The Mayor of Paramount Peggy Lemons publicly thanked the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Governing Board at its meeting on March 2, 2018 for the SCAQMD’s efforts in the City.
Good morning Chairman Burke, Boardmember Mitchell, and all other Boardmembers. Thank you for allow me a moment to address you.
In December of 2016, my predecessor, then-Mayor Daryl Hofmeyer, came before this Board regarding the discovery of high levels of hexavalent chromium in Paramount. He asked that the AQMD do everything within its authority to correct the situation. He mentioned that our city manager and staff were working closely with AQMD’s executive officer Mr. Nastri and his staff to gain a greater understanding of the issue and any risks to our residents, and also to find a resolution.
Well, after a very active year, and on behalf of my entire community, I want to thank the AQMD for the commitment that you brought to Paramount. Your work has been superlative and your staff completely dedicated.
AQMD spent more than $1 million on the hex chrome issue in Paramount. That is something we will always be grateful for.
I believe Mr. Nastri has said this was an unprecedented effort. He also has said that the cooperation that developed and the methods that were used in Paramount can serve as a model for cities and regulators across the state, and even the nation.
In many ways, this was a scary time for us. The level of this toxin found in 2016 was a new hazard that we had no knowledge about in the past. I think it’s fair to say that both our City and the AQMD had a bit of a learning curve.
But due to your scientific expertise and experience, we couldn’t have hoped for a better teacher and partner when it came to studying this issue, devising ways to address it, and move proactively into the future.
For everything that I’ve mentioned today, I again offer our extreme thanks and heartfelt appreciation.
Watch the Mayor’s testimonial here:
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