UC Riverside to host conference on stricter air quality standards for Southern California

Academic, government and economic leaders will explore challenges the region faces in improving its air quality

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – How Southern California tackles the daunting task of meeting stricter federal and state emissions standards and reducing greenhouse gases is the focus of an all-day conference hosted by UC Riverside’s Edward J. Blakely Center for Sustainable Suburban Development and the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG).

Clearing the Air: Issues and Strategies for Future Progress will be held on Thursday, May 22, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Historic Mission Inn in downtown Riverside.

The conference will bring together academic, government, and economic leaders to examine the effects of emissions on health, address the challenges of meeting emissions standards to the goods movement industry, and explore potential solutions to future air quality issues.

Despite significant progress in the last 30 years, there is growing evidence that air pollutants in Southern California – including particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) – are exposing Southern California residents to potentially serious health risks.

“There is overwhelming consensus that immediate attention needs to be taken to reduce greenhouse gases,” said Rick Burnham, assistant director of the Edward J. Blakely Center for Sustainable Suburban Development. “California has taken a leadership position to address global climate change with the promulgation of AB 32, legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in California. Future federal and state emission standards for reducing air pollutants will require extreme challenges and new approaches to air quality planning in Southern California.”

According to Mark Pisano, the former executive director of SCAG, Southern California’s current air quality management plan will not be able to meet these emission standards.