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More than 95% of Californians live in areas that fail to meet federal or state air quality standards, but low-income communities and communities of color suffer disproportionately more from the associated health environmental effects of air pollution and climate change. Rising temperatures cause an increase in ozone and smog, which degrades air quality and the health of children, seniors, and those with existing respiratory and other illnesses. On the economic front, climate change will drastically change rainfall patterns in California, resulting in less water during the critical dry months, and too much water during the rainy season, causing serious problems for the state’s $27 billion agriculture industry and therefore problems for its predominately Latino and Asian labor force.
In 2002 Governor Davis signed AB 1493, a groundbreaking bill authored
by Assembly member Fran Pavley that was a giant first step in tackling
climate change in California. AB 1493 required the California Air
Resources Board (CARB) to develop policies to implement the new law.
The AB 1493 implementation effort was one of the first opportunities
the Air Resources Board has had to demonstrate that it can and will
implement Environmental Justice policies.
As part of its Environmental Justice Program, PCL Foundation worked to
increase opportunities for Environmental Justice communities to
participate in the California Air Resources Board's public process.
PCLF assisted CARB with conducting a workshop and other outreach
activities to educate Environmental Justice communities about AB 1493
and solicit their support in drafting the new implementation policies.
This project was funded by the Kirsch Foundation and the Energy
Foundation.
For more information on this project please contact René Guerrero.
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