BOARD MEETING DATE: May 2, 2008
AGENDA NO. 15

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.
 

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

This report summarizes the activities of Public Affairs for March 2008. The report includes four major areas: Environmental Justice Update; Community Events/Public Meetings (including the Speakers Bureau/Visitor Services, Communications Center, and Public Information Center); Business Assistance; and Outreach to Business and Federal, State, and Local Government.
 

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE UPDATE

Below is a summary of the Environmental Justice-related activities which occurred in March.

A Forum on Air Pollution and Health was held on March 3 to discuss the health risks and the solutions to reducing emissions from the area's largest polluters. The program, held at the Los Angeles Central Library, brought area experts together to discuss how air pollution affects us all. Guest speakers were Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis, Dr. John Peters with the Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center at USC, and Dr. Barry Wallerstein, AQMD Executive Officer. The forum was hosted by City of Hope, in partnership with the AQMD and Communities for Clean Ports.

On March 6, AQMD hosted a community meeting in Ladera Ranch to provide information on air quality permitting and compliance requirements for a proposed electric generating facility (peaker plant) in that community. Over 300 people attended the meeting, which served as a follow-up to a community meeting held on December 19, where AQMD was asked to come back and provide a more detailed overview of potential emissions and air quality impacts from the proposed power plant.

AQMD’s Hearing Board held an off-site meeting on March 12 to consider the issuance of an order for abatement against Athens Services, which operates a solid waste transfer and materials recovery facility. Over 60 people attended the evening meeting held at Don Julian School in Whittier where the public was invited to hear and also present testimony on the proposed Hearing Board action.

In March, AQMD held a series of five Public Workshops to seek input on the draft Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Study III. The draft report was released in January for a 90-day public review and comment period. The MATES III monitoring and evaluation study is a follow on to a previous air toxics studies conducted in the South Coast Air Basin and focuses on the carcinogenic risk from exposure to air toxics.

During the month of March, Public Affairs staff also addressed the following community organizations:

• HOPE for Life Foundation
• Inland Empire Clean Air Coalition
• Leadership Long Beach
• Pasadena Forward
• VOICE Environmental Group
   

COMMUNITY EVENTS/PUBLIC MEETINGS

Each year, thousands of residents engage in valuable information exchanges through events and meetings that AQMD sponsors, alone, and in partnership with others. Attendees typically receive the following information: tips on reducing their exposure to smog and its health effects; ways to participate in AQMD rule and policy development; and assistance in resolving air quality-related problems. Highlights of events/activities undertaken during the month of March include the following:

Speakers Bureau/Visitor Services

AQMD receives requests for staff to speak on a variety of air quality-related issues. The requests come from organizations, such as trade associations, chambers of commerce, community-based groups, schools, hospitals and health-based organizations. AQMD also hosts visitors from around the world who meet with staff on a wide range of air quality issues. The following describes the types of activities that were coordinated by this office in March:

• March 4, Provided an air quality presentation to geography students at California State University, Los Angeles.
• March 18, Provided an air quality overview to senior chemistry students as part of California State University, Fullerton’s 50^th annual “Professor for a Day” in which professionals in the field of math and science are invited to give a class lecture.
• March 26, Provided an air quality overview to environmental studies class at Whittier College.
• March 27, Presented information on Hydrogen Fuel Cells to members of the American Chemical Society, Orange County Chapter.
   

Communication Center Statistics

The Communication Center handles the AQMD main line, 1-800-CUT-SMOG^® line and Spanish line calls. Below is a summary of calls received in March.

*Saturday, Sunday, holidays and after 9:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
 

Public Information Center Statistics

The Public Information Center handles phone calls and walk-in requests for general information. Below is a summary for March:

Requests for Information

Calls

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

AQMD assists businesses by notifying them of proposed regulations so they can participate in their development. AQMD also works with other agencies and states to identify efficient, cost-effective ways to reduce air pollution and shares that information broadly. Additionally, staff provides personalized assistance to small businesses, both over the telephone and by on-site consultation. The information is summarized below.

• Conducted 41 free on-site consultations
• Provided assistance in filing 1 request for variance
• Provided permit application assistance to 132 companies
• Issued 29 clearance letters

Types of businesses assisted:

Events:

• Professional Wet Cleaning Workshop – Southern California Edison Customer Technology Application Center, Irwindale
• Western Multitex Equipment Show, Anaheim
   

OUTREACH TO BUSINESS AND FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Field visits and communications were conducted with staff from the following cities:

Alhambra, Anaheim, Arcadia, Azusa, Brea, Buena Park, Burbank, Cerritos, Costa Mesa, Duarte, El Monte, El Segundo, Fontana, Glendale, Huntington Beach, Huntington Park, Inglewood, Irwindale, La Canada Flintridge, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Arrowhead, Lake Forest, Lawndale, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Monrovia, Montebello, Murrieta, Ontario, Orange, Palm Springs, Pasadena, Placentia, Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Redondo Beach, Riverside, Rosemead, San Bernardino, Santa Ana, Santa Fe Springs, South Pasadena, Temple City, Torrance, Upland, West Covina, and Whittier.

Visits and/or communications were conducted with elected officials or staff from the following offices:

• U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer
• Congress Member Jane Harman
• Congress Member Adam Schiff
• Congress Member Hilda Solis
• Senator Roy Ashburn
• Senator Gil Cedillo
• Senator Ellen Corbett
• Senator Robert Dutton
• Senator Tom Harman
• Senator Christine Kehoe
• Senator Sheila Kuehl
• Senator Alan Lowenthal
• Senator Tom McClintock
• Senator Jenny Oropeza
• Senator Alex Padilla
• Senator Joe Simitian
• Senator Darrell Steinberg
• Senator Tom Torlakson
• Senator Leland Yee
• Assembly Member Anthony Adams
• Assembly Member Juan Arambula
• Assembly Member Wilmer Amina Carter
• Assembly Member Hector De La Torre
• Assembly Member Mike Eng
• Assembly Member Warren Furutani
• Assembly Member Ed Hernandez
• Assembly Member Bob Huff
• Assembly Member Ted Lieu
• Assembly Member Fabian Nunez
• Assembly Member Anthony Portantino
• Assembly Member Jose Solorio
   

Staff represented AQMD and/or provided a presentation to the following groups:

• American Jewish Committee
• Arroyo-Verdugo Council of Governments
• Cerritos Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee
• Cerritos Regional Chamber of Commerce and Gateway Chambers Alliance
• El Segundo Chamber of Commerce
• Gateway Cities Council of Governments
• Inland Empire Resource Conservation District (Redlands)
• Irwindale Chamber of Commerce Environmental Committee
• League of California Cities (Los Angeles)
• Long Beach Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee
• Murrieta Chamber of Commerce
• Orange County League of Cities Legislative Network
• Port of Long Beach
• Port of Los Angeles
• Rancho Cucamonga Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee
• Regional Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee (Santa Fe Springs)
• Rosemead Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee
• San Bernardino Association of Governments Administrative Committee
• San Gabriel Valley City Managers Association
• San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments
• San Gabriel Valley Regional Chamber Alliance
• South Bay Cities Council of Governments Legislative Committee
• South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee
• Southern California Association of Governments
• Upland Chamber Government Affairs Committee
• West Covina Chamber Legislative Committee