Tougher federal ozone standards

Impacts of climate change

Climate change also has a direct impact on air quality in California, primarily through increasing atmospheric temperatures and changing weather patterns. Research suggests that global warming caused by world‐wide emissions of GHGs impacts ozone levels through any and all of the following:

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  higher temperatures;
  
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  longer and more frequent heat waves;
  
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  more frequent severe temperature spikes;
  
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  increased length of the ozone season;
  
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  increased VOC emissions from trees and other biogenic sources of VOCs, such as isoprene and monoterpenes, due to higher temperatures;
  
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  increased evaporative emissions of VOCs from storage tanks, solvents, motor vehicles, and other sources;
  
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  change in the ratio of VOC to NOx in the atmosphere;
  
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  increased atmospheric water vapor, higher humidity; and
  
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  reductions in wind and vertical mixing that disperse pollutants.
  

All of these impacts will result in more frequent multi-day, high-ozone episodes.

Climate change is also likely to increase PM and other pollutants as well. For example, increased demand for air conditioning in buildings and vehicles may cause higher emissions of direct PM and PM precursors such as NOx and SO₂ from power plants and vehicle engines. Drought may lead to higher emissions due to fugitive dust and mechanical irrigation. Increased wildfire activity could also make dangerous smoke impacts more common.

The impacts of climate change have the potential to slow or reverse the remarkable progress made by local air districts and the state to clean up our air.

air district updates

The following summaries are provided by California’s local air districts and highlight the successes and future challenges facing the air districts in meeting air quality standards.

ANTELOPE VALLEY AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

The transfer of emission reduction credits required for the construction of the Palmdale Hybrid Power Plant remains entwined in litigation. Air quality permits were issued by the air district to BYD, an electric bus and battery manufacturer, and to Kinkisharyo International, a light rail car manufacturer for newly established manufacturing facilities in the Antelope Valley.

In response to increased solar development in the Antelope Valley, the AVAQMD partnered with First Solar, the Antelope Valley Resource Conservation District and the City of Lancaster to implement a Solar Array Dust Suppression Study which identified best practices and long-term stabilization strategies appropriate for High Desert photovoltaic solar developments.

The AVAQMD’s Alternative Fuel Vehicle Incentive Program - which offers a rebate to Antelope Valley residents who purchase or lease an electric, plug-in electric, hybrid or compressed natural gas vehicle from a local auto dealership - continued to flourish. In 2014, 113 residents received rebates through the popular program, which represented a 71 percent increase from the eight vehicles sold in 2011 during the first year of the program.

In early 2014, the AVAQMD Governing Board voted to increase the amount of Mobile Source Emission Reduction Program funds allocated to the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale from $75,000 to $100,000 per year. The vote included a provision to allocate 50 percent of these funds toward improved traffic synchronization efforts.

In September, the Antelope Valley Transit Authority was presented with the Wm. J. “Pete” Knight Memorial AIRE (Achievement in Reducing Emissions) Award for introducing zero-emission electric bus technology to the Antelope Valley. The AVAQMD continued to bring STEM-based education resources to Antelope Valley educators through its collaboration with the Mojave Environmental Education Consortium (MEEC).