Agency seeks action on dirty air
The Southern California Assn. of Governments voted Thursday to urge President Bush and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to declare a state of emergency in the region because of more than 5,400 premature deaths that the state has estimated are linked annually to air pollution.
“When we have a hurricane or earthquake, they declare a state of emergency,” said Hasan Ikhrata, director of planning and policy for the regional body. “These numbers are out of this world ... so this is significant enough that they should do the same thing.”
For the record:
12:00 a.m. May 5, 2007 For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday May 05, 2007 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 44 words Type of Material: Correction
Air pollution action: An article in Friday’s California section about a Southern California agency’s call for a state of emergency declaration over deaths linked to air pollution identified the chairman of the California Air Resources Board as William Sawyer. His name is Robert Sawyer.
SCAG, made up of mayors and county supervisors from Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura and Imperial counties, is responsible for the transportation portion of plans designed to bring the region’s air quality -- the worst in the nation -- into compliance with the federal Clean Air Act.
Federal officials said emergency declarations are issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for natural disasters and terrorist acts. The White House had no direct comment on SCAG’s request, but White House Council on Environmental Quality spokeswoman Kristen Hellmer said, “The administration has taken great strides to improve our nation’s air quality; and since the president took office, the level of pollutants in our skies has decreased by more than 10%.”
The governor’s office did not comment. California Air Resources Board Chairman William Sawyer said he couldn’t comment on SCAG’s request because it was a legal issue, but “we agree the air pollution problem in Southern California is a very serious public health problem and has been for decades. We’re working very aggressively to try to solve it.”