Coalition for Clean Air Announces Hiring of Jerilyn López Mendoza

Coalition for Clean Air announced the hiring of Jerilyn López Mendoza as a Senior Policy Advocate, focusing on reducing air pollution from the freight logistics industry. Mendoza brings to CCA an abundance of experience in environmental law and policy, having served as Vice-President of the Port of Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners, Staff Attorney/Policy … Read more

More Freight, Dirtier Locomotives in California

It’s no surprise that more containers coming into California ports means worse air quality. What is unexpected is that dirtier locomotives are making a comeback, replacing cleaner, newer models in the state. Data from the California Air Resources Board show that this is the case. The Federal Government ranks engines by ‘tiers’. The higher the … Read more

Local government and clean air

LA City Hall

Pop quiz: which level of government is responsible for cleaning the air? Naturally, you might say it’s the federal Government’s responsibility. And you wouldn’t be wrong – after all, the US Environmental Protection Agency is a federal agency and the Clean Air Act is a federal law. Similarly, you might think clean air is also … Read more

California Is Cleaning Up Emissions from Container and Tanker Ships

Everyone knows that Los Angeles has a car problem. We drive too far, and too often. Some people say that there is a car culture here. It’s no surprise then that Southern California has some of the worst air quality in the country. While cars get a lot of the attention, one of the major … Read more

The Los Angeles Summer of Smog

California always makes headlines for its dedication to clean energy. Just last month Governor Brown signed SB 100, setting a target for emissions-free electricity generation by 2045. The state’s resilient commitment to climate science is heard around the world. But these stories mask a painful truth: the state had a historically bad summer of air … Read more

Sometimes the Best Bills are the Hardest to Pass in the State Legislature

Sometimes bills that make the most sense can be the hardest to pass in California’s Legislature. And so it goes with Senate Bill 210 by Senator Connie Leyva (D-Chino). This bill isn’t so difficult to understand. It simply requires big-rig diesel trucks to get smog certified. You didn’t know that those heavy-duty trucks rolling to … Read more

With Successful Vote, Air Regulators Take First Step Toward Reining In Pollution from Warehouses and Railyards

On Friday, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) took an important step toward cleaning up the freight industry in Southern California. In a highly anticipated vote that had been delayed for months, the Governing Board directed its staff to go ahead with drafting regulations for limiting emissions from railyards and warehouses. The Board, … Read more