![]() After a year-long effort, South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD, District) has published the draft Community Emission Reduction Plan (CERP) for the three “Year 1” communities within the District that were chosen as part of California Air Resources Board (CARB) Assembly Bill 617 (AB 617). The Year 1 communities are:
As required by CARB, and as part of the public process for developing emission reduction plans, Community Steering Committees (CSC) consisting of a variety of stakeholders (i.e. active residents, business owners, public agencies, and environmental justice groups) were formed in each community. Throughout the 27 meetings held with the CSCs in Year 1 communities, members of public, SCAQMD staff and CARB representatives, the main contributors to pollution in each community and the priorities for emission and exposure reduction were determined.
Arguably the most polluted area of the three Year 1 communities within SCAQMD, the Wilmington, Carson, West Long Beach community is surrounded by two major marine ports (Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach), major truck transit corridors, railyards, as well as oil drilling and production operations. Diesel particulate matter emissions from mobile sources contribute significantly to the cancer risk in this community, which includes our own Alta Long Beach office. In the upcoming years, and with the existing CARB and SCAQMD rules and regulations, some of the criteria and toxic pollutant emissions to decrease. However, in order to achieve meaningful emission reduction and public health benefits, the following actions are proposed to further reduce emission of criteria and toxic pollutants of concern, as well as exposure to said pollutants.
Along with the measures detailed in Wilmington, Carson, West Long Beach CERP and additional monitoring efforts [as explained in more detail in the Community Air Monitoring Plan (CAMP) published earlier this year https://www.altaenviron.com/news--media/ab617-community-air-monitoring-plans-released], SCAQMD is aiming to achieve the following emission reduction targets for the criteria and toxic pollutants of concern in this community:
After a successful year of planning for the Year 1 communities, CARB and air districts throughout the state of California are in the process of choosing second year communities for the AB 617 program. Our air team at Alta Environmental will be following these efforts, as well as the outcome of the implementation of the Community Emission Reduction Plan in our local communities. For any questions or guidance on air quality regulations, please contact Chris Waller at Chris.Waller@altaenviron.com or (562) 495-5777. Comments are closed.
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