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AQMD Approves Clean Air Plan Amendment to Ensure Ports
Meet Clean Air Goals
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February 5, 2013
The region’s clean air agency has approved a control measure to ensure
that the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach meet their voluntary
commitments to reducing air pollution from ships, trucks, trains and other
equipment.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Board approved the
measure, which in turns calls for the development of a proposed regulation
that would take effect only if the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach fail
to meet emission reduction targets needed to achieve federal health
standards for fine particulates (PM2.5) by 2015.
“The ports have made substantial progress in reducing emissions from their
operations,” said William A. Burke, Ed.D., AQMD’s Governing Board Chairman.
“This action simply ensures that if the ports’ voluntary pollution
reductions don’t occur on time, AQMD’s regulation will require them to
develop additional measures to address the shortfall.”
Under AQMD’s measure, approved on Feb. 1, any additional port
emission-reductions must be technically feasible, cost-effective and within
the legal authority of the ports. Such measures potentially could include
clean technology funding programs and lease agreements designed by the
ports.
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach comprise the largest marine port
complex in North America as well as the No. 1-emitting facility in the
Southland. Existing voluntary emission reduction commitments for nitrogen
oxides, sulfur oxides and PM2.5 in the ports’ Clean Air Action Plan are key
to the region meeting its clean air goals.
The so-called “backstop” measure now will be included in AQMD’s 2012 Air
Quality Management Plan. The plan is a detailed blueprint for achieving
federal health standards for PM2.5 in the Southland by 2015. It also
includes an update on progress towards reducing ground-level ozone to help
meet the ozone standard by 2024.
In other action on Feb. 1, the AQMD Board approved $34.6 million in
co-funding to help Metrolink replace 20 older “Tier 0” diesel locomotives
with newer, cleaner “Tier 4” locomotives. (Tier 0 locomotives are the oldest
and dirtiest and Tier 4 models are the cleanest available). In addition,
AQMD will work with Metrolink and others to develop and demonstrate
liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueled passenger locomotives.
“This funding is the first of its kind to a local agency to purchase the
cleanest locomotives available,” said Burke. “Once deployed, the public
health benefits will be significant for the Southland.”
The funding is expected to result in a reduction of about 231.2 tons per
year of nitrogen oxide emissions and 7.3 tons per year of particulate matter
pollution.
Deployment of the first three cleaner locomotives is expected in the latter
half of 2015. Funding comes from the Carl Moyer Program.
AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major
portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
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This page updated:
February 06, 2013
URL: http://www.aqmd.gov/news1/2013/bs020513.htm
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