People Post is a space for opinion pieces, letters to the editor and guest submissions from members of the Long Beach community. The following is an op-ed submitted by Bill Magavern, Policy Director for Coalition for Clean Air, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Long Beach Post.

Senate President pro tempore Toni G. Atkins recently appointed former senator, Montebello mayor and city councilmember Vanessa Delgado to fill the vacancy on the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s governing board left vacant by the resignation of Clark Parker that came in the wake of revelations about Parker’s charter school business.

During her brief tenure in the state senate in the latter part of last year, Delgado did not have much opportunity to leave a mark, but she did author a bill affecting air quality, SB 715. Unfortunately, that bill would have made air pollution even worse than it is now, by requiring that some off-road diesel engines be exempted from the standards that apply to such equipment. In fact, the bill was opposed by the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association, the people who actually run the air districts, including the one she will now help govern. Other opponents included the American Lung Association in California, Coalition for Clean Air, and Sierra Club California. Fortunately, Gov. Brown vetoed the bill, noting that “This exemption could cause a shortfall in mandated air pollution emissions reductions.”

We hope that Delgado, as she approaches her new duties on the SCAQMD board, will give first priority to the health of community residents and support health-protective measures to reduce emissions from warehouses, rail yards, ports and refineries. This will sometimes require her to have the integrity and fortitude to reject the lobbying of special interests who use their wealth and connections to weaken air quality safeguards.

SCAQMD has the weighty responsibility of cleaning up the air in the smoggiest metropolitan area in the country, and its history includes both noteworthy accomplishments and regrettable failures; the failures usually result from excessive influence on the board by major polluters.

The air district currently is facing key decisions like limiting the emissions from large freight facilities and winding down the failed RECLAIM emissions trading scheme. SCAQMD is in the early stages of implementing the Community Air Protection program passed by the legislature two years ago, which will require listening to the voices of those residing in communities with “hot spots” of particularly egregious air pollution.

The SCAQMD Board currently has another vacancy for a seat that is to be filled by Gov. Gavin Newsom. For the sake of the lungs of all the residents of the South Coast region, Gov. Newsom should heed the advice of the 27 local assemblymembers who have asked him to appoint “someone who is sensitive to health and emission issues around our ports, railyards, freight logistics and other industrial activities.”

The votes of Delgado and of Gov. Newsom’s appointee could have a decisive impact on the region’s air.