Background

In 1970 a small group of concerned citizens gathered together on Saturday mornings to discuss the future of Southern California’s air quality and the overall state of the environment. What transpired from their meetings was the birth of the Coalition for Clean Air. Since then, CCA has grown into a statewide organization—with offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento and Fresno—all working to restore California’s most precious natural resource: the air we breathe!

2010: The Obama administration adopted new auto emissions standards based on California's Clean Cars Law, which CCA originally co-sponsored. For the second time, CCA blocked the use of dimethyl carbonate (DMC)—a known volatile organic compound (VOC) and developmental toxin—in a wide variety of industrial, janitorial and consumer cleaning products.

2009: Won the first-ever "clean air commuter" rule in the San Joaquin Valley, where large employers are now required to reduce individual car trips made by workers; averted budget cuts from vehicle technology plan to assist in meeting California's greenhouse gas reduction targets.

2008: Procured adoption of the landmark Clean Trucks Plan at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. In its first year alone, the program reduced more than 30 tons of air pollution and provided more than $44 million in clean truck purchase investments. The U.S. EPA honored CCA and stakeholder group in 2009.

2007: Won a complete phaseout of perchloroethylene (or “perc”) from dry cleaning. California is now the first state in the U.S. to adopt such a phaseout. This decision is already causing dry cleaners to shift to non-perc alternatives and all must stop using perc by 2023.

2005: Convinced the Air Resources Board to adopt new regulations to reduce pollution impact of cargo handling equipment and ship auxiliary engines at the state’s ports.

2003-2004: Convinced the nation’s largest municipal utility and a major California city to obtain clean, renewable energy such as solar and wind power instead of using dirty coal power. Both the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Burbank Water and Power agreed to transition 20% of their power to renewable energy sources by 2017.

2004: Obtained an unprecedented $50 million settlement for air quality and neighborhood improvements, including agreement by the Port of Los Angeles’ China Shipping Terminal to commit nearly 75% of ships to “plug-in” to an electrical dock outlet instead of running their engines. For each ship, this reduces a ton of diesel pollution – every day. This was the first case in the world where container ships “plugged-in.”

2002-2003: Won landmark state legislation to clean up dry cleaning. Through funds generated by charging a fee on perchloroethylene – the toxic chemical used by dry cleaners – cleaners will receive grants to transition to non-toxic alternatives. Separately, in Southern California, we secured the nation’s first-ever phase out of perchloroethylene.

1993-2003: Through groundbreaking health reports and other advocacy, convinced agencies to clean up highly polluting public vehicles such as transit buses and school buses by using clean alternative fuels and pollution control technologies. Persuaded the California governor to spend $50 million on cleaner school buses, the South Coast Air Quality Management District to require other local agencies to purchase clean vehicles, and both the Los Angeles Unified School District and Metropolitan Transit Authority to clean-up their fleets.

2002: Sponsored and helped pass landmark global warming legislation, limiting automobile greenhouse gas emissions – and positioning California as a world leader in global warming policy.

2001: Supported state adoption of environmental justice policies to address disproportionate impacts of toxics and air pollution in low-income and minority communities.

1998: Won a legal victory against major grocery chains – whose operations exposed low-income communities of color to toxic diesel exhaust. The settlement required large trucking distribution centers to reduce pollution at their facilities and to send health warnings in both Spanish and English to surrounding communities.

1998: Helped convince the state to adopt stricter emission standards for all passenger cars, SUVs and pickups.

1997: Helped create the Carl Moyer Program, which provides financial incentives for truck operators throughout California to reduce emissions by adding pollution control equipment or purchasing cleaner engines.

1996 –1999: Partnered with the Natural Resources Defense Council and Communities for a Better Environment in court to strengthen and implement the state’s adopted clean air plan.

1989-1995: Required the state of California to follow federal law and enforce the Clean Air Act by creating a meaningful plan to reduce air pollution.

1981: Spearheaded California’s original Smog Check program, which reduces 100 tons of automobile pollution every day.

View a printable PDF of our accomplishments