Earthjustice: SoCal clean air rule upheld for boilers, water heaters

On July 2, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (SCAQMD) zero-emission standard for boilers and water heaters, rejecting an industry challenge to a landmark clean air rule that will clean up pollution from industrial and commercial equipment. “Inland Empire communities are getting crushed by air pollution, and this ruling provides a breath of fresh air to make our communities safer,” said Gem Montes, People’s Collective for Environmental Justice. Today’s ruling directly impacts more than 1.3 million water heaters and industrial boilers used in large facilities and manufacturing facilities across Southern California — a major source of smog-forming pollution that threatens the health of nearby residents. DETAILS.