Executive officer says agency has none available
By Charles M. Kelly
Two Seal Beach residents asked air regulators to install air samplers in the Old Town and Hill areas last Friday. They asked the South Coast Air Quality Management District Governing Board to help identify the cause of a foul odor that has frequently bothered local beach communities for at least a year, according to some Seal Beach residents.
However, district Executive Officer Wayne Nastri told the agency’s Governing Board that “we are tapped out with samplers right now.”
The Air Quality District serves four counties. The agency currently has several air pollution investigations going on in Paramount, Compton and Long Beach.
The board took no action, as Ranee Alison, a health teacher, and Steven Stasoiski, a businessman, spoke during the public comment segment of the Sept. 1 AQMD Governing Board meeting. The issue was not on the board agenda. “We’re looking for you to immediately install ambient air monitors throughout Old Town and the Hill neighborhoods to measure the trace petroleum compounds,” Alison said last Friday.
In early August, Sam Atwood, a spokesman for the South Coast Air Quality, said traces of petroleum compounds had been found in air samples collected in Seal Beach.
Stasoiski asked the Air Quality District to find the source of the odor and determine if the cause is the result of unlawful activity.
Alison also asked for a specific investigator to sufficiently monitor air samples collected in Seal Beach.
“It’s been two years; it’s getting more intense’ it’s getting intermittent—something has to be done,” Alison said.
Stasoiski, who has lived in Seal Beach for 16 years, said he has experienced what he called odor events during that time, but not like the recent ones. “They’ve been more frequent and more intense,” Stasoiski said.
“Most of the air events that have happened in the last year occurred during non-standard business hours,” Stasoiski said.
Alison said that one event in July caused people to experience nausea and dizziness.
“The cities need your guidance,” Alison said. “The cities do not know what to do. They’re at a loss.”
Stasoiski said he suspected the odor was coming from ocean-going vessels depressurizing or using so-called “bunker fuel,” or fuel oil to start up their engines.
However, Executive Officer Nastri said ships were not allowed to use bunker fuel. He said bunker fuel was not really an issue at this time.
He also said, “We don’t have any authority over ocean-going vessels.”
Nastri said he would try to meet with the commandant of the Coast Guard. He also said the district was speaking with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Governing Board Chairman William A. Burke said, “We can find some monitors.” He said he would work with the board to find money for monitors and manpower.
Burke said that in the 25 years he had been involved with the AQMD, the agency had always been overworked and undermanned. “I think this is an important issue, no question.”
Governing Board member Judith Mitchell, who represents cities in the western part of Los Angeles county, suggested working with the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to see if they could offer advice.
