March 9, 2023 - Lynwood Councilmember Jose Luis Solache has been elected to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) Governing Board. The Board adopts policies and regulations that promote clean air within Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.
“I’m pleased that Jose Solache is joining us on the AQMD Board. He brings an important voice from the South East Los Angeles (SELA) communities which is a region that is most acutely impacted by air quality issues,” said Vanessa Delgado, AQMD’s Board Chair. “The region will benefit from our efforts to achieve clean air standards to protect public health. Jose’s voice will be important to advancing those efforts.”
One issue Delgado mentioned is mobile sources of air pollution like that which is caused by the heavy truck traffic on the 710-freeway coming from the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. To address the impact of those mobile sources in an equitable way will take cooperation from state and federal agencies. Those interagency discussions will begin this spring.
“The quality of our air is a critically important health care issue for those of us who live in the South East,” said Solache. ”As a proud son of the South East, I’m honored to add the voice of our whole region to the AQMD deliberations to help accelerate the improvement in the quality of our air in the region.
The AQMD Governing Board has 13 members. Ten are elected officials including one County Supervisor from each of the four counties and six local elected officials, like Solache. In addition, there are three state appointees.
Solache has served Lynwood for 20 years. He was elected to the Lynwood School Board in 2003, becoming the youngest Latino ever to be elected to the Board. He was elected to the Lynwood City Council in 2013 and was elected to a third term last November. He has also served three years as Lynwood Mayor.
Solache is a graduate of Cal State Dominguez Hills. While completing his degree at CSU Dominguez Hills, he served as Student Body President for two terms, followed by winning a statewide election to chair the largest student-run organization - the California State Student Association (CSSA).
“I was raised to understand the importance of public service. Being elected to the AQMD Governing Board is another opportunity for me to work for the betterment of our residents. I am excited for the challenge,” added Solache.
Federal and state law require that South Coast AQMD achieve clean air standards to protect public health. Before it makes decisions that affect local residents and businesses, South Coast AQMD must consider ideas and comments from the public. The opportunity to comment begins in public workshops and ends with a public hearing by the Governing Board where anyone can testify or present written comments.
Solache was sworn-in last Friday before the beginning of the AQMD March meeting.