Procrastinate No More : Clear Air, Without Economic Disaster, Will Be Attainable

Almost daily during the summer, and often in winter, residents of the South Coast Air Basin--the urban areas of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties--have no choice but to breathe the worst air in the nation.

This polluted air causes hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to agriculture and property each year. But more alarming, it robs us of our health, costing an estimated $11 billion annually in respiratory-related medical expenses.

The severity of our air pollution, the slow progress made in the past and the predicted population growth in the future have led to cynicism about our ability to solve the problem. They have even led to dire predictions that proposed solutions will cause major economic dislocation and loss of jobs.

Air-quality solutions have historically called--and still do--for changes in the way we do business in this area. Growth will likely continue to exacerbate an already critical problem. Powerful business interests work overtime locally, in Sacramento and in Washington to defeat programs designed to help clean the air.

A federal ban on construction of some major industrial plants will take effect by the end of the month because of the area’s high ozone levels; a move by Southern California Gas to cut back deliveries of natural gas to conserve for winter will result in the burning of dirtier, more polluting, heating oil.

With such a gloomy horizon, how can the South Coast Air Quality Management District commit itself to meeting all federal health standards for air quality by the year 2007, the realistic 20-year goal set by the board last year?

We stand firm in our commitment, based on several major considerations.

Our citizens are incensed over having their health and quality of life assaulted bythe very air they breathe, the water they drink, the food they eat.

They have shown their dissatisfaction in poll after poll, by pressuring their elected representatives into action and by supporting initiatives to force action.

The same citizens have shown their sincerity by adopting life-style changes.

For example, our behavior patterns have changed dramatically as we have become more aware of the links between our health and what we eat, drink and breathe. Only 28% of us nationwide still smoke, with a majority supporting the banning of cigarette smoke in public places, according to the American Lung Assn.

Our consumption of chicken and fish has risen dramatically as we respond to concerns about cholesterol. We spend more time exercising and maintaining proper weight levels.

Just this past spring, when AQMD provided the 1-800-CUT SMOG telephone number allowing citizens to report smoking vehicles and other air-pollution offenses, the public responded by telephoning in more than 13,000 observed violations in the first two months.

This same sense of awareness and concern suggests that the public is willing to go the distance in pursuit of clean air.

A second cause for optimism stems from the history of regulatory efforts, which have been more successful than often publicized in reducing harmful emissions from factories, automobiles and other sources.

Over the past 30 years ozone and carbon-monoxide levels have been cut in half, despite industry contentions that controls were not feasible. AQMD recently identified more than 120 new control programs, using existing technology, that will reduce smog-forming emissions by 65% to 70% in spite of growth.

The price tag for these programs, though not insignificant, represents only about 1% of the area’s total $387-billion gross regional product--no prescription for major economic dislocation or job loss. In fact, dollars spent to give us clean air will be returned in a 2% increase in the gross regional product through new environmental control jobs and business opportunities.

Finally, we are encouraged by advances in technology that have already occurred.

Electric vans, with an approximate range of 120 miles between recharging and capable of 60-m.p.h. speeds, will be delivered to AQMD in 1989. Methanol buses, much cleaner than diesel vehicles, are already operating in Riverside County and soon will be seen on the streets of Los Angeles and Orange counties.

New paint coatings that dry when exposed to ultraviolet light, without releasing pollution, are already used in dental offices and in some Canadian plants manufacturing wood furniture.

Paints that release almost nothing but water vapors, instead of polluting solvent fumes, when drying are just around the corner. All of these can be developed for the furniture, aerospace and other area businesses.

Battery-like fuel cells that can produce electricity at twice the efficiency of many of today’s power plants and release virtually no pollution already are operating in some parts of the world. Fifty of these units are planned for individual commercial and industrial buildings in the area in the next few years.

This reinforces our confidence in the ability of the scientific community to continue the innovative technological breakthroughs that are indispensable if clean air is to be a reality.

Although the answers are here or near at hand, we acknowledge that the path to clean air will not be easy. We must not under estimate the resolve and resources of the special-interest groups that have succeeded in slowing the clean-air process to a crawl, and in some cases setting it back significantly.

These setbacks will only increase the public’s resolve. With clear public support, the elected and appointed members of AQMD’s board of directors and the executive committee of the Southern California Assn. of Governments will be able to continue making the difficult choicesand push ahead with the programs that are needed to protect the public health.

For decades experts have warned us against procrastinating on the enactment of tougher air-quality policies. Now is the time to heed their warning.