Resolution - 2007-35RESOLUTION NO. 2007-35
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST
COVINA, CALIFORNIA, IN SUPPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT'S
DRAFT 2007 AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOCUSING ON
• MOBILE SOURCE CONTROLS
WHEREAS, the over 16.5 million individuals residing within the jurisdictional
boundaries of the South Coast Air Quality Management District are impacted by the poorest air
quality in the nation, despite some of the most advanced pollution control requirements in the
world yielding dramatic improvements in recent decades; and
WHEREAS, health studies conducted in this region repeatedly show that residents are
suffering significant health effects from today's air pollution, including cancer and chronic
conditions, such as asthma, emphysema, and heart and pulmonary diseases, among others; and
WHEREAS, the California Air Resources Board recently estimated that approximately
8,200 Californians die prematurely each year as a result of air pollution, and that residents who
live, work, or go to school in close proximity to marine port and goods -movement activities are
subjected to unhealthful levels of air pollution, resulting in numerous health problems; and
WHEREAS, a landmark study noted that the lungs of children born in Southern
California today are not likely to fully develop and may never recover from smog's damage, and
that children are especially susceptible to the harmful effects of air pollution;
WHEREAS, this region has exceeded the health -based federal 8-hour ozone standard on
86 days in 2006; and
WHEREAS, the recently revised 24-hour PM2.5 standard is more stringent and more
health -protective than the prior clean air standards; and
WHEREAS, there is a fast -approaching PM2.5 attainment deadline of 2015, and an even
more challenging 8-hour ozone attainment deadline of 2021 or 2024, necessitating additional
emissions reductions; and
WHEREAS, failure to meet these deadlines will prolong the adverse health impacts to
residents and could trigger significant federal economic and administrative sanctions on this
region; and
WHEREAS, the South Coast Air Quality Management (AQMD) has the responsibility to
draft and implement a plan to bring this region into compliance with clean air standards, and is
about to issue the Draft 2007 Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP); and
WHEREAS, AQMD's primary regulatory authority to reduce air pollution is limited to
reducing emissions from stationary sources, such as power plants, refineries, chemical plants, gas
stations, industrial facilities as well as operational requirements for mobile sources - and the
AQMP addresses the need to further reduce emissions from all sources to help reach clean air
goals; and
WHEREAS, stationary sources already have reduced emissions upwards of 90% and
mobile sources are the primary source of emissions in the basin and remain comparatively under -
regulated; and
• WHEREAS, the AQMP has identified that the majority of emissions reductions must be
achieved through further control of mobile sources — including, but not limited to cars, trucks,
ships, trains, and planes; and
WHEREAS, the California Air Resources Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency have most of the authority over mobile source emissions; and the Southern California
Association of Governments is responsible for developing the plan's transportation control
measures; and
Resolution No. 2007-35
Page 2
WHEREAS, the Draft AQMP focuses on additional measures that the California Air
Resources Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can implement to reduce mobile
source emissions, especially from locomotives and ocean-going ships; and
WHEREAS, the Draft AQMP contains 32 short-term and five long—term control
measures, and implementation of each control measure is subject to a regulatory rule
development process which allows fair consideration during public meetings of positions in
disagreement or opposition to individual tenets of the Draft AQMP; and
WHEREAS, specific concerns can be dealt with directly through the SCAQMD and it's
Governing Board members during the established public hearing process; and
WHEREAS, the City supports the Draft 2007 AQMP, while acknowledging the
importance of the SCAQMD'S careful consideration of issues raised by other entities.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of West Covina does hereby resolve as
follows:
That by adoption of this resolution, the City of West Covina declares that there is an urgent need
for all responsible authorities to expeditiously adopt and aggressively implement effective
control strategies to reduce emissions as quickly as possible, and;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of West Covina strongly supports the
development of the South Coast Air Quality Management District's Draft 2007 Air Quality
Management Plan focusing on mobile source controls, and;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of West Covina calls upon the California Air
Resources Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to substantially accelerate their
emission reduction programs in our region by implementing the AQMP measures within their
respective authorities.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 151h day of May 2007.
Mayor Michael Touhey
ATTEST:
ity Clerk La rie Carrico
I, LAURIE CARRICO, CITY CLERK of the City of West Covina, California, do hereby certify
that the foregoing resolution was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of West Covina,
California, at a regular meeting thereof held on the 151h day of May, 2007, by the following vote
of the Council:
AYES: Herfert, Hernandez, Lane, Sanderson, Touhey
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
• ABSTAIN: None
City Clerk L urie Car_ri_co
APPROVED AS TO FORM: