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newsrel -- ARB proposes to approve Valley particulate matter plan

Posted: 08 May 2008 09:34:04
Please consider the following Air Resources Board press release
announcing the board's consideration of the San Joaquin Valley's
plan to address fine particulate matter.  You can review the
release online here: http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr050808.htm
.
Thank You
Dimitri Stanich
ARB/PIO 

Release 08-35
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2008
	  	
Leo Kay
office:(916)322-8286
cell:(916)849-9843
www.arb.ca.gov

ARB proposes to approve Valley particulate matter plan

Hearing set for May 22 in Fresno

SACRAMENTO - The Air Resources Board released a staff report
today that recommends approval of a particulate matter pollution
control plan for the San Joaquin Valley that would meet federal
health standards on time.

The Board will vote on the staff recommendation -- posted today
at www.arb.ca.gov/planning/sip/sjvpm2.5.htm -- at a hearing in
Fresno on May 22. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control
District approved the fine particulate matter state
implementation plan April 30.

Local measures such as a strengthened residential wood smoke
rule and one of the state's toughest regulations on boilers and
glass furnaces will combine with ARB's recently passed off-road
construction rule and the upcoming proposed truck regulation to
allow the Valley to meet federal fine particulate matter
standards by 2014. Parts of the Valley already comply with the
particulate matter standard, with southern regions suffering
from the worst air quality.

"The combined efforts of ARB and the local air district are
lowering soot levels in the Valley every year," said ARB
Chairman Mary Nichols. "The question we need to ask Valley
residents is, have we accounted for every pollution source? Now
that this report is out on the street we will be looking for
public input and suggestions leading up to the Board vote later
this month."

The plan reduces fine particulate matter exposure by lowering
oxides of nitrogen emissions by almost 50 percent and fine
particulate matter emissions by over 25 percent from 2005
levels. The plan is based on the $27 million "California
Regional Particulate Matter Study," which provides the strongest
scientific foundation in the nation for a particulate matter
plan.

ARB, the Air District and the United States Environmental
Protection Agency will participate in a technology forum to be
held at University California, Merced on July 9 to explore new
advancements that will be needed to obtain future reductions to
meet the U.S. EPA's new more stringent standard for which a
revised plan will be due in 2012. In the meantime, ARB will
continue to help fund pollution-cutting projects in the Valley
through Proposition 1B funds.

Fine particulate matter emissions are associated with causing a
variety of health effects including premature death and a number
of heart and lung diseases.

The Air Resources Board is a department of the California
Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and
protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through
effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and
considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air
pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain
health based air quality standards.

The energy challenge facing California is real. Every
Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy
consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and
cut your energy cost, see our web site at http://www.arb.ca.gov


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