The Road To Clean aiR - LA Differentiated

Message from
the board chair
To our contributors,
colleagues and friends:
This annual report—our first
ever—highlights the 2009
activities of Coalition for
Clean Air (CCA) and some
of the milestones achieved
in our bold vision of clean,
healthy air in California.
The road to clean air is a
long one, and the steps along the way require major
investments of time, talent and resources. CCA is
proud of these accomplishments and looks forward
to continued success.
We saw many of our investments pay off in 2009.
More than seven years after CCA co-sponsored the
“Clean Cars Law” (Pavley, AB 1493), the Obama
administration announced a national emission
standard that follows California’s lead. This action
will put cleaner cars on the nation’s roads, cutting
global warming pollution from vehicles by 30
percent and saving 1.8 billion barrels of oil.
This historic White House announcement came on
the heels of a long-awaited waiver granted by the
United States Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), authorizing California to implement
the Clean Cars Law. As part of this landmark
agreement, the automakers dropped their lawsuits
against California and other states, ending a
painful and expensive seven-year battle between the
industry, regulators and environmental advocates
such as CCA.
2009 was also the inaugural year of the
groundbreaking Clean Trucks Program at the Ports
of Los Angeles and Long Beach. In the first year
alone, the program reduced more than 30 tons of
air pollution and provided more than $44 million
in clean truck purchase investments. In December
the U.S. EPA gave an award to CCA and the
innovative stakeholder partnership which shaped
the Ports’ program.
Despite the Clean Trucks Program’s tremendous
success, keeping it alive has been an uphill battle
for CCA and its allies. Shortly after the program’s
adoption, CCA joined the Ports in defending it
against an American Trucking Association lawsuit
in federal court. Still in litigation, we are working
concurrently with federal legislators to protect
the program from future attack. The health and
lives of the 2 million-plus port-adjacent residents
depend on the long-term success of the Clean
Trucks Program.
To prepare us for what lies ahead, CCA took
significant steps to become more agile, effective and
resourceful. With the completion of our three-year
strategic plan in 2009, we lay the groundwork and
set focused, ambitious goals for the coming years.
We look forward to engaging our partners in this
endeavor, and we’ll be calling upon you for input,
advice, suggestions and support.
As we look forward to our 40 th anniversary
celebration in 2011, we remember that CCA was
started and sustained by concerned citizens like
you. Thank you for the investment you’ve made in
our organization over the years. Only together can
we move forward on the road to clean air.
Sincerely,
Erik Neandross
CCA board chair
“
Time and
again, [CCA has]
helped to prevent
backsliding and
promote effective
regulations when
special interests
were lined up to
take advantage of the political process.
CCA is one of the main reasons why
California consistently leads the nation
in promoting innovative technologies
to improve air quality. ”
— Mary Nichols, California Air
Resources Board chairman
and 2009 California Air Quality
Awards honoree
Coalition for Clean Air
2009 Annual Report