Those amendments will require businesses to move to water-based cleaning solutions. The board in September also tightened emissions standards for wastewater systems at oil refineries and chemical plants. Both 1113 and 1171 are major emission reduction rules and will go a long way toward cleaning the air when they go into effect. In addition, the Board in November unanimously adopted the AQMD's three-year update of its Air Quality Management Plan for attaining present federal air quality health standards. When the federal EPA finalizes changes tightening those standards, Mikels said the AQMD will revise the plan to fully comply with the new health standards for ozone and fine particle pollution.
Emissions reductions yield better air quality.
The region's successful cleanup efforts have resulted in a pronounced trend toward cleaner air. The current ozone standard of .12 parts per million was exceeded on 87 days this year, almost half as many as ten years ago.