Community Air Risk Evaluation (CARE)

Program

Contra Costa County Forum on

Cumulative Impacts of Pollution

Philip Martien, Ph.D.Bay Area Air Quality Management District

December 4, 2008

December 4, 2008 2

Overview

• Community Air Risk Evaluation (CARE) Program

• CARE Mitigation Action Plan

• Multi-pollutant Clean Air Plan

• Cumulative Impacts Resolution

December 4, 2008 3

Regulatory Authority• Regional Air Pollution

Control Agencies – Primary regulatory authority

over stationary sources

• State Air Resources Board– Intrastate mobile sources—

cars, trucks, cargo handling equipment

• U.S. EPA– Interstate mobile sources—

trains, aircraft & ocean going vessels

December 4, 2008 4

CARE Program Objectives

• Evaluate regional and community cancer and non-cancer health risk from ambient toxic air contaminants

• Identify sensitive populations

• Focus health risk mitigation measures on locations with higher risk levels and sensitive populations

December 4, 2008 55

From Emissions of Toxic Air Contaminants to Health

Effects

Chronicle/Kurt Rogers

Emissions Concentrations ExposureHealth Effects

December 4, 2008 66

Cancer Toxicity-Weighted Emissions: Bay Area

(2005)

By Pollutant By Source Category

December 4, 2008 77

TotalCancer Risk-

Weighted Emissions:Year 2005

December 4, 2008 88

Model Estimated Cancer Risk*Based on year 2005 emissions

• Expected cancer incidents per million people

• Modeled concentrations weighted by health risk of each compound *Cancer risk

from:Diesel PMBenzene1-3, butadieneFormaldehydeAcetaldehyde

December 4, 2008 99

Measured Trends in Toxic Air Contaminants Show Risk

Reduction

-21%/year

Cancer Risk

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1990 2005

lifet

ime

case

s/m

illio

n -7%/year

• Bay Area average cancer risk from air pollutants is decreasing

• BUT, risk in some locations is high compared to average

• AND health studies suggest that age and income affect sensitivity to air pollution

December 4, 2008 1010

Demographic & Health DataPopulation under 18 Asthma Hospitalization

Rates

December 4, 2008 11

CARE Mitigation Action Plan

• Focus risk reduction activities where they are most needed

• Based on maps of toxic air emissions and sensitive populations, six impacted communities were identified

– Grant funds– Outreach efforts– Liaison with local health &

planning departments– Land use guidance– Green Ports Initiative

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Grant Funds Spent in Highly Impacted Communities –

2008 Highly Impacted Community

NOx

Tons

ROG

Tons

PM

Tons

Incentives

Funding

West Oakland 331 50 20 $7,500,000

Richmond 49 8.3 2.7 $1,600,000

East San Francisco 21 1.4 2.2 $1,305,00

East Oakland/

San Leandro

30 2.5 2 $825,000

San Jose 25.5 2 1 $800,000

Concord 1.6 0.03 0.15 $68,000

Total 458.1 64.23 28 $12,098,000

December 4, 2008 1313

• Meet with community members in impacted areas to seek input on projects to fund

• Provide community-specific information on toxic air contaminants and emission reductions

Community Outreach

• Hear community concerns

• Collaborate on local-scale studies

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Land Use Guidance

• Cities and counties have authority over local land-use decisions

• Land-use guidance will help cities and counties– Evaluate health impact resulting from new

development projects– Assess the health impact to new development

projects from existing toxic sources– Determine when mitigation is required and identify

possible measures and their effectiveness– Assist with general plans and project-specific analysis– Provide tool for more informed local decision making

December 4, 2008 15

Land Use Issues• New infill development projects in impacted communities

• Potential conflict between residential developments and freeways, busy roads, and other sources of diesel emissions

– Need health protective land use planning

• Opportunities for collaboration

– Example: Oakland Army Base

December 4, 2008 16

2009 Clean Air Plan

• Update 2005 Ozone Strategy • Consider multiple pollutants in an integrated plan

- Ozone- Particulate matter- Toxic air contaminants- Greenhouse gases

• Improve air quality & protect public health• Protect our climate• Regional plan will provide local air quality benefits

December 4, 2008 17

Address community concerns Air District Board Adopted Resolution (July 30, 2008)

– Continue to address cumulative impacts– CARE Mitigation Action Plan– Continue to explore additional options

Next Steps: CARE Working Group– Develop recommendations for the CARE Task Force &

Air District Staff– Broad representation

• Business groups• Community members• Governmental agencies – health & planning departments• Non-profit, non-governmental agencies• Air District Staff

Cumulative Impacts Resolution

December 4, 2008 18

CARE Mitigation Action Plan has focused on reducing diesel PM, especially in the six impacted communities.

What additional actions within these communities?

Other areas where the Air District should focus?– Compare benefit of additional actions to benefits of

diesel PM reductions

What actions should be taken by other agencies or groups?

How can we improve collaboration between various agencies and groups?

Key Questions for Working Group

December 4, 2008 1919

Contact Information

• Phil Martien– pmartien@baaqmd.gov– (415) 749-4660

• Community Air Risk Evaluation (CARE) web link:– http://www.baaqmd.gov/CARE