Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Agency History
Scope and Content
Accruals
Indexing Terms
Related Collections at the California State Archives
Descriptive Summary
Title: Records of the Air Resources Board
Dates: 1953-1982
Collection number: F3935
Creator:
Air Resources Board
Collection Size:
23 cubic feet
Repository:
California State Archives
Abstract: Beginning in 1954 the state air pollution control program was centered in the State Department of Public Health, Bureau of
Air Sanitation, and later shared with the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board, created in 1959. In 1967, state air pollution
control programs were combined to form a new agency, the Air Resources Board. The Records of the Air Resources Board (1953-1982)
deal with subjects including land use and transportation planning; water resources; motor vehicle and power plant emission
control standards, testing procedures, and devices; air quality and pollution; and related federal and state legislation.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Administrative Information
Access
While the majority of the records are open for research, any access restrictions are noted in the record series descriptions.
Publication Rights
For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication
is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility
for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives
collections.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Air Resources Board Records, F3935, California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State,
Sacramento, California.
Acquisition History
The California State Archives acquired the Air Resources Board Records according to state law.
Agency History
Beginning in 1954 the state air pollution control program was centered in the State Department of Public Health, Bureau of
Air Sanitation, and later shared with the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board, created in 1959 (Assembly Bill 17, Cameron
Bill). Related directly to the federal Air Quality Act of 1967, the Mulford-Carrell Act, passed in 1967 by California's legislature,
combined the state air pollution control programs and formed a new agency, the Air Resources Board (ARB).
The ARB is responsible for the control of motor vehicle emissions (Pure Air Act) and also coordinates state and local programs
to control nonvehicluar emissions. The goal of the ARB is to control air pollution from all sources to meet the air quality
standards in all parts of California.
The board is involved in various activities relating to air pollution. It sets air quality standards, maintains a statewide
network of air quality surveillance and inventory of air pollution sources, adopts standards and test procedures for emissions
from motor vehicles, approves motor vehicle emissions control systems, maintains surveillance over the effectiveness of motor
vehicle emission control systems, coordinates control of air pollution within the fourteen air basins in California, reviews
the rules and regulations of local and regional air pollution control agencies, provides technical assistance to local air
pollution control agencies, and may enforce control of nonvehicular sources if local agencies fail to do so.
The administrative staff and technical staff are located in Sacramento. The ARB laboratory is in El Monte.
Scope and Content
The Records of the Air Resources Board (ARB) consists of 23 cubic feet of materials dating from 1953 to 1982. The records
are organized into 9 series: (1) Meeting Files, (2) Motor Vehicle Emission Control Board Files, (3) Subject Files, (4) George
Taylor Files, (5) Administrative Files, (6) Evaluation and Planning Division Subject Files, (7) Local Government Planning
Files, (8) Land Use Files, and (9) Legal Files. The records deal with subjects including land use and transportation planning;
water resources; motor vehicle and power plant emission control standards, testing procedures, and devices; air quality and
pollution; and related federal and state legislation. The records reflect the relationship of the ARB with private citizens;
state, local, and federal agencies; industry; and regional pollution control districts. Types of records include budgets,
contracts, correspondence, grant applications, minutes, proposals, reports, resolutions, and studies.
Accruals
Further accruals are expected.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
California. Air Resources Board
Air--Pollution--Standards--California
Automobiles--Motors--Exhaust gas--California
Automobiles--Pollution control devices--California
Related Collections at the California State Archives
Assembly Natural Resources Committee Records
Assembly Natural Resources and Conservation Committee Records
Assembly Transportation Committee Records
Senate Natural Resources Committee Records
Senate Transportation Committee Records
Dept. of Agriculture--Division of Plant Industry Records
Dept. of Natural Resources Records
Dept. of Public Health Records
Environmental Affairs Agency Records
Resources Agency Records
Gordon W. Duffy Papers