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[[Image:EEA Logo.png|right|thumb|205px|{{#ifexist:Template:EEA Logo.png/credit|{{EEA Logo.png/credit}}<br/>|}}The official logo of the EEA.]]  
The '''South Coast Air Quality Management District''' (SCAQMD), formed in 1976, is the [[Air quality|air quality]] agency responsible mainly for regulating [[Air pollution dispersion terminology|stationary sources]] of [[air pollution]] for most of [[Los Angeles]], [[San Bernardino, California|San Bernardino]], [[Riverside County, California|Riverside County]], and all of [[Orange County, California|Orange county]]. The main office  of the SCAQMD is located in the city of [[Diamond Bar]], [[California]].


[[Image:European Environmental Agency (EEA) Building.jpg|right|thumb|205px|{{#ifexist:Template:European Environmental Agency (EEA) Building.jpg/credit|{{European Environmental Agency (EEA) Building.jpg/credit}}<br/>|}}The EEA's headquarters in Copenhagen.]]
The area encompassed by the SCAQMD amounts to about 10,750 square [[U.S. customary units|miles]] (27,850 square [[kilometre]]s) and is the second most populated area in the [[United States]]. This area has a severe problem with [[smog]] and the SCAQMD has been a leader in the nation's efforts to reduce [[air pollutant emission]]s.


The '''European Environment Agency''' (EEA) is an agency of the [[European Union]] (EU) established to function as a major source of information and data to be used in developing, adopting, implementing and evaluating environmental policy by its member European countries.<ref>[http://www.eea.europa.eu/ The European Environmental Agency (EEA) website]</ref>
==How the SCAQMD operates==


The EEA was established by Regulation 1210/90 adopted in 1990 by the [[European Economic Community]] (EEC),<ref>[http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexapi!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=31990R1210&model=guichett EEC Regulation 1210/90]</ref> which subsequently became a part of the EU in 1993. The EEA became operational in 1994 and it is currently headquartered in [[Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]] with 172 staff members.<ref name=Chart>[http://www.eea.europa.eu/about-us/who/organisational-chart EEA Organizational Chart]</ref>
The SCAQMD develops, adopts and implements an Air Quality Management Plan for bringing the area into compliance with the clean air standards established by national and state governmental legislation.


The same EEC Regulation 1210/90 that established the EEA also established the European [[Environmental Information and Observation Network]] (EIONET) and the EEA is charged with coordinating with the EIONET.<ref name=EIONET>[http://www.eionet.europa.eu/ Environmental Information and Observation Network (EIONET)]</ref>
Air quality and permissable air pollutant emission "rules" are promulgated to reduce emissions from various sources, including specific types of equipment, industrial processes, paints, solvents and certain consumer products. Permits are issued to the pertinent industries and businesses to enforce compliance with the air quality and emission rules, and SCAQMD staff conducts periodic inspections to ensure such compliance.


As of 2008, the EEA has 32 member countries and six cooperating countries. The 32 member countries include the 27 member states of the European Union together with [[Iceland]], [[Liechtenstein]], [[Norway]], [[Switzerland]] and [[Turkey]]. The six cooperating countries are West Balkan countries: [[Albania]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Croatia]], [[Republic of Macedonia]], [[Montenegro]] and [[Serbia]].
The SCAQMD's rules apply to businesses ranging from large [[Oil refinery|oil refineries]] and [[power plant]]s to [[Filling station|gasoline (petrol) fueling stations]] and [[dry cleaning]] plants. There are about 30,000 such businesses operating under SCAQMD permits. In general, the SCAQMD is limited to establishing rules for regulating stationary sources. [[Emission standards]] for mobile sources (automobiles, trucks, buses, railroads, airplanes and marine vessels) are established the [[U.S. Environmental Protection Agency]] and the [[California Air Resources Board]].


