SUPPORT DESIRED FOR AIR BILLS AQMD WANTS CITY BACKING FOR STRICTER SET OF REGULATIONS.Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - A state agency wants Santa Clarita to endorse three Assembly bills aimed at cleaning up air pollution by enforcing a set of laws and fees on heavy trucks and the railroad industry. 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. is behind the bills that would affect owners of heavy duty vehicles, as well as overseeing the testing, repairing and maintenance of train locomotives, and imposing mitigation fees on railroad companies that operate within Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, . ``We're hoping that all three bills pass the law so that we can get significant reductions in Southern California,'' said Sam Atwood, spokesman for the AQMD AQMD Air Quality Management District AQMD Action Quake Map Depot . ``We're asking all the cities in the four-county area to support these measures.'' The AQMD is counting on Santa Clarita to support the bills, in part because of an analysis of air quality in the region that found that most ozone is transported into the valley. From 2001 to '03, Santa Clarita recorded the third- highest-average ozone readings in the nation, at 126 parts per billion, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the federal Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and . The standard at that time was 80 ppb. Santa Clarita also ranked in the national top 10 for number of days exceeding the standard, averaging nearly 50 days a year for the past three years. Last year was the cleanest year on record, but only because of cooler temperatures, Atwood said. State officials believe the three bills before the state Assembly will in the long term help reduce those unhealthful days. ``Whether or not you live near railroad tracks, they are a major polluter,'' Atwood said. But the California Short Line Railroad Association opposes the bills, saying that an extensive voluntary effort has already been in progress among its members such as Union Pacific. The association also is working with the 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 on new technology, said Jalene Forbis, the association's executive director. ``All of the railroads have voluntarily stepped up to the plate to help reduce emissions,'' Forbis said. ``We are in this voluntary process, and then someone comes up with a cumbersome bill and wants to add fees. We've done an awful lot as an industry and we've seen results.'' The city was expected to discuss the issue on Monday, but postponed it to a yet to be announced To be announced (TBA) A contract for the purchase or sale of an MBS to be delivered at an agreed-upon future date but does not include a specified pool number and number of pools or precise amount to be delivered. date, officials said. Susan Abram, (661) 257-5255 susan.abram(at)dailynews.com |
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