California,
the world's fifth largest economy, is home to 24 million motor
vehicles, which
are
responsible for about 40% of the state's greenhouse gas pollution.
Governor
Schwarzenegger Signs Executive Order on Hydrogen
On April
20, 2004 Governor Schwarzenegger issued an Executive
Order committing the state of California to a plan that will
achieve "a clean energy and transportation future based
on the rapid commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies." The
first step of this initiative mandates the California Environmental
Protection Agency to create a California Hydrogen Economy
Blueprint Plan by January 1, 2005.
Specifically,
this Executive Order commits the State of California to the
creation
of the "Hydrogen highways Network" by
the year 2010. This network of California's twenty-one interstate
freeways will provide every Californian with "access to
hydrogen fuel, with a significant and increasing percentage produced
from clean, renewable sources." The state will ensure, through
negotiations with auto makers and fuel cell manufacturers, that
hydrogen-powered cars will be commercially available to consumers,
businesses, and state agencies. Furthermore, consumers will be
given incentives to purchase hydrogen powered vehicles.
Clean
Air Activism - Reclaim
our public spaces.
Air
quality is a serious health issue.
SUV
Notice of ViOlation
Print
the ticket in black-and-white or color at home,
or bring it to your local print shop to have it
reproduced in bulk.
Fill
out and place for maximum educational impact..
The Public
Participation Guide to Air Quality Decision Making in California
provides you with the basic tools and information needed to
understand
and participate in the air pollution policy, planning, permitting,
and regulatory decision-making processes in California. The
guide
includes:
Agencies
responsible for controlling air pollution;
County or regional air pollution control districts and air quality
management districts (local air districts) are the local government
agencies responsible for improving air quality. There are 35
local air districts in California. These local air districts
are generally your first point of contact for resolving local
air pollution issues or complaints. Local air districts regulate
stationary sources of air pollutants, such as industrial and
commercial facilities, power plants, construction activities,
outdoor burning, and other non-mobile sources of pollution.
At the national level, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency:
• Sets federal ambient air quality standards
• Oversees and approves state programs
• Regulates pollution from cars and trucks (outside California),
trains,
Directions
on how to file air pollution complaints;
If you observe a problem, it is a good idea to write down the
nature of the problem, the time and date, the source of pollution
(suspected or known), and the wind direction. In certain instances,
photographs or videos can be very useful in documenting a
problem.
This information will greatly aid in the investigation of your
complaint. By reporting air pollution problems to the local
air district, the public can help the district ensure compliance
with rules and permits, which keeps the air cleaner and protects
public health. Always note:
• Time and date when the problem occurred,
• Source of pollution (if known), and Wind direction.
• If you see smoke or other visible signs of pollution,
take photographs or video tape recordings if you can.
Steps
you can take to get involved in air quality issues in your community.
The first thing to do if you want to get involved is to get
on appropriate mailing lists and attend meetings that the ARB
and local air districts conduct. These meetings are a good source
of information and also provide an opportunity to raise issues
or concerns. If you are going to raise a specific question or
concern, it is always wise to do some preparation priOr to the
meeting. This will allow you to more effectively participate
at the meeting. You may submit written or oral comments at a
meeting.
Meetings with Agency Staff: If you would like
to meet with the staff of an agency, you can schedule an appointment
to discuss your concerns about a particular issue. You may also
want to make an occasional phone call or send an e-mail to establish
contact and exchange ideas with appropriate staff. Staff often
incorporates input from the public into their work products
and proposals for their governing boards, so your participation
at the staff level can be very important.
Town Hall Meetings: The ARB staff, as part of the Environmental
Justice Stake-holder Group, and several of the local air districts,
conduct town hall-style meetings on a regular basis. These meetings
provide an open forum for the public to ask questions and raise
their concerns about air pollution issues directly to the air
pollution agencies. Meeting notices are posted at community
buildings, mailed to people on mailing lists, and posted on
applicable agency web sites.
You
can download the complete guide by clicking here
or get current information at http://www.arb.ca.gov/
