Records of the Air Resources Board, 1953-1982

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Summary

Creators:
Air Resources Board
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.
Extent:
23 cubic feet
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English

Background

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.

Biographical / historical:

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.

Acquisition information:
The California State Archives acquired the Air Resources Board Records according to state law.
Accruals:

Further accruals are expected.

Physical location:
California State Archives
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Access and use

Location of this collection:
1020 "O" Street
Sacramento, CA 95814, US
Contact:
(916) 653-2246
reference@sos.ca.gov
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