New Standards Will Protect the Most Vulnerable

Rosanna Esparza, Kern County Oil and Gas Program Organizer The majority of Californians live in counties with unhealthy air. But nowhere is the air unhealthier than in the San Joaquin Valley. The San Joaquin Valley has never met the federal health standards for smog. Never. In fact, Valley residents face some of the worst smog pollution in the country. If you live in Kern County, home of the largest oil fields in California, the air you breathe may put your health at risk. Residents face a host of pollutants and toxic chemicals from the oil & gas industry, smog-forming emissions from fuels, vehicles, machinery and engines. How bad is it? The 2014 Kern County State of the Air Report from the American Lung Association gave Kern failing grades for Ozone, Particle Pollution in 24-hours and Annual Particle Pollution.

1. Ozone air quality is considered unhealthy or worse for nearly two-thirds of the year.
2. The San Joaquin Valley has some of the nation’s worst air quality, failing to meet federal health standards for both ozone (smog) and particulate pollution. Theses challenges are unparalleled in the United States.

Every year thousands of people die prematurely in CA because of smog pollution and millions more suffer from asthma, cardiovascular disease, and other respiratory illnesses related to air pollution. And smog pollution-related health problems (asthma, COPD, cardiovascular disease, diabetes) disproportionately impact low-income communities of color throughout California. African American and Latino children are two to six times more likely to die from asthma than whites. Smog pollution is a huge problem. But the good news is that we can solve this problem. It starts with the US Environmental Protection Agency implementing the strongest rules possible for smog pollution - 60 parts per billion. This would prevent prevent roughly 1.8 million asthma attacks, 1.9 million missed school days, 6,400 premature deaths. New, stronger standards for smog pollution will clean up our air and reduce pollution-related illness; millions of Americans with asthma and other respiratory ailments will breathe easier. But it can't end there. The California Department of Public Health must into health threats to those most at-risk from the impacts of oil & gas development. A thorough health investigation and analysis must be conducted to identify communities most at-risk for smog pollution. Industries must be accountable for cleaning-up hazardous conditions and reducing harm to people and the environment. Because, Improving smog – or any other air quality standard doesn’t do any good unless actual changes to on-the-ground practices happen. Here are a few other things to get us started:

• The CA EPA and San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District must install air monitoring stations in areas of high risk (Elk Hills, Lost Hills, Buttonwillow, Shafter, Wasco) to capture accurate, real-time data
• Banning open pits. Off gassing wastewater needs to be stored in closed loop systems so volatile organic compounds are contained. Local and state regulators have the power to make this happen.
• Stronger air pollution controls and oversight on all oil production facilities. The Air Resources Board is moving towards regulating methane
• Today there are nearly 2,000 solar companies at work in CA, employing over 47,000 people. Thousands more jobs and millions of dollars in economic activity could be created if we tap into the full potential of this technology. (Pollution free solar energy)
• In the last four years California’s clean energy generation has more than doubled. The price of wind and solar energy is becoming more affordable and reliable opening the door to powering our homes and cars with 100 percent clean resources.
• Polluters need to hold up their end of the bargain to reduce health impacts from air pollution.
• We can’t ignore transportation’s impact on our air. Building an affordable electric vehicle infrastructure will create jobs; reduce pollution, and significantly cleaner air.

What happens if we put a robust plan into place? We'll see reduced levels of SMOG. Billions of dollars used to treat and care for people impacted by pollution could be put back into the economy - In Kern County that means putting back $6-billion in annual costs into the local economy and an additional $135-million saved from asthma hospitalizations. On top of bring more money back into our communities, Reducing pollution that impacts public health means keeping kids in school. And, for residents of Lost Hills, Upper Ojai and other communities living along the fence line it means improved health for all residents. It's simple: We deserve clean air and a plan from air regulators that commits to strengthening public health. For more information, please see these reports