It’s true, we have made some progress in Southern California towards our climate goals in the last couple of years. However, there is so much more that our air quality regulators can do to set cleaner standards that change the course we’re on.
Right now, we have an opportunity to act. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), which oversees air quality standards for 17 million people across Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties, is set to vote on two groundbreaking rules. These rules would require the replacement of gas-fired furnaces and water heaters with zero-emission alternatives once they reach the end of their lifespan. By doing so, we can achieve significant emissions reductions, as the rules would apply when new space heating appliances or water heaters are sold or installed throughout our region.
Shifting from gas-burning equipment to zero-emission alternatives like efficient electric heat pumps will reduce communities’ exposure to harmful pollutants. The South Coast residents have historically suffered from some of the worst air quality in the nation. While air pollution has improved, progress has leveled off, and the air remains unsafe to breathe for large portions of the year. In recent years, research has shown the specific impacts of building pollution on human health. Harvard public health researchers found that fossil fuel-fired heating equipment contributed to roughly 517 premature deaths nationwide in 2017.
We need to keep our momentum from recent wins to pass this proposed regulation and tackle the pollution in our homes.
Tell SCAQMD you support the transition to zero-emission, non-polluting space and water heating