Diamond Bar : AQMD to Eliminate 120 Jobs
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The South Coast Air Quality Management District warned employees that it plans to eliminate about 120 jobs next summer because of an expected $7.4-million budget deficit, spokesman Sam Atwood announced from the smog-fighting agency’s headquarters in Diamond Bar.
The shortfall is the consequence of declining emissions fees as businesses comply with clean-air codes, and from a budget freeze imposed by the state Legislature, Atwood said.
If the layoffs occur, the agency will have cut a third of its 1991 staff. A hiring freeze has been in place for two years, and an employee furlough program of layoffs and early retirements has cut staff from 1,163 to 915 employees, Atwood said.
In addition, the AQMD will soon announce plans to close at least two air pollution monitoring stations, he said.
“The cuts make it tougher to enforce clean-air laws, but we still intend to carry out our mandates to achieve healthy air,” Atwood said.
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