Under federal and state law, the South Coast Air Quality Management
District (AQMD) is under a legal obligation to enforce air pollution regulations. These
regulations are primarily meant to ensure that the surrounding (or ambient) air meets federal and state air quality standards.
AQMD also has broad authority to regulate toxic and hazardous air emissions,
and these regulations are enforced in the same manner as those which pertain
to the ambient air quality standards.
