Science outline
Name: Class:
Professor:
September 18, 2018
Air Pollution in Bakersfield
Bakersfield, California
U.S city with the worst air pollution (Berg, 2017).
Purpose
To analyze the costs and benefits of solutions to the air pollution problem in Bakersfield.
Introduction
2
Air pollution
Contamination of the atmosphere
With excessive toxic particles, gases or biological compounds.
Causes of air pollution in Bakersfield
Emissions from:
Agriculture
Rail freight
Industry
Road traffic (Berg, 2017).
The Environmental Problem
3
Factors that exacerbate air pollution in Bakersfield
Topography
Valley
Climatic conditions
Warm weather
(Cisneros et al., 2017).
Health risks associated with air pollution
Respiratory diseases
Lung cancer
Cardiovascular illness
(Gonzales, Gulden, Strong, & Hoyle, 2016)
4
New state laws and standards
To make smog control stricter
To regulate emissions
From agriculture, vehicles, and factories.
To improve fuel efficiency
To reduce agricultural burn-offs
(Zhang, 2017).
Solution 1
5
Clean air projects
Education on air pollution
Development of innovative emission control technologies
Biogas projects
Air filtration systems
In community centers and learning institutions
(Chauhan et al., 2018).
Solution 2
6
Federal fines
Failure to align California’s smog standards with federal requirements.
Implementing smog reduction laws that are too strict for businesses
Costly air quality plans
(Zhang, 2017)
Costs of Solution 1
Administration costs
Record keeping
Monitoring
Air quality practices
Reporting
To the EPA
(Gonzales et al., 2016).
7
Penalty fees
Failure to meet stringent state pollution prevention laws
Unwillingness to secure air quality permits
Lack of the required pollution controls and measures
(Zhang, 2017).
Costs of Solution 1
Cost of pollution control equipment
Installation
Green technologies
Testing
Maintenance
Personnel
(Gonzales et al., 2016).
8
Compliance costs
Clean air projects may fail
To meet federal and state compliance requirements.
Loss of revenue
Due to non-compliance of clean air projects with pollution control standards
(Chauhan et al., 2018).
Costs of Solution 2
Oversight costs
Compensation of oversight officers
Legal expenses may be incurred
If problems occur during the implementation of the clean air projects
(Cisneros et al., 2017).
Tax Burden
The public may be forced to pay additional taxes
To cater for the costs of implementing clean air projects in Bakersfield.
Expenditure on pollution prevention programs will increase.
At state and federal levels
(Cisneros et al., 2017)
Costs of Solution 2
Loss of jobs
Emission control projects are likely to cause loss of jobs
In the agricultural and manufacturing sectors.
Dependence on new technology
Decreases demand for manual labor.
(Chauhan et al., 2018).
Less expenditure on fuel
Use of biofuel
Fuel efficiency standards will contribute to a decrease in oil budgets
In the motor vehicle and manufacturing sectors (Zhang, 2017).
Benefits of Solution 1
Improved competitiveness of local industries
Cost-efficiency due to effective equipment and production tools
More profits
The growth of industries as a result of technology support
(Gonzales et al., 2016).
11
Health-related benefits
Mitigation of illnesses
Improved public health
Reduction in healthcare costs
Decrease in mortality
(Noth et al., 2016).
Benefits of Solution 1
Improved productivity
Healthy workers
Use of innovative solutions
Employee welfare
Motivating working environment
(Gonzales et al., 2016).
12
Improved public awareness of air pollution
Education programs
Will enable the residents of Bakersfield to appreciate the importance of minimizing air pollution (Cisneros et al., 2017).
Benefits of Solution 2
A decrease in regulatory requirements
Clean air projects
Will eliminate the need for monitoring, reporting, and issuance of permits (Gonzales et al., 2016).
Improved air quality and health.
Clean air projects will contribute to better quality of air in Bakersfield.
City residents will experience better health outcomes
(Cisneros et al., 2017).
Benefits of Solution 2
Better community relations
The projects will improve collaboration between stakeholders
Such as the local government, the public, institutions, and production firms
In the fight against air pollution
(Zhang, 2017).
New laws and standards are recommended
For addressing the air pollution problem in Bakersfield.
Unlike clean air projects
Legislative measures will not result in an increase in public taxes.
Therefore, solution 1 is cost effective
New laws will also provide for the use of biofuels
Which are less costly
The benefits of clean air projects
Such as improved air quality and public health
Will also be realized through new laws and standards.
New laws are necessary
Because topographic and climatic conditions predispose Bakersfield to more air pollution
Than other cities in the U.S.
The success of clean air projects will not be guaranteed.
The air pollution problem may persist
Agricultural, motor vehicle, and manufacturing sectors in Bakersfield will have no choice but to adhere to new laws and standards
On air pollution control.
And the use of emission control technologies
Recommended Solution
15
Berg, N. (2017, February). Breathless in Bakersfield: Is the worst air pollution in the U.S about to get worse?. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/feb/14/bakersfield-california-bad-air-pollution-us
Chauhan, A., de Azevedo, S. C., & Singh, R. P. (2018). Pronounced changes in air quality, atmospheric and meteorological parameters, and strong mixing of smoke associated with a dust event over Bakersfield, California. Environmental Earth Sciences, 77(4), 115.
Cisneros, R., Brown, P., Cameron, L., Gaab, E., Gonzalez, M., Ramondt, S., ... & Schweizer, D. (2017). Understanding public views about air quality and air pollution sources in the San Joaquin Valley, California. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2017.
Gonzales, D., Gulden, T. R., Strong, A., & Hoyle, W. (2016). Cost-benefit Analysis of Proposed California Oil and Gas Refinery Regulations. Rand Corporation.
Noth, E. M., Lurmann, F., Northcross, A., Perrino, C., Vaughn, D., & Hammond, S. K. (2016). Spatial and temporal distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and elemental carbon in Bakersfield, California. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, 9(8), 899-908.
Zhang, W. (2017). Costs of a Practice-based Air Quality Regulation: Dairy Farms in the San Joaquin Valley. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 100(3), 762-785.
References