The primary clients of the EEA are the member countries of the EU as well as the major institutions of the EU: the [[European Commission]], the [[European Parliament]] and the [[Council of the European Union]]. In addition to this central group of EU policy makers, the EEA serves other EU institutions such as the [[European Economic and Social Committee]] and the [[Committee of the Regions]].
==How the SCAQMD is organized==


The EEA does not initiate or implement any air quality or other environmental standards or emission ceiling limits. That is done by the European Commission, specifically by their Commissioner of the Environment and Environment-Directorate General.<ref>[http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/dimas/index_en.htm The Commissioner of the Environment]</ref><ref>[http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/environment/index_en.htm The Environment Directorate General]</ref><ref>[http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/quality/standards.htm Air Quality Standards]</ref><ref>[http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/pollutants/ceilings.htm  National Emission Ceiling (NEC) Directives]</ref>
The SCAQMD has a ''Governing Board'' of 12 members. Nine of the members are county supervisors and city council members. The remaining three are appointed by California state officials. The chief ''Executive Officer'' of the SCAQMD reports to the Governing Board and the following departments report to the Executive Officer:


==Governance of the EEA==
===Administrative departments===


The EEA is governed by a '''Management Board''' and a '''Bureau''', with a '''Scientific Committee''' in an advisory capacity.<ref>[http://www.eea.europa.eu/about-us/governance/management-board/presentation The Management Board]</ref><ref>[http://www.eea.europa.eu/about-us/governance/management-board/mb-rules-procedure.pdf Management Board Rules of Procedure (RoP)]</ref>
* Policy advisor
<ref>[http://www.eea.europa.eu/about-us/governance/scientific-committee Scientific Committee]</ref>
* Legal
** Counsel
** Prosecutor
* Public Affairs
* Media Relations
* Finance
* Human Resources
* Information Management


===Management Board===  
===Operational departments===
* Engineering and Compliance
* Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources
*Science and Technology advancement


The Board is the decision making body of the EEA. The Board decisions include: adoption of annual and multi-annual work programs, annual reports and other strategic documents, approval of the EEA’s budget, appointment of an EEA Executive Director and an accounting officer, election of a board chairperson and vice-chairpersons, and designation of Scientific Committee members.
==Air quality monitoring network==


The Board consists of representatives of the 32 EEA member countries, two representatives of the European Commission and two representatives designated by the European Parliament. Each member of the board may be represented by an alternate member. The Board members are all high-level official within their nation's  environmental ministries.
The SCAQMD also operates an extensive network of air quality monitoring stations (about 40 stations) and issues daily air quality forecasts. The forecasts are made available to the public through newspapers, television, radio, faxed messages to schools, the SCAQMD's internet website, and a toll-free Smog Update telephone line.<ref>[http://www.aqmd.gov/map/MapAQMD2.pdf SCAQMD Air Quality Monitoring and Forecast Map]</ref><ref>[http://www.calepa.ca.gov/childhealth/news/WorkshopApril04/JCassmassi.pdf ''Monitoring, AQI, Standards & Notification, The South Coast Perspective''] Joe Cassmassi, Senior Meteorologist, SCAQMD, April 2004</ref>


The Board chairperson and four vice-chairpersons are elected from amongst the Board members for a term of three years. The Board normally meets three times a year.<ref>[http://www.eea.europa.eu/about-us/governance/management-board/meetings Meetings]</ref>
==Air quality modeling and air pollution dispersion modeling oversight==


===Bureau===
The air quality modeling activities of the SCAQMD are one of the functions of the Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources section. That section is also responsible for oversight and commenting upon [[Atmospheric dispersion modeling|air pollution dispersion modeling]] studies performed as part of any environmental impact studies that may be reviewed by or requested by the SCAQMD. The models that may be utilized include:<ref>[http://www.aqmd.gov/ceqa/models.html Air Quality Modeling]</ref>


The Bureau is composed of the Board chairperson, up to five Board vice-chairpersons, one European Commission representative and one of the members designated by the European Parliament. The Bureau is entitled to take executive decisions, necessary for the effective operation of the EEA in between meetings of the Management Board.
*California Line Source Dispersion Model ([[Compilation of atmospheric dispersion models#U.S. Environmental Protection Agency models|CALINE-4]])
*Industrial Source Complex Short Term ([[ISC3|ISCST3]]) Model
*Hotspots Analysis and Reporting Program (HARP)
*[[U.S. Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA)'s Air Quality Models
*[[California Air Resources Board]] (CARB)'s Air Quality Models


===Scientific Committee===
==Funding for the SCAQMD==


The Scientific Committee advises the Management Board and the Executive Director. It has three major tasks:
About 70% of AQMD’s funding is derived from fees paid by the regulated businesses, 20% from motor vehicle registration fees and the balance from other sources such as fines and other penalties assessed for businesses that violate the AQMD's rules.  


