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Organization: South Coast Air Quality Management District
Date: October 1, 2008
Santa Clarita Awarded for Clean-Air Programs
LOS ANGELES — Individuals and organizations were recognized for their
contributions to clean air at the 2008 Clean Air Awards presented by the
South Coast Air Quality Management District on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the
Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
The 11:30 a.m. awards luncheon, emceed by KNBC-TV weathercaster
Fritz Coleman, honored seven Clean Air Award recipients for achievement in
technological, transportation, community, public education and environmental
stewardship initiatives. In addition, Dr. Elisa Nicholas, a Long Beach physician
and state Sen. Alex Padilla received awards for their leadership.
"Each of these honorees demonstrated their own clear commitment to
cleaner air and took a step beyond by enabling and inspiring others to do the
same," said William A. Burke, Ed.D., chairman of AQMD's Governing Board.
The 2008 Clean Air Awards winners are:
LEADERSHIP IN GOVERNMENT AWARD
State Sen. Alex Padilla has shown strong support for improving air quality
through his work in the Senate Rules Committee. In his first year on the
committee, Sen. Padilla won legislative approval for 15 bills, many of which
focused on environmental and health issues. This year, Sen. Padilla
successfully guided SB 1646 through the Legislature. If approved by the
Governor, SB 1646 will reauthorize AQMD's highly successful Clean Fuels
Program, which has leveraged $140 million since 1988 with matching funds to
complete projects valued at more than $588 million. Sen. Padilla also has
partnered with AQMD and other stakeholders to address environmental justice
issues and ensure that local businesses and residents have meaningful
engagement in land use decisionmaking.
ROBERT M. ZWEIG, M.D. MEMORIAL AWARD
Dr. Elisa Nicholas was instrumental in establishing the Long Beach Alliance for
Children with Asthma, a grassroots organization that raises community
awareness about children's asthma. By educating parents and children on
ways to control asthma, the alliance helps reduce emergency room visits and
school absenteeism caused by the disease.
Dr. Nicholas is also the chief executive officer of The Children's Clinic and
chief of staff at Miller Children's Hospital, both located in Long Beach. In
2007, Sen. Alan Lowenthal named Dr. Nicholas the 27th Senate District's
Woman of the Year, praising her for her energy and focus on serving the most
vulnerable in our community.
ADVANCEMENT OF AIR POLLUTION TECHNOLOGY
Energy Control Systems Engineering (EnergyCS) of Monrovia, with support
from Valence Technologies, pioneered the engineering and development of
the plug-in hybrid-electric Toyota Prius retrofit. This modified vehicle is
designed to achieve more than 100 mpg for the first 50 to 60 miles of a user's
daily commute.
Other technologies developed by EnergyCS include:
* The Pawn VT battery management system used in Railpower's diesel hybrid-
electric switcher locomotive;
* The LSV-100 fast charger for neighborhood electric vehicles, such as those
used for shuttle services, parking meter enforcement, and retirement
communities; and
* The ECar/Innovan prototype electric vehicle designed for inner city delivery
and postal service applications.
INNOVATIVE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS
UC Irvine Parking & Transportation Services' Sustainable Transportation
Program provides the campus community with affordable access to
alternative transportation while reducing congestion and improving air quality.
Each year, the program eliminates more than 39 million vehicle miles and
18,600 tons of greenhouse gas emissions while saving the university more
than $21 million.
The 1.87 average vehicle ridership achieved by UCI is one of the highest for
an employer of comparable size in Southern California. Designated as one of
the Best Workplaces for Commuters by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, UCI's program engages the campus community in efforts to improve
and expand green transportation options, increase awareness of
environmental impacts and encourage greater participation in sustainable
transportation programs.
UC Irvine ZEV•NET, or Zero Emission Vehicle Network Enabled Transport, is a
unique transportation system that couples the benefits of mass transit with
the convenience and flexibility of a personal car. Designed to provide
environmentally sensitive transportation alternatives to commuters traveling
during the day, the program's use of electric vehicles equipped with Global
Positioning System technology in conjunction with scheduling software allows
vehicles to be efficiently shared among commuters.
MODEL COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENT (two awards)
The City of Santa Clarita has integrated air quality policy and programs
through a large scope of efforts that include an annual Bike to Work Day,
transit-oriented redevelopment of its Newhall neighborhood, participation in
the Community Energy Partnership and installation of the first public-access
compressed natural gas fueling station in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Santa Clarita also maintains an environmentally preferable purchasing policy,
has been awarded a Tree City USA designation for 18 consecutive years and
advocates for air quality with AQMD. The city's approach to public programs
has included community members and business organizations.
The City of Riverside "Grease to Gas to Power" Project
Nearly 500 restaurants in the City of Riverside are required to have grease
traps in their sewer lines to prevent clogging the city's sewers. Disposal of
the grease from those tanks has become a problem because it can no longer
be sent to landfills.
As it turns out, grease of this type can be very effectively treated in the
anaerobic digester tanks found in most sewage treatment plants. In fact,
the grease improves the digester's performance and increases production of
high-quality methane gas, which can be used to generate electricity and heat
at the treatment plant.
The city arranged for a waste hauler to transport restaurant grease to the
city's sewage treatment plant and pump it directly into the anaerobic
digester. The process has worked so well that it has saved the city about $1
million in costs for natural gas and electricity. And the high-quality methane
produced has reduced by 26 percent smog-forming nitrogen oxide emissions
from the cogeneration units.
PROMOTION OF GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Otana Jakpor, a sophomore at Woodcrest Christian High School in Riverside,
took an interest in air quality and its link to asthma at an early age. She got
interested in ozone-emitting air purifiers after reading an article in Consumer
Reports regarding concerns about ionizing air cleaners.
After discovering a lack of data on the pulmonary effects of ozone air
purifiers, Otana decided to do her own research. Her results, presented to
the California Air Resources Board, showed that certain kinds of air purifiers
emit astoundingly high levels of ozone. The Air Resources Board subsequently
adopted the nation's first regulation for ozone generators.
Otana received the 2008 President's Environmental Youth Award for EPA
Region IX in recognition of her research. President Bush presented the award
to her at a White House ceremony in April.
PUBLIC EDUCATION OF AIR QUALITY ISSUES
Clean Air Now, a local sponsor of the Clean Air Challenge, has worked to help
middle and high school science teachers meet California science standards
while enabling students to conduct scientific research on an environmental
problem that impacts their health. Students learn about the correlation
between ground-level ozone and emissions of nitrogen oxides and volatile
organic compounds from cars and trucks. Students are then introduced to
alternative fuels that produce fewer emissions.
After a series of lab activities, students draw conclusions about steps the
public can take to travel less, use more energy-efficient means of
transportation and purchase lower-polluting vehicles.
Tickets to the Clean Air Awards in the Biltmore's Crystal Ballroom at 506
S. Grand Ave. in Los Angeles were $35 for the public and complimentary for
members of the media.
AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and major
portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
