BOARD MEETING DATE: July 11, 2003
AGENDA NO. 31
Annual Report on Implementation of 2002-03 Environmental Justice Enhancements and Proposed 2003-04 Workplan for Public Review
SYNOPSIS:
Staff has implemented the 2002-03 Environmental Justice Enhancements as directed by the Board and as described in the attached report. In addition, staff will circulate the draft Proposed EJ 2003-04 Workplan for a 60-day public comment period and return to the Board with a revised proposal for approval.
COMMITTEE:
Administrative, June 13, 2003, Recommended for Approval
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
- Receive and file this report.
- Direct staff to seek public input regarding the 2003-04 Proposed EJ Workplan and return to the Board by September 2003 for approval.
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
Following the Board’s groundbreaking environmental justice (EJ) initiatives in October 1997, the AQMD has been a leader in identifying and addressing community EJ concerns, particularly as raised by low income, ethnic minority communities who maybe disproportionately impacted by localized emissions and mobile source pollutants. Ongoing activities include Town Hall meetings, community response team actions, CEQA commenting, diesel clean-up incentives, siting of temporary mobile monitoring platforms, improvements in field inspection technology, and public comment on air toxics control strategies.
In February 2002, the Board directed staff to perform an annual review of AQMD’s environmental justice program and to lay out proposed environmental justice related activities for the following fiscal year.
The first annual review document, including a set of 23 proposed enhancements, was circulated at the July 2002 Board meeting for 60 days of public feedback. During August and September, a series of eight public consultation meetings was held throughout the District to solicit diverse community feedback concerning the proposed program enhancements. Staff reviewed the proposed enhancements with environmental and community groups, business groups, trade associations and several AQMD Board committees and advisory groups. Changes to the proposed enhancements were made based on input received at these meetings.
At its September 2002 meeting, the Board approved a set of 23 environmental justice enhancements. The enhancements were intended to further identify and address concerns and serve as the basis for further outreach and problem-solving activities regarding short- and long-term environmental justice issues. A listing of the EJ Board Reports in 2002-03 is attached in Table 1.
A reporting calendar for the 23 enhancements was developed with performance checkpoints and assignments to the designated lead staff in the respective divisions. The calendar helped to ensure timely reporting to the Board, appropriate Board committees and advisory groups.
Working Groups were formed for some of the enhancements, comprised of staff and key stakeholders. In addition, regular reports were made by staff to the advisory groups and Board committees. Board reports and other documents referenced in this report are available at AQMD’s web site – www.aqmd.gov.
In addition to implementing the AQMD’s own program enhancements, staff continues to be actively involved with environmental justice efforts at the state level. Staff participates as a member of CARB’s Environmental Justice Stakeholders Group and the Cal/EPA Advisory Committee for Environmental Justice (SB 89-Escutia), as well as discussions on related issues by the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association (CAPCOA). Staff’s active profile is intended to help ensure consistency and integration among regional and state environmental justice programs and levels of authority.
Other Efforts to Address Community Air Quality Concerns
The District administers a variety of programs to reduce risk from localized emissions, especially air toxics. One example is the Carl Moyer Program created by the State legislature. This incentive fund program helps to facilitate the move to cleaner-burning heavy-duty engines, which otherwise would have taken decades, by providing funding to pay for some or all of the cost difference between a diesel engine and a clean fuel or lower-emission model. Legislation was established that requires that at least 50 percent of the Carl Moyer funds be allocated in communities (including low-income and/or minority communities) that suffer greater exposure to poor air quality.
The AQMD evaluated qualified projects in disproportionately impacted communities, based upon poverty level (projects in communities with at least 10 percent of the population below the federal poverty level); PM exposure (projects in communities with the highest 15 percent of PM concentration); and toxics exposure (projects in communities with a cancer risk of 1,000 in a million and above).
In another example, as part of its Air Toxics Control Plan, the AQMD adopted Rule 1421 in December 2002. This rule includes deadlines that will gradually phase out the use of perchloroethylene (perc) in dry cleaning operations by the year 2020. A funding program, the "Non-Perc Alternative Grant Program" was established for local dry cleaning businesses in Southern California to replace equipment that relied on the use of the toxic chemical perc.
Proposal
This document is intended to examine and chart the overall direction of AQMD's environmental justice program. Development and implementation of proposed enhancements will require partnerships with other agencies, regulated businesses, environmental and community groups, and the public.
Staff is circulating this draft report to solicit feedback and suggestions from the public, industry, and other stakeholders; and will hold public consultations meetings this summer, on a schedule to be determined. Staff will then further refine the proposed enhancements and finalize its recommendations for Board consideration at the September 5, 2003 Board meeting.
Resource Impacts
It is anticipated that there will be workload adjustments required relative to implementing the proposed enhancements to AQMD’s environmental justice program. These modifications will be addressed through current budget allocations and staffing whenever possible. Any individual enhancement requiring significant additional resources will be brought to the Board for approval.
2002-03 EJ Board Reports Listing
Draft Environmental Justice FY 2002-03 Program Review and
Proposed Enhancements for FY 2003-04
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