The South Coast Air Quality Management District, also using the

acronym An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...

South Coast (AQMD), formed in 1976, is the air pollution agency responsible for regulating stationary sources of

air pollution Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to materials. There are many different type ...

in the South Coast Air Basin and the Coachella Valley portion of the Salton Sea Air Basin, in

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most populous urban ...

. The separate

California Air Resources Board The California Air Resources Board (CARB or ARB) is the "clean air agency" of the government of California. Established in 1967 when then-governor Ronald Reagan signed the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Moto ...

is responsible for regulating mobile sources (e.g. vehicles) in the

air basin An air basin is an area within a ring or partial ring of mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from ...

Basin geography

The South Coast AQMD includes all of Orange County; and the non-desert regions of

Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the List of the most populous counties in the United States, most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, ...

San Bernardino County San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 2,181, ...

, and Riverside County including the Coachella Valley. The South Coast Air Basin area encompassed by the South Coast AQMD amounts to about 10,750 square miles (27,850 square kilometres) and is the second most populated area in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

. This area has a severe problem with

smog Smog, or smoke fog, is a type of intense air pollution. The word "smog" was coined in the early 20th century, and is a portmanteau of the words '' smoke'' and ''fog'' to refer to smoky fog due to its opacity, and odor. The word was then int ...

, and the South Coast AQMD has been a leader in the nation's efforts to reduce air pollution emissions. The main office is located in the city of Diamond Bar.

Operations

South Coast AQMD develops, adopts and implements an Air Quality Management Plan for bringing the area into compliance with the clean air standards established by national and state governmental legislation. Air quality and permissible air pollutant emission "rules" are promulgated to reduce emissions from various sources, including specific types of equipment, industrial processes, paints, solvents and certain consumer products. Permits are issued to the pertinent industries and businesses to enforce compliance with the air quality and emission rules, and South Coast AQMD staff conducts periodic inspections to ensure such compliance. South Coast AQMD's rules apply to businesses ranging from large

oil refineries An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refined into useful products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, asphalt base, fuel oils, heating oil, kerosene, li ...

and

power plant A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electrical grid. Many ...

s to gasoline (petrol) fueling stations and

dry cleaning Dry cleaning is any cleaning process for clothing and textiles using a solvent other than water. Dry cleaning still involves liquid, but clothes are instead soaked in a water-free liquid solvent. Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene), known i ...

plants. There are about 30,000 such businesses operating under South Coast AQMD permits. In general, the agency is limited to establishing rules for regulating stationary sources. Emission standards for mobile sources (automobiles, trucks, buses, railroads, airplanes and marine vessels) are established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the

Air quality monitoring network

South Coast AQMD also operates an extensive network of air quality monitoring stations (about 40 stations) and issues daily air quality forecasts. The forecasts are made available to the public through newspapers, television, radio, its award-winning smartphone application, social media, its website, and a toll-free Smog Update telephone line.

Air quality and air pollution dispersion modeling

The air quality modeling activities of the South Coast AQMD are one of the functions of the Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources section. That section is also responsible for oversight and commenting upon air pollution dispersion modeling studies performed as part of any environmental impact studies that may be reviewed by or requested by South Coast AQMD. The models that may be utilized include: *California Line Source Dispersion Model ( CALINE-4) *

AERMOD The AERMOD atmospheric dispersion modeling system is an integrated system that includes three modules:Prater, E.T. and Midgley, C., ''A new air dispersion modeling system is helping create more accurate industrial source models'', Environmental Prot ...

Model *Hotspots Analysis and Reporting Program (HARP) * U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Air Quality Models *

(CARB)'s Air Quality Models

Governing board

South Coast AQMD has a ''Governing Board'' of 13 members. Ten of the members are county supervisors and city council members. The remaining three are appointed by California state officials. Current members of the Governing Board include: * Ben Benoit (Chair), Riverside County cities *

Vanessa Delgado Vanessa Delgado (born September 16, 1977) is an American politician and housing advocate from California. A Democrat, she served in the California State Senate in 2018, and is the former Mayor of Montebello, California. Early life Delgado atte ...

(Vice Chair),

California State Senate The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature, the lower house being the California State Assembly. The State Senate convenes, along with the State Assembly, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. D ...

Rules Committee appointee * Lisa Bartlett, Orange County Supervisor * Nithya Raman, Los Angeles City Council * Michael A. Cacciotti, Eastern Los Angeles County Cities * Gideon Kracov, Governor's appointee† * Sheila Kuehl, Los Angeles County Supervisor * Larry McCallon, San Bernardino County cities * Veronica Padilla-Campos,

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The ...

Speaker appointee *

V. Manuel Perez Victor Manuel Pérez (born June 18, 1973) is an American politician who sat in the California State Assembly as a Democrat. On May 9, 2017, California Governor Jerry Brown appointed him to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, replacing t ...

, Riverside County Board of Supervisor * Rex Richardson, Western Los Angeles County cities * Carlos Rodriguez, Orange County cities * Janice Rutherford, San Bernardino County Supervisor †South Coast AQMD member to the

The representative for Orange County cities is chosen by the 34 members of the Orange County City Selection Committee. Appointment requires both a majority vote of the committee and a majority vote when weighted by population. In November 2015, Republicans blocked reappointment of Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, a Democrat, to the board, voting to replace him with Republican Lake Forest Councilman Dwight Robinson.

Administration

The chief ''Executive Officer'' of the South Coast AQMD reports to the Governing Board. The following departments report to the Executive Officer:

Administrative departments

* Legal ** Counsel ** Prosecutor * Legislative, Public Affairs, and Media * Finance * Human Resources * Information Management

Operational departments

* Engineering and Permitting * Compliance and Enforcement * Planning, Rule Development and Implementation * Monitoring and Analysis * Technology Advancement Office

Funding for South Coast AQMD

South Coast AQMD utilizes a system of evaluation fees, annual operating fees, emission fees, Hearing Board fees, penalties/ settlements and investments that generate around 73% of its revenue. The remaining 27% of its revenue is from federal grants, California Air Resources (CARB) subvention funds, and California Clean Air Act Motor Vehicle fees.

References

External links

Official South Coast Air Quality Management District—SCAQMD website
{{- Air pollution in California Air pollution organizations Southern California Environmental agencies in the United States Environmental agencies of country subdivisions Environment of Los Angeles Special districts of California Government of Los Angeles County, California Government of San Bernardino County, California Government in Orange County, California Government in Riverside County, California Government of Los Angeles Government in Long Beach, California Atmospheric dispersion modeling Organizations based in Orange County, California 1976 establishments in California Environmental organizations based in Los Angeles