The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) hosted a Town Hall meeting on June 20, 2018 at the Paramount Park Community Center to provide an update on the agency’s air monitoring efforts in the City.
SCAQMD staff reviewed the agency’s unprecedented activities to protect public health. Since 2016, SCAQMD has monitored the ambient air at 38 sites within the City, including 10 additional school sites in collaboration with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) plus five supplementary monitors purchased by Paramount. Using the data from these samplers, the agency pursued legal action against Anaplex Corporation, Aerocraft Heat Treating Company, Carlton Forge Works, and Lubeco Inc.
SCAQMD also implemented new technology to find the sources of pollution: a concrete construction pilot study, a furnace study to characterize sources of hexavalent chromium, and two real-time mobile monitoring efforts.
SCAQMD staff confirmed that the monthly average levels of hexavalent chromium have dropped significantly in Paramount since October 2016. As such, the agency has announced that it will be reducing the size and frequency of its monitoring efforts. However, SCAQMD staff assured the community that the agency will continue to conduct routine inspections of facilities and encouraged the public to call the agency with air quality complaints.
The stipulated orders of abatement for Anaplex and Aerocraft will continue to be in effect through the end of 2018. The stipulated order for Carlton Forge ended earlier this year. SCAQMD will monitor these facilities to ensure that their emissions remain low, then consider any necessary changes.
Following the staff presentation, Paramount residents asked for clarification on the new monitoring plan and made suggestions for the community’s partnership with SCAQMD moving forward. Members of the community requested extended air monitoring at the school sites, as well as clarification for submitting air quality complaints to the agency.
In response, SCAQMD staff committed to continued monitoring efforts at Lincoln School and agreed to provide official recommendations to the City regarding the future use and testing of the five City-owned air samplers. Additionally, staff recommended that the community learn more about its rule-making process so that they could help inform upcoming rules that will affect Paramount facilities and other potential emitters throughout the South Coast Basin.
SCAQMD reiterated that it will continue to collaborate with the City and the community to safeguard resident health.
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