New Legislation from Assemblymember Robert Garcia Tackles California’s Growing Pollution Hotspots

Today, Assemblymember Robert Garcia introduced the Pollution Hotspots Solution Act (AB 914), a bill that equips California with new tools to clean up its polluted air. The legislation affirms the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) authority to regulate “indirect sources” that attract activity from polluting vehicles and equipment. The law will build on the success of regional Indirect Source Rules already adopted in the state. Californians breathe some of the dirtiest air in the country and ports, warehouses, and other major hubs — with the polluting diesel trucks and equipment that serve them — are major culprits. This bill provides a crucial new pathway to slash this dangerous pollution.

“My constituents are all too familiar with the deadly and harmful effects of air pollution — for years, it was difficult to see the San Gabriel Mountains clearly through the smog,” said Assemblymember Robert Garcia. “Though impressive and effective strides have been taken to address the impact of warehouses in the area, there is still more that could be done regarding other pollution hotspots. And while my district has the worst air quality in the nation, we are not unique in dealing with these issues, as 87% of Californians live in areas that do not meet federal air quality standards. AB 914 is an important measure that provides the state with the tools it needs to reduce emissions and safeguard public health throughout the state by affirming CARB’s authority to establish statewide standards around indirect sources.”

Numerous logistics facilities butt up against homes in the Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana area of California. (David McNew for The New York Times)

A statewide Indirect Source Rule would provide companies with the regulatory certainty they need, while ensuring all of California benefits from building a modern goods movement system. Currently, local air districts have explicit authority under state law to adopt Indirect Source Rules to cut pollution in their regions — it is critical to supplement this with a strong floor of clean air safeguards across California.

“While Trump threatens to take the U.S. back to smoggier days, California must move forward with the rest of the world. Air pollution exacts a heavy price on Californians, causing health problems that require emergency room visits, expensive prescriptions, and hospital stays that add up to billions in costs,” said Regina Hsu, senior attorney on Earthjustice’s Right To Zero campaign. “This bill will help the California Air Resources Board take advantage of all the tools we have at our disposal to clean our air and be the air quality agency California needs right now.”

Downtown Los Angeles under a blanket of smog. (TrekAndShoot/ Getty Images)

“California’s worst-in-the-nation air pollution means clean air agencies must have all the tools and resources needed to make continued progress toward healthy air for all,” said Will Barrett, Senior Director for Nationwide Clean Air Advocacy with the American Lung Association. “The Pollution Hotspots Solution Act provides more tools to reduce Californians’ exposures to ozone and diesel exhaust at this critical time.”

Electric heavy duty truck from TransPower used to move freight at the Long Beach Port in California. (Dennis Schroeder / NREL)

“Roughly half of residents in the state are breathing cleaner air under regional policies to clean up pollution hotspots, and this legislation will allow all of California to benefit,” said Chris Chavez, deputy policy director at Coalition for Clean Air. “No one in California wants to be breathing in diesel exhaust, especially not when it’s highly concentrated around pollution magnets like ports and warehouses. The Pollution Hotspots Solution Act can help California breathe cleaner air and enjoy better health.”

Just under half of the state’s population already lives under the protection of an Indirect Source Rule. These rules have a proven track record of spurring clean transportation projects: two air districts in  California opted to clean up pollution with these policies, and the model is working. In 2021 Southern California’s Air District passed an Indirect Source Rule to tackle pollution from Southern California’s huge complex of warehouses, and the program is ahead of schedule with hundreds of new zero-emissions heavy duty trucks and truck charging stations deployed in the last two years, ultimately helping to shape the goods movement system of the future.