SACRAMENTO – (INT) – It may take a few more years, but Californians may be able to breathe easier.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) Thursday approved a statewide plan for attaining the federal health-based standard for ozone. The goal is 70 parts per billion, 8-hour ozone standard over the next 15 years.

It’s estimated that 21 million Californians still live in areas that exceed the heath-based ozone standard.

Seven areas needing reductions include the South Coast Air Basin, which includes the Inland Empire Metro area, the San Joaquin Valley, Ventura County, Eastern Kern County, the Sacramento Metropolitan Area, Western Mojave Desert and the Coachella Valley. Those areas will need additional emission reductions beyond those defined in the state’s strategy, the CARB said in a statement.

CARB called on the federal government to clean up harmful diesel pollution from primarily federally controlled sources, from locomotives and ocean-going vessels to aircraft, which are all concentrated in communities that continue to bear the brunt of poor air quality.

Story Date: October 23, 2022