CONTACT: Erika Guzman Cornejo, 310-755-1615, erika@envirovoters.org

SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, the California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters) released the following statement on the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) passing a strong Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) that emphasizes the transition to zero emissions technology. The SCAQMD voted 9-2 on Friday to adopt a plan to meet the federal standards for ozone emissions by 2037.

The SCAQMD, whose board consists of thirteen local elected and appointed officials from Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Los Angeles County, is charged with controlling emissions from stationary sources. SCAQMD is responsible for the air quality of the 19 million people living in these counties and plays a critical role in California’s effort to fight climate change.

Statement from Mike Young, Political and Organizing Director, California Environmental Voters:

“We are energized that the South Coast Air Quality Management District stood up to oil and gas interests and approved a strong clean air plan. Southern California has the worst pollution in the country and our frontline communities have been burdened with the worst of warehouse pollution in the Inland Empire and port pollution in Los Angeles and Long Beach for far too long.

A strong air quality plan is a great down payment towards addressing our climate challenge, but it’s just the start. Proposals alone will not solve our climate crisis — implementation is the most important piece of the puzzle. We call on our air quality regulators to hold firm to their commitment to deliver clean air to the South Coast Air Basin.

Clean air is a crucial pillar of our climate action agenda and broader approach to drastically reduce toxic levels of greenhouse gasses and scale back our dependency on dirty fossil fuels. We look forward to the transition to a clean energy economy that supports good-paying union jobs, electrifies our transportation and buildings, phases out fossil fuels, and creates climate resiliency across our landscapes and communities.”

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California Environmental Voters (formerly the California League of Conservation Voters) believes the climate crisis is here and this moment requires transformative change. California has the policy solutions to stop climate change but lacks the political will to do it at the rate and scale that’s necessary. EnviroVoters exists to build the political power to solve the climate crisis, advance justice, and create a roadmap for global action. We organize voters, elect and train candidates, and hold lawmakers accountable for bold policy change. We won’t stop until we have resilient, healthy, thriving communities, and a democracy and economy that is just and sustainable for all. Join us at www.envirovoters.org and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. See more press releases.

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The month of March is Public Lands Month, and we’ve got some big goals. We’re pushing for 5 national monument designations while fighting for clean water, Indigenous land protection, ecosystem conservation, and increasing access to nature. 

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