There is no day without a new attack against the Latin community by the government, particularly at the federal level. Deportations are increasing, causing fear among residents, along with a genuine sensation of economic uncertainty due to stubborn inflation and possible tariff impacts. Costs are increasing for house owners, tenants and small businesses. There seems to be no relief on the horizon.
As leaders of separate organizations of Latin business and consumers, we are very aware of threats to our community.
Now, a little -known regional government agency is getting involved. The District of Air Quality Management of the South Coast (SCAQMD, for its acronym in English) is working outside the public focus to demand millions of residents and small businesses that change natural gas and water heater for fully electrical appliances. In total, more than 17 million tenants, housing and small businesses in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties will be affected at an amazing cost of more than $ 7.7 billion during the 25 years of useful life of appliances, which is equivalent to more than $ 300 million annually.
Known as proposed rule 1111 and 1121, these two regulations would require replacing natural gas ovens (rule 1111) and water heaters (rule 1121) with fully electrical expensive alternatives. The price of these two rules would be among the highest in SCAQMD. Tenants, home and small businesses would have to choose between becoming a completely electric option or paying a fine to continue using natural gas appliances.
Equally worrying is that the SCAQMD has carried out its mission with little transparency and without an integral scope to the community. The elected officials throughout the south of California greatly did not know the SCAQMD proposal until a base organization informed them. There has been no minimum commitment to residents or business owners who would be directly affected by these mandates.
The agency has maintained very few significant conversations with the communities that will take the worst part of these regulations. Public audiences have been poorly advertised. This intentional lack of participation is alarming given the enormous impact that these proposed mandates would have in all residents in southern California, particularly within Latin and African -American communities, where the affordability of housing is already a crisis.
The Latin community is one of the first original environmentalists. For centuries, we have worked the land, working cultures and sowing vegetables that have fed countless generations, and we have sought environmental justice, advocating solutions to clean the air without displacing people from their homes and businesses. The approach adopted by the SCAQMD, promulgating a policy mandate that would make it even more difficult to remain in our neighborhoods that we have called home for generations, without any effort to inform ourselves of its proposals, is disrespectful and wrong.
Southern California has made enormous progress in air cleaning. When they were children, there were many days when the mountains of San Gabriel, just a few miles away, were obscured by the Smog. In the summer months, physical activity was restricted due to air quality alerts. Fortunately, those days have been left behind.
However, without significant public education, a real debate or an cost-benefit analysis of the amended rules proposed 1111 and 1121 that affect our community, the SCAQMD needs to press the pause button.
The broad regulations, which affect 17 million residents in southern California, should not be approved by force without a wide range and feedback of the community. The true costs of these mandates must be understood by residents who are already at the limit before they are reviewed by the Governing Board of SCAQMD, not later.
Hurrying poorly conceived mandates that disproportionately affect working families, particularly Latin families, is not the right approach. Our community, all communities, deserve the right to be heard and not ignored.
We urge the Board of Directors to vote not these rules. If you want to participate, send an email to the SCAQMD to jvinh@aqmd.gov. Tell the Board to oppose these amended rules.
Michael Bustamante is the executive director and president of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Latin Consumers. Darrel Sauceda is president of the Latin Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles