Bill To Add 2 Environmental Justice Representatives to the AQMD Board Halts But Conversations Will Continue

SACRAMENTO — Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) in collaboration with over forty environmental justice advocates and community members, fought over the last few months on a significant bill, Senate Bill (SB) 342. Unfortunately, on June 3^, the bill was sent to the inactive file for this legislative year and made into a two year bill due to pressures from Big Oil.

The bill would have added two environmental justice representatives to the South Coast Air Quality Management District—people who live, work in pollution burdened communities and who are trusted by the Environmental community.

SB 342 is a bill that the California legislature is no stranger to, having voted for similar bills in years past, for example in 2007 in the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District, again in 2015 with the California Air Resources Board and in 2019 with the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District.

Sen. Lena Gonzalez said representation matters. Consequently, SB 342 would have allowed community voices to the table that historically have not been heard after decades of injustices.