Tougher Rules for Water Runoff in LA

Hosted by
The Clean Water Act is 30 years old, but San Pedro and Santa Monica Bays are still dangerously polluted with toxic runoff that makes 70 miles of coastline the nation's most polluted. After 10 years of trying to enforce federal EPA requirements, the Regional Water Quality Control Board is getting tough. Board Chairman H. David Nahai defends the new rules that require cities to conduct inspections of gas stations, restaurants, car repair shops and factories whose toxic waste is responsible for much of the problem. Ken Farfsing, who leads the Coalition for Practical Regulation, protests the economic hardship new requirements pose for cities.
  • Reporter's Notebook: City Council Wants Smoke-Free Zones in Public Parks First it was restaurants, then work places, then Beverly Hills and San Fernando restricted smoking in city parks. Now the LA City Council wants to get in on the act. Jan Perry, who represents the 9th District, which stretches from downtown LA to Watts, introduced the "smoke-free" park amendment. Jacob Sullum, of the Reason Foundation, objects to the second hand rationalization and protests the ostracizing of smokers.
  • US Environmental Protection Agency

    Clean Water Act of 1977

    LA Regional Water Quality Control Board

    CA Water and Reliability Act of 2001 (HR 2404)

    Ban Smoking / City Parks (01-1978)

    For Your Own Good: The Anti-Smoking Crusade and the Tyranny of Public Health

    Reason Foundation

    Credits

    Host:

    Warren Olney

    Producer:

    Frances Anderton