Feebate Proposed
State legislation has just been proposed to charge people who buy new Hummers and Tahoes about $4000 extra. The money would go as a $2000 rebate to purchasers of cars that get over 40 mpg. It is kind of a two for one exchange.
This is not a tax because it is revenue neutral. It simply means Kern County drivers who like large vehicles will be subsidizing LA commuters who desire the most efficient way to get to work. For more information:
Bill offers rebates, exacts fees based on car emissions LA Times
We make our own mess.
The graph of yearly violations of the 8 hour ozone standard for Shafter, Bakersfield, and Arvin seems to show Bakersfield is the source of Arvin's pollution and Shafter is fortunate to be upwind.
Judy Case Kicked Off State Air Board
In a tremendous victory for clean air advocates, Fresno County Supervisor Judy Case has just been asked, unceremoniously by the State Senate, to vacate her position on the Air Resources Board. She was appointed last May. Her case was closed during confirmation hearings where it is almost unprecedented not to get approval.
The reason was her total lack of desire to clean up our air pollution problem in the San Joaquin Valley. Her votes on the valley air board have consistently been negative towards any progressive action and she has voted to delay every deadline and tried to minimize any new clean air mandates.
We seem to have this problem where County Supervisors from around the valley are in control of our air district. Since they are usually elected with money from big oil, factory agriculture, and sprawling developers, they have this built-in conflict of interest when it comes to reducing pollution. Case made no effort to hide who she represented.
Let us hope that Ray Watson is not the next appointee to replace Case. His record is just as bad in his last term on the local air board. Unfortunately, he was again designated as our local representative on the San Joaquin Valley Air District. Good ole boy McQuiston wanted the job until someone pointed out that he doesn't meet the requirement that says you have to live in the San Joaquin Valley.
Raji Brar from Arvin and Henry Perea of Fresno are both eligible to be appointed to the state position and would be far better choices.
Bush EPA Has Little Interest in our Air Quality Problem
Why else would they refuse to rule on the validity of the San Joaquin Valley Air District cleanup plan?
Our air district is notorious for making inadequate air quality improvement plans and even more famous for delaying any action that would actually make a difference. EPA is supposed to oversee this process and declare it legal or not.
Without EPA making a ruling our air district can do whatever it wants and make any claims it wants regarding their adherence to the strict cleanup rules necessary when the air quality is as poor as ours.
See the related Californian article below from today's paper:
Three green groups sue EPA
Failure to rule on a 2004 air pollution cleanup plan at the heart of matter
BY STACEY SHEPARD, Californian staff writer
e-mail: sshepard@bakersfield.com | Monday, Jan 14 2008 10:30 PM
Last Updated: Monday, Jan 14 2008 10:34 PM
Three environmental groups filed a lawsuit Monday against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its failure to rule on a 2004 air pollution cleanup plan for the smog-laden San Joaquin Valley.
Without EPA's approval, the cleanup plan lacks teeth and the regional air district "can let things slide a bit because nobody can enforce the law against them," said Tom Frantz, head of the Shafter-based Association of Irritated Residents, one of the parties filing suit.
The plan in question contains air regulations to bring the valley into compliance with the smog standard in place in 2004. The standard was strengthened in recent years and a new cleanup plan was submitted last year. But the groups suing say the old plan must still be enforced to control smog.
San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District officials said the district has implemented all the air regulations in the plan.
"We didn't wait for EPA," said Seyed Sadredin, the air district's executive director. "We've met all our obligations under the plan, so for us, it really doesn't matter."
EPA generally approves or rejects a plan within a year. Once approved, citizens can sue the air district if they suspect the rules aren't being applied.
Frantz said he doesn't know if the district has violated the plan. But if it has, "we can't take them to court right now because nothing's enforceable in this plan."
EPA's regional air director Kerry Drake wouldn't say why the agency declined to rule on the plan.
Sadredin, of the valley air district, suspects EPA felt it wasn't necessary since new smog standards have taken effect.
Sadredin admits the situation is frustrating.
"All the deadlines are enforced on the local government but when it comes to the federal government, the same standards don't apply," he said.
Frantz likened EPA's refusal to rule on the plan to a teacher who gives students a math problem to solve, then never provides the answer.
"No one knows if it's right or wrong," he said.
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