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Organization: South Coast Air Quality Management District
Date: February 11, 2009
AQMD Approves Plan to Host a Clean Air Technology Networking Conference as Part of "Helping Hand" Initiative
Event to Connect Clean Air Technology Developers with Venture Capitalists
In light of the current economic recession, the South Coast Air Quality
Management District's Governing Board has set in motion an initiative to help
support the local economy including a networking opportunity between clean
air technology developers and potential funding sources.
The goal of the Clean Air Technology Conference would be to expedite
the introduction of new, low-emission technologies needed to help clean the
Southland's air by introducing investment bankers and venture capitalists with
clean air technology developers.
The event, planned for this summer, is just one of four elements of the
Helping Hand Initiative, a program that will keep the region on the path
toward clean air while lending assistance to AQMD's various stakeholders.
AQMD Governing Board Chairman William A. Burke, Ed.D. proposed the
initiative at last month's Board Meeting. The Board recently approved a work
plan to have it implemented.
"This plan is expected to literally offer a helping hand to our stakeholders
who are dealing with a difficult economic situation," Burke said. "The
conference will bring together two very important groups of individuals and
the overall initiative will enhance our services and give some needed support
to air district permit-holders and residents."
The conference will also showcase clear air technologies that can
help "green" California's economy and assist in achieving federal clean air
standards as well as objectives of AB 32, the state's global warming initiative.
The three other elements of the Helping Hand initiative include:
• co-sponsoring educational training through community colleges on
proper installation and care of new vehicle technologies. It will ensure that
available new low- and zero-emission technologies are properly installed and
cared for after their introduction;
• partnering with cities and counties to co-sponsor local tree planting
projects and thereby create healthy urban forests. Near-term cost barriers to
regional tree planting will be reduced and greenhouse gas benefits and other
pollutant reductions would be achieved as well; and
• enhancing AQMD's customer service activities for permit applicants and
permit holders. This would include offering a one-year extension for already-
issued Permits-to-Construct, limiting current requirements for the upfront
purchase of RECLAIM trading credits for new equipment by facility operators
to the first year of operation and conducting monthly Saturday permit
assistance open houses at AQMD.
The work plan approved today outlines strategies, estimated budgets
and timelines for implementing the four elements of the initiative.
AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major
portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
