| June 6, 2008 The
Southland’s air pollution agency today approved a preliminary plan for
developing a greenhouse gas emission reduction program dubbed the SoCal
Climate Solutions Exchange.
“Companies are investing millions of dollars around the world in carbon
offsets that may or may not represent real and permanent emissions
reductions,” said William A. Burke, Ed.D., Governing Board Chairman of the
South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD).
“AQMD’s SoCal Climate Exchange will give businesses and individuals
assurance that they are purchasing real carbon offsets and that they are
investing in the local economy.”
AQMD’s Board today adopted a white paper outlining the goals and
principles of a voluntary regional climate exchange program, first announced
in January by Chairman Burke. AQMD staff now will develop specific rules
governing the program that will be considered by AQMD’s Board this fall.
Companies could purchase carbon reductions from the exchange to mitigate
emissions from new projects under the California Environmental Quality Act.
Companies or individuals also could purchase these reductions to offset
their “carbon footprint.”
The SoCal Climate Solutions Exchange program will set up a mechanism
allowing generation of greenhouse gas reductions within in the AQMD’s
four-county jurisdiction. Reductions must meet strict criteria including
following specific protocols and representing emission reductions that are
in addition to any regulatory requirements. AQMD will consider adopting
incentives for reducing emissions in environmental justice areas – those
with low household incomes and relatively high levels of air pollution.
AQMD will certify carbon emission reduction credits and register and
track any exchanges. The program builds on AQMD’s more than 30 years of
experience in managing emissions reduction credits for nitrogen oxides,
sulfur oxides, particulates and other pollutants. While the SoCal Climate
Solutions Exchange is aimed at reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and
other greenhouse gases, it is likely to result in simultaneous reductions of
smog-forming pollutants.
AQMD’s program is being closely coordinated with the state’s
implementation of AB32, California’s global warming emissions reduction
program.
Fossil-fuel burning and other emissions including methane are now widely
recognized by the scientific community as culprits behind a rapid rise in
carbon dioxide levels in the Earth’s atmosphere. This rise in “greenhouse
gas” levels has in turn warmed the planet and is expected to result in an
additional 8 degree to 10.5 degree warming in California by later this
century if nothing is done to curtail greenhouse gas emissions. Such a
temperature increase in the state would result in a substantial loss of the
Sierra snow pack, an increase in sea level, more heat-wave days and
increased smog formation.
In other action today, the AQMD Board:
- Adopted Rule 314 – Fees for Architectural Coatings – which will
require that paint manufacturers track the annual quantity of coatings
they distribute or sell for use in the Southland as well as emissions from
those products. In addition, paint manufacturers for the first time will
pay annual emissions fees based on the sales quantity and cumulative
emissions from their products. Products containing five grams or less of
smog-forming VOCs per liter of material are exempt from the rule. The
regulation is intended to help AQMD recover costs of its architectural
coatings program including increased enforcement; and
- Awarded $266,925 to Pacific Stihl to conduct AQMD’s third annual Leaf
Blower Exchange Program to exchange 1,500 older, highly polluting backpack
leaf blowers for new, low-polluting and lower noise models. Exchange
events will be held this summer in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and
Riverside counties.
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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