BOARD MEETING DATE: May 7, 2010
AGENDA NO. 13

PROPOSAL:

Legislative and Public Affairs Report

SYNOPSIS:

This report highlights March 2010 outreach activities of Legislative and Public Affairs, which include: Environmental Justice Update, Community Events/Public Meetings, Business Assistance, and Outreach to Business and Federal, State, and Local Government.

COMMITTEE:

Not Applicable

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:

Receive and file.
 

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

This report summarizes the activities of Legislative and Public Affairs for March 2010. The report includes four major areas: Environmental Justice Update; Community Events/Public Meetings (including the Speakers Bureau/Visitor Services, Communications Center, and Public Information Center); Business Assistance; and Outreach to Business and Federal, State, and Local Governments. 

Environmental Justice Update

The following are key environmental justice-related activities in which staff participated during March 2010. These events involved communities which suffer disproportionately from adverse air quality impacts.

• On March 18, AQMD hosted a Town Hall meeting in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights. 100 members of the public attended the meeting. AQMD staff made presentations on local air quality, provided an update on air monitoring being conducted at the local school and held a question and answer period for the public to share their concerns about local air quality issues.

• On March 25, staff met with the Director of Preventative Health Services of Watts Healthcare in Los Angeles as part of the outreach to ethnic health organizations to inform them about the services AQMD has to offer. A briefing on air quality will be held in April to further educate their staff of approximately 25 physicians, physician’s assistants, nutritionists, health educators, and outreach staff about air quality issues and its health impacts.

COMMUNITY EVENTS/PUBLIC MEETINGS

Each year, thousands of residents engage in valuable information exchanges through events and meetings that AQMD sponsors alone, or in partnership with others. Attendees typically receive the following information: tips on reducing their exposure to smog and its health effects; ways to participate in AQMD rule and policy development; and assistance in resolving air quality-related problems. The events that AQMD staff attended and provided information and updates include:

Speakers Bureau/Visitor Services

AQMD receives requests for staff to speak on a variety of air quality-related issues. The requests come from organizations such as trade associations, chambers of commerce, community-based groups, schools, hospitals and health-based organizations. AQMD also hosts visitors from around the world who meet with staff on a wide range of air quality issues.

On March 20, staff provided a presentation on emergency response to chemical releases and how they affect air quality to Los Angeles County Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Reponses Program in Whittier.

On March 14, staff provided three presentations (air quality analysis, greenhouse gas significance thresholds and construction mitigation) to 100 attendees at the American Association of Environmental Professionals Annual Conference in Palm Springs.

On March 2, 15 visitors from the Peoples Republic of China, Jilin Provincial Environmental Protection Bureau were given an overview of air quality issues affecting the region and a tour of AQMD’s lab. 

On March 23, a representative from the American Lung Association in California was given a tour and an overview of air quality issues affecting the region.

Communication Center Statistics

The Communication Center handles calls on the AQMD main line, 1-800-CUT-SMOG^® line and Spanish line. Calls received in the month of March 2010 are summarized below:

*Saturday, Sunday, holidays and after 9:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Public Information Center Statistics

The Public Information Center (PIC) handles phone calls and walk-in requests for general information. Information for the month of March 2010 is summarized below:

BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

AQMD assists businesses by notifying them of proposed regulations so they can participate in the development of these rules. AQMD also works with other agencies and states to identify efficient, cost-effective ways to reduce air pollution and shares that information broadly. Additionally, staff provides personalized assistance to small businesses both over the telephone and by on-site consultation. The information is summarized below.

• Conducted 4 free on-site consultations

• Provided assistance in filing one request for variance

• Provided permit application assistance to 206 companies

• Issued 23 clearance letters

Types of business assisted:

OUTREACH TO BUSINESS AND FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Field visits and communications were conducted with staff from the following cities: 

Aliso Viejo, Arcadia, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Banning, Beaumont, Big Bear Lake, Bradbury, Brea, Buena Park, Burbank, Calabasas, Calimesa, Carson, Cathedral City, Cerritos, Chino, Chino Hills, Claremont, Coachella, Colton, Commerce, Compton, Corona, Costa Mesa, Covina, Culver City, Dana Point, Downey, Duarte, El Segundo, Fontana, Fullerton, Glendale, Glendora, Hawthorne, Highland, Indio, Industry, Inglewood, Irwindale, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, La Puente, La Verne, Loma Linda, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Lynwood, Malibu, Mission Viejo, Monrovia, Montclair, Montebello, Monterey Park, Moreno Valley, Norwalk, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Palos Verdes Estates, Pasadena, Perris, Placentia, Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rancho Santa Margarita, Redlands, Redondo Beach, Riverside, Rolling Hills Estates, Rosemead, San Bernardino, San Dimas, San Gabriel, San Juan Capistrano, San Marino, Santa Clarita, Sierra Madre, Signal Hill, South Gate, South El Monte, South Pasadena, Torrance, Upland, Walnut, and West Covina. 

Visits and/or communications were conducted with elected officials or staff from the following offices:

Staff represented AQMD and/or provided a presentation to the following groups:

• American Lung Association, Inland Empire Air Quality Committee
• Archdiocese of Los Angeles Creation Sustainability Committee
• Business to Business Roundtable, Inglewood
• Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council
• Buena Park Chamber of Commerce
• California Black Women’s Health Project
• California Safe Schools
• California School Nurses Association
• California Women’s Leadership Association
• Charles Drew University
• Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles
• Children’s Hospital of Orange County
• Communities for a Better Environment
• Corona High School
• Duarte Chamber of Commerce
• Eastside Adelante
• East Yard Communities
• Gateway Cities Council of Governments
• Hollenbeck Middle School, Los Angeles
• Indio Chamber of Commerce
• Inland Empire Resource Conservation District
• Inland Empire Air Quality Committee
• League of California Cities, Los Angeles County Division
• Legislative Alliance of Southern Orange County
• Loma Linda University
• Lorena Elementary, Los Angeles
• Los Angeles Sparks
• Los Angeles Unified School District
• Moreno Valley Chamber of Commerce Legislative and Government Affairs
• North Orange County Legislative Alliance
• Orange County Asthma Coalition
• Orange County Business Council
• Orange County Fire Authority
• Palm Desert High School
• Project Greenwood
• Redlands Chamber of Commerce
• Resurrection Church
• Roosevelt High School, Los Angeles
• Saddleback College
• San Bernardino Associated Governments
• San Bernardino Chamber of Commerce
• San Bernardino Council of Governments
• San Bernardino County Department of Public Health
• San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments
• San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership
• Service Employees International Union - SEIU Local 99
• South Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
• South Orange County Regional Chambers of Commerce Legislation Action Committee
• Torrance Environmental Commission
• Transportation Agency Corridor
• Unite Here
• United Health Care Workers
• University of California, Irvine
• Watts Healthcare
• Western Riverside Council of Governments
• Westside Cities Council of Governments