| Feb. 11, 2009
Event to Connect Clean Air Technology Developers with Venture Capitalists
In light of the current economic recession, the South Coast Air Quality
Management District’s Governing Board has set in motion an initiative to
help support the local economy including a networking opportunity between
clean air technology developers and potential funding sources.
The goal of the Clean Air Technology Conference would be to expedite the
introduction of new, low-emission technologies needed to help clean the
Southland’s air by introducing investment bankers and venture capitalists
with clean air technology developers.
The event, planned for this summer, is just one of four elements of the
Helping Hand Initiative, a program that will keep the region on the path
toward clean air while lending assistance to AQMD’s various stakeholders.
AQMD Governing Board Chairman William A. Burke, Ed.D. proposed the
initiative at last month’s Board Meeting. The Board recently approved a work
plan to have it implemented.
“This plan is expected to literally offer a helping hand to our stakeholders
who are dealing with a difficult economic situation,” Burke said. “The
conference will bring together two very important groups of individuals and
the overall initiative will enhance our services and give some needed
support to air district permit-holders and residents.”
The conference will also showcase clear air technologies that can help
“green” California’s economy and assist in achieving federal clean air
standards as well as objectives of AB 32, the state’s global warming
initiative.
The three other elements of the Helping Hand initiative include:
• co-sponsoring
educational training through community colleges on proper installation
and care of new vehicle technologies. It
will ensure that available new low- and zero-
emission technologies are properly
installed and cared for after their introduction;
• partnering with
cities and counties to co-sponsor local tree planting projects and
thereby create healthy urban forests.
Near-term cost barriers to regional tree planting
will be reduced and greenhouse gas
benefits and other pollutant reductions would be
achieved as well; and
• enhancing AQMD’s
customer service activities for permit applicants and permit
holders. This would include offering
a one-year extension for already-issued Permits-
to-Construct, limiting current
requirements for the upfront purchase of RECLAIM
trading credits for new equipment by
facility operators to the first year of operation
and conducting monthly Saturday
permit assistance open houses at AQMD.
The work plan approved today outlines strategies, estimated budgets and
timelines for implementing the four elements of the initiative.
AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major
portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
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