*To deliver an opinion on the EEA multi-annual and annual work-programs.
==References==
*To provide advice to the Executive Director regarding recruitment of the EEA's scientific staff.
*To provide advice and/or opinion on any scientific matter concerning the EEA's activity, which the Management Board or the Executive Director may submit to it.
 
The Committee members are independent scientists from the EEA member-countries, covering a variety of environmental fields related to the EEA's activities. The Committee membership shall not exceed 20 experts. The members are chosen through an open selection process and appointed for a four-years term, renewable once.
 
==Organization of the EEA==
 
An Executive Director, appointed by the EEA's Management Board,  manages the day-to-day operations of the EEA assisted by a deputy director and a staff group known as the Executive Director Office (EDO).<ref name=Chart/> 
 
There are seven major working groups in the EEA, each having certain subgroups:
 
* Administratives services
** Personnel management
** Resource and document management
** Financial and logistics services
** Accounting services
* Biodiversity, spatial analysis and scenarios
** Biodiversity and ecosystems
** Spatial analysis
** Scenarios and forward studies
* Communications
** Multi-media communications
** Media, editing, launches and public relations
** Information Centre - public events and enquiries
* Environmental services
** Climate change and energy
** Air and transport
** Water and agriculture
* Governances and networking
** Management Board, Eionet and Scientific Committee support
* Information and data services
** Publications, web and program support
** IT networking and data flow
** Data access and management
** Information technology
* Strategic knowledge and innovation
** Sustainable consumption and production
** Science, policy and innovation
** International and regional cooperation
 
==European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change==


The European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change (ETC/ACC) assists the European Environment Agency (EEA) in its support of European Union (EU) policy in the field of [[air pollution]] and [[climate change]].<ref>[http://air-climate.eionet.europa.eu/ European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change (ETC/ACC)]</ref> It is a consortium of 14 European institutions, established in 2001 by the EEA, with an annual budget of about 2 million Euros, with [[RIVM]]-MNP as the lead institution.
The ETC/ACC reports on the progress of EU environmental policy on air pollutant [[emission]]s,<ref>[http://reports.eea.europa.eu/EMEPCORINAIR4/en/page002.html EMEP/CORINAIR Emission Inventory Guidebook - 2006]</ref> [[air quality]], and climate change issues. The ETC/ACC participates in relevant reports issued by the EEA, collects data concerning the current state of the environment, and harmonizes European air quality monitoring networks and reporting obligations.
The ETC/ACC also maintains an online copy of the Model Documentation System (MDS)<ref>[http://air-climate.eionet.europa.eu/databases/MDS/index_html MDS - Model Documentation System]</ref> which is a catalogue of most of the air quality and air pollution [[Compilation of atmospheric dispersion models|dispersion models]] developed and/or used in Europe. The MDS catalogue listings include the name, description and support contacts for each model as well as other pertinent technical details. The MDS was developed at the [[Aristotle University]] in [[Thessaloniki]], [[Greece]].
==European Topic Centre on Land Use and Spatial Information==
The European Topic Centre Land Use and Spatial Information (ETC-LUSI)<ref>[http://terrestrial.eionet.europa.eu/ European Topic Centre Land Use and Spatial Information (ETC-LUSI)]</ref> is an international consortium under contract to the European Environment Agency (EEA). The consortium is led by the [[Autonomous University of Barcelona]] (UAB) from Spain.
ETC-LUSI is part of the European Environmental Information and Observation Network (EIONET)<ref name=EIONET/> and a support to other Eionet partners. The activities have an important component on networking with various experts in the member countries on data harmonization, quality issues and exchange of data. ETC-LUSI assists countries in discussing options for improving national information systems related to the topic of [[land use]] and [[spatial analysis|spatial information]].
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


