| April 18, 2007 At
"Clean Air Crossroads" Event
LOS ANGELES – At Griffith Observatory overlooking Los Angeles, air
quality officials today announced a program to personalize the impacts of
air pollution as part of a blueprint to meet clean air standards in the next
seven years.
“Each and every year, thousands of Southland residents die prematurely
due to the most severe air pollution in the nation,” said William A. Burke,
Ed.D., Governing Board Chairman of the South Coast Air Quality Management
District.
“Starting today, we are inviting residents to tell us how air pollution
has personally affected their health and their families. We hope these
personal stories will add to the sense of urgency we need to convey to
everyone involved in improving air quality in our region.”
AQMD today launched its Clean Air Voices in the Community program by
asking residents to send their personal stories, photos and videos about
smog’s effect on their lives to
yourstory@aqmd.gov. AQMD will disseminate these stories through
newsletters, videos, public service announcements and other forums to cast a
spotlight on the human toll of air pollution.
The new Voices in the Community program is being launched as AQMD is
moving toward adoption of its 2007 Air Quality Management Plan, a detailed
strategy for meeting the federal health-based standards for PM2.5 (fine
particulate) by 2015 and 8-hour ozone by 2024. The plan relies on the
adoption and successful implementation of dozens of air pollution control
measures -- primarily by the state Air Resources Board, but also by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, AQMD and the ports of Los Angeles and Long
Beach.
“Everyone must do their fair share to clean the air, from the largest
business to the individual consumer,” said Jan Perry, AQMD Governing Board
Member and Los Angeles City Councilwoman.
According to AQMD’s analysis, the state’s proposed control measures fall
short of the emission reductions needed to achieve the fine particulate
standard by 2015. To remedy the shortfall, AQMD’s air quality plan
recommends 12 additional measures for ARB’s consideration in addition to the
19 measures currently planned by the state. AQMD’s recommended additional
state measures include the accelerated introduction of ultra-clean cars such
as plug-in hybrids; a more rapid replacement of dirty, old diesel engines in
construction and industrial equipment; locomotives; and heavy-duty vehicles,
including those at the ports.
The new plan is a revision of an initial draft released last October. It
reflects the latest technical data as well as comments received at seven
public workshops this winter. Following an additional four public workshops
in March and five public hearings this month, AQMD’s Governing Board will
consider adopting the plan at a final public hearing on May 4. The plan
then must be approved by the California Air Resources Board and submitted to
US EPA for its review and approval in June.
In addition to CARB’s measures, the plan includes 37 control measures
proposed for adoption by AQMD, including mitigating emissions from new
developments; further reductions from industrial facilities through
modernization of equipment and reductions from gas stations.
The plan also relies on EPA’s adoption of additional regulations
including more stringent locomotive standards; full implementation of the
landmark San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan by the ports of Long
Beach and Los Angeles; and transportation control measures enacted by the
Southern California Association of Governments and individual local
governments.
The stakes for failing to meet the federal clean air deadlines are high.
First and foremost, residents of the Los Angeles Basin suffer more than 80
percent of the adverse effects of particulate pollution in the state. Poor
PM2.5 air quality alone is responsible for 5,400 premature deaths and 2,400
hospitalizations each year in the region.
In addition to health effects, the region faces potential Draconian
sanctions for failing to meet clean air deadlines including the loss of
billions of dollars in federal highway funds, higher costs for emission
credits needed for new businesses and the imposition of a federal clean air
plan.
The entire plan is on the web at
http://www.aqmd.gov/aqmp/AQMPintro.htm.
AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major
portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
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