Air and Health Quality Empowerment Zone Designation Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3565
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2008-09-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Agricultural machinery
Agricultural pollution
Agriculture and Food
Air pollution control
Asthma
California
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Environmental health
Federal aid to air pollution control
Health
Labor and Employment
Nitrogen oxides
Ozone
Public-private partnerships
Standards
Strategic planning
Students
Unemployment

Summary:
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: 
Air and Health Quality Empowerment Zone Designation Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate areas nominated by local air pollution control districts as air and health quality empowerment zones, which shall be eligible for grants for replacing or retrofitting polluting vehicles and/or engines in order to improve the health of the population living in the zones.

Sets forth area eligibility requirements, including: (1) being in nonattainment of specified national ambient air quality standards for ozone or PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter that does not exceed 2.5 micrometers); (2) having specified emission levels from agricultural sources; (3) meeting or exceeding national averages for asthma, school days missed for ozone levels, and unemployment; and (4) being eligible for state or local matching funds.

Prohibits an area from being designated unless the relevant district provides satisfactory assurances that the strategic plan (to be contained in its application) will be implemented. Authorizes the Administrator to revoke the designation if the relevant district: (1) has been designated as being in attainment with the air quality standards; or (2) is failing to comply with, or make progress in achieving the goals of, its strategic plan.


action_date: 2008-09-24
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Air and Health Quality Empowerment Zone Designation Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to designate areas nominated by local air pollution control districts as air and health quality empowerment zones, which shall be eligible for grants for replacing or retrofitting polluting vehicles and/or engines in order to improve the health of the population living in the zones.

Sets forth area eligibility requirements, including: (1) being in nonattainment of specified national ambient air quality standards for ozone or PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter that does not exceed 2.5 micrometers); (2) having specified emission levels from agricultural sources; (3) meeting or exceeding national averages for asthma, school days missed for ozone levels, and unemployment; and (4) being eligible for state or local matching funds.

Prohibits an area from being designated unless the relevant district provides satisfactory assurances that the strategic plan (to be contained in its application) will be implemented. Authorizes the Administrator to revoke the designation if the relevant district: (1) has been designated as being in attainment with the air quality standards; or (2) is failing to comply with, or make progress in achieving the goals of, its strategic plan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1078.
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Boxer. With written report No. 110-500. Minority views filed.
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Boxer. With written report No. 110-500. Minority views filed.
action_date: 2008-09-24
text: Introduced in Senate
action_date: 2008-09-17
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works ordered to be reported an original measure.