
generate more than 80% of
our region’s air pollution.
The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA),
pursuant to the federal
Clean Air Act, has
established federal health
standards (known as national
ambient air quality
standards or NAAQS), which
are the maximum
concentration allowed for
various pollutants in the
air, such as ozone and fine
particulate matter (PM 2.5).
Deadlines to attain these
standards are fast
approaching, and if our
region does not reduce
pollutant levels
sufficiently to meet the
standards given by federal
deadlines, then our region
could face significant
penalties such as the loss
of billions of dollars in
federal transportation
funding.
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However, since the majority of mobile sources are primarily regulated at the
state and federal levels, our region cannot meet these federal standards unless we get
help from Congress, EPA, and the California Air Resources Board. The South Coast Air Quality
Management District (AQMD) is actively engaged in Federal legislative advocacy to make sure government at all levels
is doing its
part to help our region breathe easier.
2011 Federal Goals &
Objectives
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The Governing Board adopted its Federal
Legislative Goals Objectives to guide the
District’s legislative activity in 2011. For more information, please follow the
link below:
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Key Issue Areas for 2011 |
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federal legislative areas in which AQMD is
engaged: |
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Clean Air
Act Section 185 Requirements
- Section 185 of the
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Federal Clean Air Act (CAA) requires areas that are designated as “Severe or Extreme Nonattainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Quality standards (NAAQS) for Ozone” to develop a fee collection rule to be implemented in the event that an area fails to attain the ozone standards by the required attainment date.
Section 185 places an unfair financial burden upon major stationary sources of air pollution operating within the South Coast Air Basin, an extreme ozone nonattainment area, because stationary sources have reduced their emissions upwards of 90%. By contrast, mobile sources (including motor vehicles, locomotives, ships, and off-road equipment) , the greatest contributors to air pollution in the South Coast Air Basin, have not reduced their fair share of emissions in order for this region to meet the federal standards.
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AQMD is working with EPA to seek
legislative or administrative clarification
that would address potential inequities
regarding Clean Air Act Section 185 fees for
major stationary sources operating in areas
that fail to attain the National Ambient Air
Quality Standards for Ozone by stipulated
deadlines, including alternative fee
equivalent programs under EPA’s guidance.
Following the discussions with EPA, AQMD
adopted Rule 317 to satisfy the requirements
of Section 185 by establishing a fee
equivalent approach as provided in Section
172 (e) of the Clean Air Act. The proposed
rule establishes the framework for
calculating Section 185 fees and debits that
are credited against a fund (the fee equivalent
fund program), that in turn is funded by
federal, state and local programs that are
surplus to the State Implementation Plan
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Marine Vessel Emissions -
Ships are a major source of smog and
particulate-forming nitrogen oxides, and are
major contributors to greenhouse gas
emissions.They are also a major source of
diesel particulate matter, which is
considered a toxic air contaminant.
According to AQMD’s 2008 Multiple Air Toxics
Exposure Study (MATES III), diesel
particulate is identified as causing more
than 80 percent of the total quantifiable
cancer risk from air pollution in Southern
California. Due to the lack of current
regulations, ships are virtually the only
source category in Southern California for
which emissions are projected to increase in
the future. Notwithstanding the more
recently adopted International Maritime
Organization’s (IMO) standards and EPA’s
tighter restrictions on marine vessel
emissions, these will likely fall far short
of achieving the levels of emission
reductions needed for the South Coast Air
Basin to meet federal air quality standards.
For 2011, AQMD plans to continue its ongoing
efforts to obtain federal legislative or
regulatory assistance in reducing the levels
of emissions from marine vessels. |
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Surface Transportation -
The current federal surface transportation
authorization bill, known as the Safe,
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for
Users (SAFETEA-LU), provides funding for
highways, highway safety, and public
transportation. As Congress begins to craft
the new surface transportation authorization
legislation, AQMD continues to work with
Congress, and with other clean air agencies,
transportation, business, environmental and
community stakeholders, to ensure that any
new authorization law expands clean air
funding opportunities, includes provisions
to reduce the air quality impact of mobile
sources and promotes cleaner transportation
technologies and fuels. |
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AQMD Surface Transportation
Principles
(PDF, 101 KB)
AQMD Goods
Movement Principles
(PDF, 96 KB)
Fact Sheet on Surface Transportation
Legislation
(PDF, 1.5 MB)
AQMD Proposals for inclusion in the next
Surface Transportation Authorization law
(PDF, 204 KB)
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Locomotive Emissions
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Locomotive operations are one of the largest
sources of air pollution in the South Coast
Air Basin. The NOx pollution emitted from
railroad operations in the region exceeds
the total emissions from 100 of the largest
oil refineries, power plants, chemical
plants and other industrial facilities
combined. These emissions contribute to
ozone and particulate levels that exceed
federal health-based standards within the
South Coast Air Basin and contribute to
approximately 5,000 premature deaths per
year, in addition to asthma, reduced lung
function in children, and other serious
health impacts. Locomotives also emit toxic
diesel particulates that contribute to
significant cancer risks near railyards. In
March 2008, the EPA adopted standards for
locomotives, to reduce emissions from all
types of diesel locomotives. While this rule
will cut PM emissions from these engines by
as much as 90 percent and NOx emissions by
as much as 80 percent when fully
implemented, it only applies to new
engines. Since locomotives are commonly in
service for decades, and the rule does not
affect existing locomotives, the majority of
highly polluting engines will continue to
pollute. AQMD
will continue to seek ways to reduce locomotive emissions. |
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Technology Advancement
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To attain federal air
quality standards, AQMD will need to cut
emissions by over 75%. Proposed
tougher federal air quality standards for
ozone and particulates, if adopted, would
require even more reductions.
Increased federal funding would help
facilitate the development and deployment of
zero and near-zero emission energy
generation and infrastructure to power clean
transportation and other uses, thereby
fostering energy security and improving air
quality.
In 2011, the AQMD will seek and expand
funding opportunities for advanced
technologies and clean air programs for 1)
clean energy sources, 2) implementation of
the upcoming 2012 Air Quality Management
Plan (AQMP), and 3) clean aviation
technologies, including low-carbon fuels,
clean engines, and clean fuels research and
development.
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Climate Change - presents a significant public health and ecological threat. Therefore, this problem should be addressed in a comprehensive manner by federal, state and local agencies. AQMD has been engaged at the federal level to ensure that any federal climate change legislation works in concert with, and does not preempt, the efforts of local agencies to regulate global warming pollutants or any other air pollutants. Additionally, AQMD is also working to ensure that any new laws enacted will not result in a significant increase in criteria air pollutants or toxic air contaminants. AQMD will continue to work to make sure that any federal legislative and regulatory actions regarding climate change address AQMD’s policy priorities relating to greenhouse gas reductions.
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AQMD Board Approved Policy Recommendations
(PDF, 169 KB) |
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