'''External links'''<br>
==See also==
*[http://www.eea.europa.eu/ European Environment Agency website]  
*[[AP 42 Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors]]
*[http://terrestrial.eionet.europa.eu/ European Topic Centre on Land Use and Spatial Information (ETC LUSI)]
*[[Clean Air Act (1990)]]
*[http://air-climate.eionet.europa.eu/ European Topic Centre on Air and Climate Change(ETC/ACC)]
*[[Clean Air Act (1970)]]
*[http://air-climate.eionet.europa.eu/databases/MDS/index_html Model Documentation System (MDS)]
*[[Compilation of atmospheric dispersion models#U.S. Environmental  Protection Agency models|U.S. Environmental Protection Agency dispersion models]]
*[http://www.eea.europa.eu/maps/ozone/welcome The European Environment Agency's near real-time ozone map (ozoneweb)]
*[[National Ambient Air Quality Standards|NAAQS]] (National Ambient Air Quality Standards)
* [http://ew.eea.europa.eu/ EnviroWindows].
*[[National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants|NESHAP]] (National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants)
 
'''See also'''<br>


*[[Agencies of the European Union]]
==External links==
*[[Compilation of atmospheric dispersion models]]
* [http://www.aqmd.gov Official SCAQMD website]
*[[Confederation of European Environmental Engineering Societies]]
* [http://www.aqmd.gov/rules/rulesreg.html The SCAQMD's Rules]
*[[Coordination of Information on the Environment]]
*[[European Agency for Safety and Health at Work]] ([http://osha.europa.eu EU-OSHA])

Revision as of 18:00, 4 October 2008

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), formed in 1976, is the air quality agency responsible mainly for regulating stationary sources of air pollution for most of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside County, and all of Orange county. The main office of the SCAQMD is located in the city of Diamond Bar, California.

The area encompassed by the SCAQMD amounts to about 10,750 square miles (27,850 square kilometres) and is the second most populated area in the United States. This area has a severe problem with smog and the SCAQMD has been a leader in the nation's efforts to reduce air pollutant emissions.

How the SCAQMD operates

The SCAQMD develops, adopts and implements an Air Quality Management Plan for bringing the area into compliance with the clean air standards established by national and state governmental legislation.

Air quality and permissable air pollutant emission "rules" are promulgated to reduce emissions from various sources, including specific types of equipment, industrial processes, paints, solvents and certain consumer products. Permits are issued to the pertinent industries and businesses to enforce compliance with the air quality and emission rules, and SCAQMD staff conducts periodic inspections to ensure such compliance.

The SCAQMD's rules apply to businesses ranging from large oil refineries and power plants to gasoline (petrol) fueling stations and dry cleaning plants. There are about 30,000 such businesses operating under SCAQMD permits. In general, the SCAQMD is limited to establishing rules for regulating stationary sources. Emission standards for mobile sources (automobiles, trucks, buses, railroads, airplanes and marine vessels) are established the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board.

How the SCAQMD is organized

The SCAQMD has a Governing Board of 12 members. Nine of the members are county supervisors and city council members. The remaining three are appointed by California state officials. The chief Executive Officer of the SCAQMD reports to the Governing Board and the following departments report to the Executive Officer:

Administrative departments

  • Policy advisor
  • Legal
    • Counsel
    • Prosecutor
  • Public Affairs
  • Media Relations
  • Finance
  • Human Resources
  • Information Management

Operational departments

  • Engineering and Compliance
  • Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources
  • Science and Technology advancement

Air quality monitoring network

The SCAQMD also operates an extensive network of air quality monitoring stations (about 40 stations) and issues daily air quality forecasts. The forecasts are made available to the public through newspapers, television, radio, faxed messages to schools, the SCAQMD's internet website, and a toll-free Smog Update telephone line.[1][2]

Air quality modeling and air pollution dispersion modeling oversight

The air quality modeling activities of the SCAQMD are one of the functions of the Planning, Rule Development and Area Sources section. That section is also responsible for oversight and commenting upon air pollution dispersion modeling studies performed as part of any environmental impact studies that may be reviewed by or requested by the SCAQMD. The models that may be utilized include:[3]

Funding for the SCAQMD

About 70% of AQMD’s funding is derived from fees paid by the regulated businesses, 20% from motor vehicle registration fees and the balance from other sources such as fines and other penalties assessed for businesses that violate the AQMD's rules.

References

  1. ↑ SCAQMD Air Quality Monitoring and Forecast Map
  2. ↑ Monitoring, AQI, Standards & Notification, The South Coast Perspective Joe Cassmassi, Senior Meteorologist, SCAQMD, April 2004
  3. ↑ Air Quality Modeling

See also

External links

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