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Partnering Agencies: Environment
Currently, the SGVCOG partners with the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC) and the Sourthen California Air Quality Management District (AGMD) to address environmental, open space, and air quality issues in the SGV.
San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC)
http://www.rmc.ca.gov/
 In the 1980’s and 1990’s, the cities in the San Gabriel Valley were part of the larger Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. The cities in the San Gabriel Valley had to compete for open space, park, and watershed funding and programs with the communities under the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountain range and were often overlooked for funding. The cities in the SGVCOG along with the cities in the Gateway Cities Council of Governments who share the same watershed flowing from the San Gabriel Mountains, decided to form their own state conservancy.
The San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC) was created by the California legislature in 1999. RMC’s mission is to preserve open space and habitat in order to provide for low-impact recreation and educational uses, wildlife habitat restoration and protection, and watershed improvements within our jurisdiction. RMC’s territory covers eastern Los Angeles County and western Orange County. Their governing board is comprised of 13 voting and 7 non-voting members who are appointed or are designated by virtue of the office they hold: local, state and federal. The Conservancy has no power of condemnation or authority over city zoning laws.
A Parkway and Open Space Plan was written, as required by the Conservancy’s founding legislation. A grant program was created to distribute and administer bond funds in accordance with the plan. Funding for the grant program has come largely from two ballot propositions, Propositions 40 and 50, approved by voters in 2002.
South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)
The AQMD is the air pollution control agency for all of Orange County and the urban portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. This area of 10,743 square miles is home to over 16 million people - about half the population of the whole state of California. It is the second most populated urban area in the United States and one of the smoggiest.
AQMD is responsible for controlling emissions primarily from stationary sources of air pollution. These can include anything from large power plants and refineries to the corner gas station. There are about 28,000 such businesses operating under AQMD permits. Many consumer products are also considered stationary sources; these include house paint, furniture varnish, and thousands of products containing solvents that evaporate into the air. About 23% of this area's ozone-forming air pollution comes from stationary sources, both businesses and residences. The other 77% comes from mobile sources--mainly cars, trucks and buses, but also construction equipment, ships, trains and airplanes. Emission standards for mobile sources are established by state or federal agencies, such as the California Air Resources Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, rather than by local agencies such as the AQMD.
AQMD develops and adopts an Air Quality Management Plan, which serves as the blueprint to bring this area into compliance with federal and state clean air standards. Rules are adopted to reduce emissions from various sources, including specific types of equipment, industrial processes, paints and solvents, even consumer products. Permits are issued to many businesses and industries to ensure compliance with air quality rules. AQMD staff conducts periodic inspections to ensure compliance with these requirements.
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