Tim Willert
Local projects that improve health and air quality for Glendale
residents are in line to receive nearly $700,000 from the city.
The City Council on Tuesday will discuss how the $690,713 will be
distributed and to whom.
The city received the money as part of a settlement agreement with
the Southern California Air Quality Management District negotiated
last spring.
Under the agreement, the agency allowed the city to generate power
from the Grayson Power Plan boiler units in excess of district limits
in order to help ease the state's power shortage.
Half of the $1.3 million in profits made by the city for selling
energy to the state will be used to install emission controls on the
boiler units. The remaining money will be distributed to
environmental and health programs.
The council will consider establishing an ad hoc committee to
review proposals and make recommendations to the council at a later
date.
Councilman Gus Gomez would like to see money go to asthma programs
for children.
"The air quality in Southern California is so poor anyway that I
think we should take advantage of this funding opportunity to provide
for a program of this type," Gomez said. "It makes sense."
