PROPOSAL:

Adopt Guiding Principles and Approve Workplan to Implement
Environmental Justice Initiatives Proposed by Chairman William Burke

SYNOPSIS:

At the September 12, 1997 Board meeting, Chairman William Burke presented ten proposed Environmental Justice Initiatives. These Initiatives, along with four Guiding Principles, set forth a strategy to help ensure that clean air benefits are accorded to all citizens and communities of the South Coast Air Quality Management District. These Initiatives will help to identify and address potential areas of the AQMD where citizens may be disproportionately impacted by air pollutants. This letter provides staff's initial implementation proposal for each initiative, including possible resource requirements and proposed timelines. Upon Board approval, staff will proceed with implementation of the Initiatives.

COMMITTEE:

None

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Affirm the Proposed Guiding Principles Related to Environmental Justice, approve the working definition of "environmental justice," and direct staff to proceed with implementation of the Chairman’s Environmental Justice Initiatives.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Acting Executive Officer

Background

At the September 12, 1997 Board meeting, Chairman Burke presented ten proposed Environmental Justice Initiatives. These Initiatives, along with a set of guiding principles, provide a strategy to ensure that clean air benefits are accorded to all citizens and communities of the South Coast Air Basin (Basin). The Initiatives touch upon most facets of AQMD’s FY 1997/98 Work Program, including monitoring, emissions source inventory, computer modeling, planning, rulemaking, permitting, enforcement, education, technical innovation, and public outreach. These Initiatives will help to identify and address potential areas within the AQMD’s jurisdiction where citizens may be disproportionately impacted by air pollutants. They are designed to ensure that the AQMD’s policies and programs include full disclosure and participation at the community level. They also compliment the region’s AQMP control strategy.

At the September 12 meeting, the Chairman also directed staff to return to the next Board meeting with analysis and recommendations on implementation of these Initiatives. The attached report provides staff’s initial implementation proposal for each initiative, including possible resource requirements and proposed timeline.

Proposal

A. For purposes of carrying out the proposed Initiatives, staff proposes for Board consideration and approval the following working definition of the term "environmental justice":

Environmental justice means equitable environmental policymaking and enforcement to protect the health of all persons who live or work in the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), regardless of age, culture, ethnicity, gender, race, socioeconomic status, or geographic location, from the health effects of air pollution.

This proposed working definition is adapted from EPA’s lengthier definition to conform to the AQMD’s needs. The terms "environmental justice" and "environmental equity" may be used synonymously.

B. Staff proposes that these Initiatives be implemented within the resources already allocated for FY 1997/98 to the maximum extent possible. Some allocations from AQMD’s Equipment Replacement funds will be required and are noted in the workplan. As additional resource needs are identified, recommendations will be made to augment the FY 1997/98 budget or to provide funding in the FY 1998/99 budget. In addition, funding will be sought from ARB, EPA, and others, as appropriate or needed.

Resource Impacts

The workplan contains preliminary information on resource requirements. Staff is preparing supplemental data on potential budgetary impacts to be made available before the October 10 Board meeting.

Attachments

A. Chairman’s Statement of Guiding Principles and Environmental Justice Initiatives

B. Workplan to Implement Environmental Justice Initiatives

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