Pacific Southwest, Region 9
Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, Tribal Nations
Region 9 Strategic Plan, 2011-14
Geographic Area of Focus: I-710 Corridor
Southern California’s I-710 freeway passes through 15 cities and unincorporated areas with a population of over one million residents - about 70% of which are minority and low income populations. The area is dense with goods movement-related truck traffic, industrial facilities, residences, schools and day care facilities. The nearby ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are the entry points for 40% of all imports to the U.S., and emit 20% of diesel particulates in Southern California. The region has persistently exceeded air quality standards for carbon monoxide, 1-hour and 8-hour ozone, and PM2.5 and PM10.
Improve compliance with environmental laws by targeting inspections and enforcement by local, state and federal jurisdictions.
- By spring of 2012, identify vulnerable communities for enhanced oversight, inspection, and enforcement using the Social Vulnerability Index and environmental and health impacts.
- By fall of 2012, work with community leaders in Maywood and Wilmington, California to place 15 anti-idling signs in three impacted neighborhoods to support compliance with the California Air Resources Board’s anti-idling regulation, which prohibits idling from heavy-duty diesel.
- By fall of 2012, take enforcement action at 10 or more facilities in the I-710 corridor area that are in violation of chemical release prevention, emergency planning, or chemical reporting requirements.
Clean up and restore land and prevent pollution in the I-710 corridor.
- By December 2012, assess risks to residents and drinking water resources of 25 sites in the I-710 corridor with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control to determine whether cleanup is required.
- In partnership with state and local agencies, evaluate the leaking underground storage tank universe in the I-710 corridor to identify opportunities for use of federal Brownfields and Leaking Underground Storage Tank funding to conduct assessment and cleanup activities. Conduct field assessments at three to six of the highest priority sites by the end of 2012.
Reduce air quality and public health impacts from mobile, stationary, and indoor air sources.
- Reduce PM2.5 annual concentrations by 3% by December 2011 through regulatory action and accelerating the development of cleaner transportation and other clean air technologies.
- Achieve a total reduction of 13% from 2009 levels to reach attainment of the PM2.5 standard by the end of 2014.
- Reduce emissions through regulatory action on the South Coast air quality plan for reducing PM2.5 and on nine related rules targeting industrial boilers, refineries, coatings, and consumer products.
- Partner with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control to conduct outreach to six schools along the I-710 corridor to improve awareness about the importance of indoor air quality by the fall of 2012.
- Use our NEPA authority to influence the California State Department of Transportation’s analysis of and planning for the expansion of the I-710 highway. We will focus on reducing adverse disproportionate environmental and public health impacts for the region and affected communities by ensuring that the best available technology is considered, such as zero-emission vehicles.
- Partner with the Los Angeles Collaborative for Health and Environmental Justice in its Clean Up Green Up campaign to revitalize three Los Angeles communities by providing pollution prevention assistance and increased inspections by the end of 2012.
- By fall of 2012, convene East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, the City of Commerce, and other stakeholders in support of the City of Commerce 2004 EJ Resolution to develop recommendations for land use to protect residential neighborhoods from the environmental impacts of industry.
Through an EPA Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Grant to Communities for a Better Environment, work with the Huntington Beach, California community to complete an area-wide strategic plan and implementation plan to create a community vision for the reuse of brownfield sites by the end of 2012.
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