A.V. TO AIR DIFFERENCE FROM L.A.; AQMD SPLIT STARTS TODAY.Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer Today the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley Air Pollution Control District will be born, capping a six-year effort to split away from a Los Angeles Basin The Los Angeles Basin is the coastal sediment-filled plain located between the peninsular and transverse ranges in southern California in the United States containing the central part of the city of Los Angeles as well as its southern and southeastern suburbs (both in Los Angeles district perceived by local leaders as too bureaucratic and antibusiness an·ti·busi·ness adj. Hostile to business, especially to big corporations. . As the Antelope Valley's own air district officially splits from the South Coast Air Quality Management District The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), formed in 1976, is the air pollution agency responsible mainly for regulating stationary sources of air pollution for most of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside County, and all of Orange county. , its board members will meet to take their oaths of office and start in on hiring a staff and setting a budget. ``We're in a position to control our own destiny,'' said Vern Lawson Jr., executive director of the Lancaster Economic Development Corp. and a member of the new district's board. ``I think this is one of the best things we can do for our economy and for our air quality.'' The new district will serve a population of about 320,000, making it the 10th largest of the state's 35 air pollution control districts, and govern an area of about 1,300 square miles. The district's board will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Antelope Valley Country Club, 39800 Country Club Drive. Today's agenda includes a decision on contracting for agency services from the Mojave Air Pollution Control District, which operates in desert portions of San Bernardino and Riverside counties. For now, the new district will use the AQMD's rules. ``The plan is to go through the rules and modify rules for our own air shed,'' Lawson said. ``It's very important to look at the rules and see what makes sense.'' California Air Resources Board California Air Resources Board (CARB) is the "clean air agency" of the state of California in the United States. Established originally in 1967, it is a part of the California Environmental Protection Agency, an organization which reports directly to the California Chairman John Dunlap is scheduled to administer the oath of office An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations. to the new board members. ``It is appropriate that the Antelope Valley, completely separated by a mountain range from the rest of Los Angeles, should have a separate, independent air quality district,'' Dunlap said. Six of the seven board positions have been filled. The legislation creating the district specifies that Los Angeles County government and the Palmdale and Lancaster city councils each appoint two members. A seventh member will be chosen by the board tonight. Lancaster will be represented by Mayor Frank Roberts and Vice Mayor Henry Hearns. Palmdale will be represented by council members David Myers and Joe Davis. Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich Michael Dennis Antonovich (born 1939 in Los Angeles, California) is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors representing the Fifth District, which covers northern Los Angeles County, the Antelope, Santa Clarita, Pasadena, and parts of the San Fernando and San appointed Ken McDonald and Lawson. McDonald was one of the developers of Antelope Valley Country Club Estates. Lawson is a former Lancaster city manager who leads the nonprofit corporation nonprofit corporation n. an organization incorporated under state laws and approved by both the state's Secretary of State and its taxing authority as operating for educational, charitable, social, religious, civic or humanitarian purposes. charged with bringing the valley nonaerospace jobs. No budget has been set for the new district. A consultant's report estimates start-up costs at $334,000. The district will be funded primarily by the Antelope Valley's share of vehicle registration fees and industrial operating fees now being collected by the South Coast Air Quality Maintenance District. Officials say they do not yet know precisely how much revenue will come to the new local district from these fees. For years, Antelope Valley business and government leaders have complained about being lumped in with the Los Angeles Basin, which has poorer air quality. The Antelope Valley, which has peak ozone levels of 14 to 16 parts per 100 million, is separated by the San Gabriel Mountains San Gabriel Mountains, S Calif., E and NE of Los Angeles, running c.50 mi (80 km) westward from Cajon Pass. San Antonio Peak (10,080 ft/3,072 m) is the highest of the range. Citrus fruits are raised on the southern foothills. from Los Angeles. Peak ozone levels in the Los Angeles basin range from 26 to 28 parts per 100 million. There is also a perception that the AQMD AQMD Air Quality Management District AQMD Action Quake Map Depot is difficult to deal with and antibusiness, Antelope Valley leaders said. The effort to separate from the AQMD was led by the Antelope Valley Board of Trade. Assisting in that effort was State Sen. W.J. ``Pete'' Knight, R-Palmdale, who authored the bill that paved the way for the Antelope Valley to break away. |
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