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Mission Statement
The South Coast AQMD believes all residents have a right to
live and work
in an environment of clean air and is committed to undertaking
all necessary steps to protect public health from air pollution, with
sensitivity to the impacts of its actions on the community and businesses.
Mission
The South Coast AQMD believes that all who live
or work in this area have a right
to breathe clean air. AQMD is committed to undertaking all necessary steps
to protect public health from air pollution,
with sensitivity to the impacts of its actions
on the community and businesses. This is accomplished through a
comprehensive program of planning, regulation, compliance assistance, enforcement,
monitoring, technology advancement, and public education.
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What is The AQMD?
The AQMD is the air pollution control agency for all of
Orange County and the urban portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San
Bernardino counties. This area of 10,743 square miles is home to over 16
million people - about half the population of the whole state of California. It
is the second most populated urban area in the United States and one of the
smoggiest.
Different types and levels of air pollution can cause or
contribute to everything from watery eyes and fatigue to respiratory disease,
lung damage, cancer, birth defects and premature death. Because this area’s
smog problem is so severe, AQMD often finds itself at the forefront of the
nation’s emission reduction efforts. (Return to Top)
What AQMD Does
 AQMD is responsible for controlling emissions primarily from stationary sources of air pollution.
These can include anything from large power plants and refineries to the corner gas
station. There are about 28,000 such businesses operating under AQMD permits.
Many consumer products are also considered stationary sources; these include house
paint, furniture varnish, and thousands of products containing solvents that
evaporate into the air. About 23% of this area's ozone-forming air pollution
comes from stationary sources, both businesses and residences. The other 77% comes from mobile sources--mainly cars, trucks and buses, but also
construction equipment, ships, trains and airplanes. Emission standards for mobile sources are established by state or federal agencies, such
as the California Air Resources Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, rather
than by local agencies such as the AQMD. (Return to Top)
How AQMD Controls Pollution
 AQMD develops and adopts an Air Quality Management Plan,
which serves as the blueprint to bring this area into compliance with federal
and state clean air standards. Rules are adopted to reduce emissions from
various sources, including specific types of equipment, industrial processes, paints and solvents, even
consumer products. Permits are issued to many businesses and industries to
ensure compliance with air quality rules. AQMD staff conducts periodic
inspections to ensure compliance with these requirements.
The test of whether these efforts are working is the
quality of the air we breathe. AQMD continuously monitors air quality at 34 locations throughout the four-county area. This also allows AQMD to
notify the public whenever air quality is unhealthful.
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AQMD’s Sources of Revenue
Approximately 67% of AQMD’s General Fund revenue
comes from fees paid by regulated businesses, 18% from motor vehicle
registration fees and the balance from other sources. Fines and penalties
constitute approximately 10% of AQMD’s revenue.
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Progress So Far
Air quality in this area has continually improved despite an enormous
increase in population and cars. For example, maximum levels of ozone, one of
our worst smog problems, have been cut to less than one third of what they were
in the 1950s, even though today we have nearly three times as many people and
four times as many vehicles.
In the past decade, we have virtually eliminated Stage I smog alerts, the
level at which schools are advised to keep children from playing outside. We
have not reached Stage II levels, which used to occur 100-120 times a year,
since the 1980s. (Return to Top)
The Job Ahead
The clean air effort still has a long way to go.
Even though recent years have been the cleanest on record, our air still exceeded the federal
health 1-hour standard for ozone on 30 days in 2005. In 2005, the federal
1-hour standard was replaced by a new 8-hour average standard. The Basin
exceeded the new standard on 84 days in 2005. Maximum levels are almost
twice as high as the federal standard for clean air.
State and federal law requires this area to meet existing
clean air standards by the year 2010. However, new, tougher federal air quality
standards for ozone and particulates issued in 1997 will require reductions
above and beyond those already planned. AQMD estimates it will take until at
least 2014 to meet all the new standards. This may seem like a long time to
continue to live with smog. But the cleanup effort is enormous. Even though we
already have the strictest pollution control requirements in the nation, we
still have to reduce some types of pollution by up to 60% if we are to rid the
area of smog.
The war on smog began in this region more than a half
century ago. With continued commitment and sensitivity to the impacts of
efforts to control smog, residents can be assured that public health standards
for air quality will be achieved. (Return to Top)
How You Can Help
A lot of our pollution comes from the products and services
we use every day. We can all help by making some simple changes in the way we
live: carpool, use public transit, use water-based paint, wet down sources of
dust, avoid aerosol products, recycle, and conserve energy.
For additional information, call 1-800-CUT SMOG® to order
AQMD’s free pamphlets,
"Simple Things You Can Do to Clean the Air" and “Dirty
Air.”
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Hours of Operation -- AQMD is open for business
Tuesday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (the Lobby Cashier closes at
5:00 p.m.) and is closed Saturday, Sunday, Monday and holidays. (Return to Top)
AQMD
Office Locations and Phone Numbers
Headquarters -
(909) 396-2000
21865 Copley Drive -
Diamond Bar, CA 91765
Branch Office -
(310) 233-7000
1500 W. Carson St. Suite 115 -
Long Beach, CA. 90810
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Meet the people of AQMD
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Phone or E-mail:
Get information - (see also our Site
Index for more info)(Return to Top)
Reserve a Conference Room -
AQMD's Conference Center may be used by
non-profit organizations
and groups whose
primary purpose is to benefit the local community by furthering environmental,
educational, social or community service interests subject to certain
requirements. Cafeteria Services can
provide catering service for
your meeting. (Return to Top)
Tell Us What You Think or Get More
Information...
We welcome your opinion and feedback.
- If you can't find what you're looking for, try our
Site Index.
- For air quality program questions or information,
please e-mail WebInquiry.
- For website problems or suggestions,
please e-mail AQMD's WebEditor.
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