Overview of Presentation

2. Overview of Presentation Introduction State Laws on Environmental Justice Air Resources Board Initiatives on Community Health and Environmental Justice

3. Introduction • No consensus on what “environmental justice” means • Common theme -- concern that exposures to environmental hazards are greater for minority and low-income individuals

4. Common Environmental Justice Concerns • Differential distribution of pollution and health risk among communities • Equity in decision-making process • Equity in enforcement • Addressing environmental justice in context of other community issues such as economic status

5. State Laws on Environmental Justice • SB 115 (Signed 1999) and SB 89 (Approved 2000) • Defines environmental justice as fair treatment of people of all races, cultures and incomes • Applies to development, adoption, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws and policies

6. ARB Initiatives on Community Health and Environmental Justice

7. ARB’s Community Health Program • Goal: to assess and reduce health risk as quickly as possible • Includes Environmental Justice Program • Near and long-term strategies • Special focus on children • Both outdoor and indoor programs

8. Children’s Health Initiatives • Community Asthma Study • Review of Air Quality Standards • Monitoring in Schools • Monitoring in School Buses • School Bus Clean-up Funds

9. How ARB is Improving Community Assessments • Mapping cumulative risk statewide • Neighborhood Assessment Program • New modeling protocols and validation • Advances in community monitoring • Addressing gaps in health data

10. Cumulative Risk Mapping - Los Angeles

11. Inhalable Cancer Risk Map Central Los Angeles

12. ARB Outreach Efforts • Share information and solicit community participation • Provide timely and meaningful responses to community concerns • Explicitly identifying and considering impacts of ARB actions in communities

13. Reducing Health Risk in Communities • ARB programs account for a majority of new emission reductions statewide • Air toxics -- diesel particulate emissions are highest priority • Additional focus on pollution prevention, targeted air toxics measures, vehicle repair assistance and incentives funds

14. 2001 EJ Related Board Items • Diesel retrofits for trash and cargo tanker trucks • Toxics Measure: Automotive Refinishing • 2001 Clean Air Plan • Refinery “Good Neighbor” Guidance • Environmental Justice Guidelines • CEQA Guidelines for Land-Use Decisions

15. Environmental Justice Guidelines: Concepts • Integrate EJ into ARB Programs • Strengthen Outreach and Education • Reduce Health Risks in Communities • Strengthen Enforcement • Assess and Consider Cumulative Impacts

16. Cumulative Risk and New Sources • Cumulative risk includes the total mix of pollutants • Concern is cumulative risk from multiple sources • Cumulative risk is not considered in air district permitting processes

17. CEQA and Cumulative Risk • CEQA requires public agencies to consider environmental impacts • Environmental documents should include information on cumulative impacts • ARB guidance is intended to foster more informed local land-use decisions

18. Addressing Existing Sources • ARB and District regulatory programs • Incentives: Moyer, School Buses, Mitigation Funds • Strong Enforcement • Other concepts: EJ trust funds for non-traditional solutions

19. Summary • ARB is committed to making environmental justice a part of every program, policy, regulation and action • We are developing guidelines to assist air districts and local governments in integrating environmental justice into their programs