RESOLUTION TO ACCELERATE THE DECARBONIZATION OF INDUSTRIAL BOILERS AND POLLUTING
EQUIPMENT
TO
IMPROVE
AIR
QUALITY
AND
PUBLIC
HEALTH
IN
CULVER
CITY,
CA
Overview:
Southern California faces the worst air quality in the nation, and industrial boilers are a significant yet often
overlooked
contributor.
Nearly
1,900
aging
boilers
across
approximately
800
facilities
burn
methane
gas
to
manufacture
everyday
products,
emitting
dangerous
nitrogen
oxides
(NOx)
and
particulate
matter
(PM2.5)
that
are
linked
to
higher
rates
of
asthma,
heart
disease,
and
premature
death.The
burden
falls
hardest
on
disadvantaged
communities:
62%
of
regulated
units
are
located
in
or
within
one
mile
of
areas
identified
as
disadvantaged
by
CalEnviroScreen,
and
1,376
schools
sit
within
one
mile
of
these
facilities—meaning
over
80%
of
units
are
near
where
children
learn
and
play.
Sixty
percent
of
these
schools
are
elementary
schools,
and
81%
are
located
in
environmental
justice
communities.
SCAQMD
has
already
shown
leadership
with
Rule
1153.1
which
will
phase
out
NOx
emissions
from
commercial
food
ovens
and
Rule
1146.2
which
was
adopted
in
June
2024
as
the
nation's
first
zero-emission
rule
for
small
industrial
boilers,
which
will
cut
emissions
from
more
than
1 million
boilers
and
water
heaters,
eliminating
5.6 tons
of
NOx
pollution
per
day
by
2033,
equivalent
to
removing
half
of
the
region's
cars
from
the
road.
Now
SCAQMD
is
in
the
process
of
updating
Rules
1146
and
1146.1
for
medium
and
large
boilers.
The
2022
Air
Quality
Management
Plan
is
clear:
the
only
way
to
achieve
required
NOx
reductions
is
through
extensive
use
of
zero-NOx
technologies.
Clean
technology
exists
today;
industrial
heat
pumps
can
achieve
average
efficiencies
of
250-500%
compared
to
80%
for
gas
boilers,
and
electric
boilers
can
handle
applications
up
to
500°C
and
beyond.
California
manufacturers
are
already
leading:
Hilmar
Cheese
is
installing
an
industrial
heat
pump
with
an
$8
million
state
grant
that
will
cut
over
2 tons
of
NOx
annually
and
save
up
to
7 million
gallons
of
water,
while
UC
Irvine
is
opening
the
nation's
first
zero-emissions
hospital
powered
by
electric
boilers
and
heat
pumps.
State
support
includes
the
California
Energy
Commission's
INDIGO
(Industrial
Decarbonization
&
Improvement
of
Grid
Operations)
program
and
AB
1280,
which
was
just
passed
in
2025,
which
updates
the
INDIGO
program
and
also
authorizes
the
state’s
green
bank
to
provide
low-cost
loans
to
manufacturers
to
install
clean
industrial
heat
technologies.
for.
By
passing
a
resolution
calling
for
strong
zero-emission
standards
for
Rules
1146
and
1146.1,
Culver
City
can
provide
the
necessary
leadership
to
support
public
health,
advance
environmental
justice,
and
help
deliver
the
clean
air
our
communities
desperately
need.
RESOLUTION TO ACCELERATE THE DECARBONIZATION OF INDUSTRIAL BOILERS AND
POLLUTING
EQUIPMENT
TO
IMPROVE
AIR
QUALITY
AND
PUBLIC
HEALTH
IN
CULVER
CITY,
CA
WHEREAS, Air pollution is a serious threat to public health across the South Coast Air Quality Management
District
(SCAQMD)
region,
and
the
region
is
in
severe
nonattainment
of
federal
health-based
standards
for
Ozone
and
fine
particulate
matter
(PM
2.5),
which
are
linked
to
respiratory
illness,
cardiovascular
disease,
and
premature
death.
WHEREAS, Industrial sources, including boilers, process heaters, furnaces, and other equipment,
emit
significant
quantities
of
nitrogen
oxides
(NOx),
sulfur
oxides
(SOx),
volatile
organic
compounds
(VOCs),
carbon
monoxide
(CO),
and
particulate
matter
(PM),
all
of
which
contribute
to
smog
and
other
pollution
that
harms
public
health.
