Back to Fall 2008 / Winter 2009
The California Air Resources Board recently released its draft scoping plan for Assembly Bill 32 to reduce greenhouse gases in California by 25 percent by 2020. American Lung Association of California staff as well as volunteer physicians and nurses from its Health Network for Clean Air are actively participating in public comment workshops being held throughout the state.
Because air pollution and global warming are connected, the association is emphasizing the need to maximize the public health benefits by addressing both pollutants included in the Clean Air Act and global warming issues at the same time.
The association is calling for stronger regulatory measures in the industrial sector, for regional greenhouse gas reduction targets, for a strong emphasis on land use and transportation, and to prevent disproportionate impacts in communities where many low-income families and individuals live.Although a few anti-regulation groups are calling for delay for economic reasons, it is clear that not doing anything would be much costlier.
For more details, go to www.arb.ca.gov/cc/cc.htm and click on Draft Scoping Plan.
