Oct. 17, 2001
Chairman William Burke and other AQMD officials will be on hand today at
the 13th Annual Clean Air Awards Ceremony to recognize the
companies, communities and individuals that have made significant
contributions to cleaner air in the South Coast Air Basin over the past
year.
An elected official, a major Hollywood studio, several area communities
and a local non-profit organization are among those who will be honored at
the event, held in downtown Los Angeles, at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.
"This year’s Clean Air Awards luncheon is a tribute to great Americans doing
wonderful work on behalf of the environment," said Dr. Burke, chairman of
the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The event also commemorates the region’s continuing progress in improving
air quality. Although the 2001 smog season does not officially end until
Oct. 31, this year is shaping up to continue the trend toward better air
quality.
AQMD’s 2001 Clean Air Award winners are:
Leadership in Government
Los Angeles City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas was a key author of
the city’s Clean Fuels Policy that supports the switch from gasoline- and
diesel-powered fleet vehicles to alternative fuels. The policy promotes the
purchase and use of reliable, durable and cost-effective ultra-low and
zero-emission vehicles and their infrastructure. Councilmember Ridley-Thomas
used this policy to gain council support for AQMD’s fleet rules, which aided
in the adoption of these landmark rules by AQMD’s Governing Board. His
continued commitment to the people of Los Angeles and the clean air policies
he promotes have had a positive impact on the entire South Coast Air
Basin.
Advancement of Air Pollution Technology
Sanford Paper Mate has not used the toxic chemical, perchloroethylene
in its cleaning operations since January 2000. Instead the Santa
Monica-based ballpoint pen manufacturer uses a liquid carbon dioxide
cleaning technology that results in an annual cost savings of $115,000
through reduced energy, materials and environmental fees. The system, which
serves as a prototype for other cleaning operations, and the company’s
effort to eliminate perchloroethylene use in the plant is part of its
comprehensive environmental health and safety program.
Stingray Lighting, Inc. of Escondido manufactures an energy-efficient
high-intensity discharge lighting system that that uses 40 percent to 60
percent less energy than conventional fixtures without loss of light levels.
The STINGRAY® Dual Reflector Lighting System is used to light warehouses,
parking lots, retail stores and other locations, including the Los Angeles
Convention Center’s West Hall and the Los Angeles International Airport. The
patented technology means reduced energy costs for its customers; but for
California, using the dual reflector lighting system means reduced emission
of smog-forming nitrogen oxides and other pollutants from area power plants.
Innovative Transportation Projects
County of Orange Commute Reduction Program offers the "Get Into
Training" Commuter Rail Subsidy Program to encourage employees to commute to
and from work by rail. The program that started as a pilot project in
January 2000 is one of several transportation strategies supported by the
Orange County Board of Supervisors.
Participants purchase a 10-trip ticket and get another one free as part
of the program’s startup subsidy. The program has helped reduce 5,360 trips
to work by county employees over a 12-month period.
Irvine Spectrum Transportation Management Association, also known as
Spectrumotion, is a non-profit corporation formed to reduce traffic
congestion and improve air quality in the Irvine Spectrum, a high-tech
industrial/commercial park in southern Orange County. From January 2000 to
June 2001, Spectrumotion provided a free monthly pass or 10-trip ticket to
545 commuters as part of its "First Month Free" program. During the 18-month
period the average number of Metrolink commuters arriving at the Irvine
Transportation Center increased from 183 to 625 riders. Of those, more than
half were introduced to rail commuting by the "First Month Free" program.
Model Community Achievements
The City of Santa Clarita is one of Los Angeles County’s newest
cities. Yet in the short time since it incorporation in 1987, it has worked
to become a leader among local governments in improving local and regional
air quality. In 1999, the city adopted a comprehensive strategy to integrate
environmental, economic and urban design programs under an umbrella "quality
of life" program called Sustainable Santa Clarita. It includes a Community
Energy Efficiency program, a dust control ordinance, a 9/80 work
schedule, an alternative fuel vehicle program, commuter bus and local
shuttle services, bicycle, hiking and horse trails, an urban forestry
program and three Metrolink stations in Canyon Country, Saugus and Newhall.
Public Education on Air Quality Issues
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has been
serving Southern California for 25 years, developing community outreach
programs to inform and educate the public about the correlation between poor
air quality and allergies and asthma. Its three key programs are:
- The Breathmobile®, a mobile asthma clinic, serves children in
communities where there is limited availability of asthma testing or
treatment and many residents do not have adequate transportation to
medical clinics.
- AAFA’s school-based asthma and air quality program trains school
nurses how to understand asthma, its triggers, and air pollution's effects
on children's health. The program distributes materials about asthma in
English and Spanish, and AAFA maintains an information line to provide
physician referrals, community and professional education and assistance
with patient advocacy issues.
- AAFA also coordinates two support groups: one to educate adults and
parents of children with asthma and allergies; and the other, the Golden
Age Senior Program, that provides seniors with essential asthma and
allergy control and management skills and air quality literature.
Promotion of Good Environmental Stewardship
John Means, supervisor of the paint department at
Universal Studios in Universal City, has been a leader in reducing the
studio's use of paints and coatings containing smog-forming volatile organic
compounds and toxic air contaminants. Starting in 1976, Means began
contacting coatings manufacturers to discuss the possibility of formulating
environmentally safe paints. Due to his hard work and determination before
regulations required him to do so, Universal Studios became the first studio
to eliminate solvent-based floor coatings and industrial enamels, and other
coatings containing smog-forming or toxic ingredients.
Since 1991, Antonio A. Rodriguez, director of the Los Angeles
Unified School District’s (LAUSD) Transportation Branch, and his staff have
achieved an unparalleled track record of promoting clean-fueled school
buses. With Rodriguez’ encouragement, LAUSD has embarked on a long-term plan
of replacing its 2,600 diesel school buses with alternative fuel vehicles to
help reduce students' exposure to toxic diesel soot. The progressive program
benefits the 70,000 children who board these buses daily.
Motivated by the recent studies linking diesel particulate emissions to
cancer and other health effects, Rodriguez and the LAUSD’s Transportation
Branch stepped up its efforts to secure millions in grant funding for
clean-burning, natural gas school buses. The LAUSD’s board showed great
leadership in the area of less polluting school buses, based in large part
on first hand information provided by Mr. Rodriguez, and was instrumental in
the adoption of AQMD’s Rule 1195 – Clean On-Road School Buses.
AQMD is the air pollution control agency for all of Orange County and the
urban portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
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