SETTLEMENT TO CLEAN UP DIRTIEST AIR IN L.A. AREA.Byline: Nicholas Grudin Staff Writer 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. officials agreed Tuesday to allocate $1 million toward Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County's most polluted pol·lute tr.v. pol·lut·ed, pol·lut·ing, pol·lutes 1. To make unfit for or harmful to living things, especially by the addition of waste matter. See Synonyms at contaminate. 2. regions to settle a lawsuit filed last September by two environmental groups. The suit filed by Communities for a Better Environment and Our Children's Earth claimed the AQMD AQMD Air Quality Management District AQMD Action Quake Map Depot had mismanaged a program intended to cut down on industrial smog by granting companies a limited number of pollution credits and making them pay for excess. ``This is an important environmental justice victory,'' said Scott Kuhn, CBE CBE Commander of the Order of the British Empire (a Brit. title) CBE n abbr (= Companion of (the Order of) the British Empire) → título de nobleza CBE n abbr (= legal director. ``This settlement provides funds to clean up the most polluted neighborhoods in Los Angeles and makes information publicly available to everyone concerned with air quality and smog.'' AQMD officials initially said through a spokesman that the two groups' lawsuit was ``completely without merit,'' but Tuesday they conceded that the groups had valid points requiring action. ``Both sides listened carefully to the other side's arguments and reached an agreement as to what the appropriate interpretations should be,'' said Barbara Baird, AQMD counsel. The settlement requires the AQMD to alter the way that companies are penalized pe·nal·ize tr.v. pe·nal·ized, pe·nal·iz·ing, pe·nal·iz·es 1. To subject to a penalty, especially for infringement of a law or official regulation. See Synonyms at punish. 2. for exceeding air pollution limits. AQMD officials also agreed to ensure that all of the program's records are publicly accessible, Baird said. Nicholas Grudin, (661) 257-5255 nicholas.grudin(at)dailynews.com |
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