WHEREAS, California has the largest manufacturing sector in the United States, producing a wide
range
of
essential
goods,
from
food
and
beverages
to
medical
supplies,
and
employs
1.2 million
workers;
nevertheless,
this
sector
is
also
a
significant
source
of
air
pollution
due
to
its
reliance
on
outdated,
emitting
technologies.
WHEREAS, Southern California is home to approximately 800 manufacturing facilities and large buildings
operating
nearly
1,900
boilers
and
furnaces,
which
pollute
our
air
with
NOx,
PM2.5,
and
other
air
contaminants
that
degrade
public
health
and
air
quality.
WHEREAS, the decarbonization of industrial boilers and other combustion systems eliminates on-site
emissions
of
NOx,
PM2.5,
CO,
and
toxic
air
contaminants,
thereby
removing
indoor
air
pollution
hazards,
mitigating
health
risks,
and
safeguarding
workers
from
chronic
exposure
to
harmful
emissions.
WHEREAS, the SCAQMD has established a precedent for bold action by adopting the first-in-the-nation
zero-emissions
standards
for
small
industrial
boilers
with
a
heat
rating
under
2 MMBtu/hr
(Rule
1146.2),
which
are
projected
to
reduce
pollution
from
over
1 million
boilers
and
water
heaters
over
the
next
decade,
eliminating
5.6 tons
of
NOx
pollution
per
day
by
2033—pollution
reduction
that
is
equivalent
to
removing
half
of
the
region’s
cars
from
the
road.
WHEREAS, replacing polluting boilers in California with zero-emissions technologies could save $47.5
billion
in
public
health
costs.
1 WHEREAS, the 2022 Air Quality Management Plan from SCAQMD clearly states tha t the “only way
to
achieve
the
required
nitrogen
oxide
(NOx)
reductions
is
through
extensive
use
of
zero-NOx
technologies
across
all
stationary
and
mobile
sources.”
2 ,
WHEREAS, strengthening Rules 1146 and 1146.1 with zero-emission limits represents the next critical
step
to
save
more
lives
and
prevent
additional
asthma
cases
from
commercial
and
industrial
pollution
sources.
2 South
Coast
Air
Quality
Management
District
(SCAQMD),
2022
Air
Quality
Management
Plan,
Executive
Summary
(December
2,
2022).
1 Clean Heat, Clean Air: Health Benefits of Modern Industrial Technologies . American Lung Association, 2025, https://www.lung.org/getmedia/97c8c798-d246-4f1d-9bd1-dbb77447a816/ALA-Clean-Heat-Clean-Air-Report.pdf
WHEREAS, adopting similarly strong zero-emission standards for medium and large industrial boilers,
steam
generators,
and
process
heating
equipment
with
a
heat
rating
above
2 MMBtu/hr
would
extend
those
health
benefits
to
the
17 million
residents
in
the
South
Coast
Air
Quality
Management
District,
particularly
those
living
closest
to
industrial
activity.
WHEREAS, local government leadership is essential to accelerate the transition to a modernized,
clean,
and
equitable
manufacturing
sector
that
protects
health,
reduces
pollution,
and
supports
new
family-sustaining
jobs
in
clean
energy
and
clean
tech.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of [CITY], California:
1. Calls on all industrial operators within city limits to replace polluting industrial boilers and other
heating
equipment
with
zero-emissions
alternatives
without
delay,
as
soon
as
technically
and
economically
feasible;
2. Urges the South Coast Air Quality Management District, including through amending rules
1146
and
1146.1,
the
California
Energy
Commission,
California
Air
Resources
Board,
and
the
California
Public
Utilities
Commission
to
provide
strong
regulatory,
financial,
and
technical
support
to
advance
adoption
of
zero-emissions
technologies
and
accelerate
the
decarbonization
of
industrial
systems,
with
priority
for
facilities
located
in
communities
most
impacted
by
poor
air
quality;
3. Commits to integrating air quality, health equity, and environmental justice into all industrial
permitting,
planning,
and
economic
development
decisions,
in
order
to
protect
public
health
and
ensure
safe,
breathable
air
for
all
residents.