Can jobs and clean air co-exist in Southern California?

Concern over the “sale of invalid emission reduction credits” and particulate matter in Southern California led a coalition of four organizations to sue the South Coast Air Quality Management District in 2008 (SCAQMD).

The action puts at risk numerous public works projects and jobs and has resulted in SB 696. Click here to read the bill and see a video press conference.

Writing April 1, 2008 in a letter to the governing board of the SCAQMD, the plaintiffs stated:
“The South Coast Air Basin is the most polluted air basin in the country . . . The air basin has the dubious distinction of experiencing the worst air quality in the United States, according to American Lung Association’s report, State of the Air 2007, a county-level report card on the two most pervasive air pollutants: ozone (smog) and particle pollution (soot).5 In fact, on May 4, 2007, ‘citing a public health crisis caused by Southern California’s severe air pollution, [AQMD] called upon the President and the Governor to declare a state of emergency to address the problem’ and ‘its serious health toll.’6 Yet these are the same pollutants for which emission offsets have been unlawfully distributed and sold by AQMD.”

The suit was filed August 18, 2008.

The director of clean air programs in Southern California for the Natural Resources Defense Council, David Pettit, wrote a blog post declaring “You can’t have an energy credit trading system with phony credits.” He further wrote about the background of the lawsuit, “Under the Clean Air Act, polluted areas such as Los Angeles are required to implement a program to control pollution from new sources of emissions.”

But backers of SB 696, sponsored by Sen. Roderick Wright (D-Los Angeles) say emergency legislation is needed to avoid the loss of 65,000 jobs and additional work on up to 3,000 more projects. Furthermore, some of the projects will actually upgrade the equipment used in hospitals, fire stations, power plants and other related facilities.

The committee hearing takes place Wednesday afternoon in Sacramento.

Source: L.A. Business News Examiner
August 25, 2009

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