• AQMD Board Votes for Cleaner Diesel Fuel to Reduce Cancer

• Board Calls for Cleaner Adhesives in Region

• Diesel School Bus Particulate Trap Testing Program Begins

• $3 Million Alternative Fuel Support Program Goes Forward

• Community Meeting on LAX Area Pollution Study Set

In a landmark move toward cleaner air for Southern Californians, the South Coast Air Quality Management District Governing Board today adopted a rule that will reduce cancer risk by requiring the production of cleaner diesel fuel in the region.

The measure will cut the 23.5 tons of diesel soot emitted daily in the region by 4.7%, or 1.1 ton, when it becomes effective. Under the new rule, diesel fuel produced or imported into the area will be limited to no more than 15 parts per million of sulfur. The current limit is 500 parts per million and the average sulfur content of fuel sold is 133 parts per million.

The measure will take effect Jan. 1, 2005. However, if the California Air Resources Board adopts the equivalent standard for diesel fuel statewide before 2005, AQMD’s rule will take effect on the same date as the state measure, but no later than June 1, 2006.

AQMD’s economic analysis projects the rule will increase the cost of diesel fuel in the region between two and five cents a gallon.

Removing the sulfur is the key to using particulate traps on trucks and buses to reduce their emissions of soot. These filter-like traps can remove up to 90% of the particulate from diesel engines. High-sulfur fuel quickly degrades the traps.

AQMD’s new low-sulfur diesel rule will take effect ahead of the proposed federal EPA measure, which as drafted would take effect June 1, 2006. The California Air Resources Board has discussed developing a rule to take effect sometime in the 2005-06 timeframe.

A study by AQMD released late last year shows the lifetime cancer risk from breathing diesel soot in the region is 994 in a million. Diesel was found to account for some 70% of the overall 1,400 in a million lifetime cancer risk from toxic air pollution.

AQMD’s rule also will reduce emissions of sulfur oxides, which contribute to the region’s fine particle pollution problem, by 2.7 tons per day.

The measure – known as Rule 431.2: Sulfur Content of Liquid Fuels – is one in a series of "clean fleet rules" AQMD is adopting to reduce diesel emissions. Clean fleet measures adopted earlier this year will require all future public transit buses, trash trucks, street sweepers and other public service vehicles purchased in the region to be low-emissions or alternative-fueled.

In a related action today, the Board set a public hearing for Oct. 20 on another clean fleet measure: Rule 1196 – Clean On-Road Heavy-Duty Public Fleet Vehicles.

For further information see the Board item or contact Elaine Chang at (909) 396-3186.

In a move toward cleaner air, the Governing Board today voted to require use of low-polluting adhesives, or glues.

Amended Rule 1168 – Adhesive Applications will reduce emissions of smog-forming volatile organic compound emissions in the region by five tons a day. Beginning in 2003, the rule will require use of low-polluting adhesives, which are used in manufacturing of such products as cardboard boxes, furniture, cabinets, textile products and a host of other goods. Adhesives also are used extensively in construction to glue in place flooring material, carpet, pipes, ceramic tiles, and other materials.

For further information, see the Board item or contact Elaine Chang at (909) 396-3186.

In an effort to quickly reduce the exposure of the region’s students to diesel soot, AQMD and the California Air Resources Board will jointly test the durability of diesel particulate traps on school buses over the months ahead by driving two school buses 50,000 miles. After accumulating the mileage, the buses will be tested for emissions by the California Air Resources Board. If the traps – which can reduce particulate emissions by up to 90% -- still work well, the test should pave the way for programs to retrofit schools buses on a large scale.

The Air Resources Board has listed diesel soot as a toxic air pollutant. Locally, AQMD is moving to reduce emissions of the pollutant through its clean fleet rules, which call for cleanup of public transit and school buses, trash trucks, public works trucks and other public service vehicles.

For further information, see the Board item or contact Chung Liu at (909) 396-2105.

A $3 million program to help cities and counties expand the region’s network of fueling facilities for alternative-fueled vehicles -- as well as their fleets of those clean vehicles -- was approved by the Governing Board today.

Cities interested in obtaining funding under the program – which is administered by the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee – will need to submit their applications between Feb. 1, 2001, and June 30, 2001. Funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The first workshop on the program is set for 10 a.m., Oct. 20, at AQMD headquarters, 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA.

For further information, see the Board item or contact Ray Gorski at (909) 396-2479.

AQMD will hold a community meeting to unveil the results of its study on air pollution problems around Los Angeles International Airport at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 20.

Representatives of the airport and other agencies will be on hand to discuss the environmental impacts of the airport expansion plan.

The meeting will be held at Faithful Central Bible Church, 400 W. Florence Ave. in Inglewood.

Beginning at 2:30 p.m. up until the start of the meeting, Charles R. Drew University and the King/Drew Medical Center will be at the church to provide free health screenings for prostrate and breast cancer, asthma, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, and bone marrow donors.

For further information, contact Natalia Porche at (909) 396-3218.

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This page updated: August 20, 2004
URL: http://www.aqmd.gov/news1/Governing_Board/Bs9_15_00.htm