What’s orange, red and brought to you by SoCal gas companies? A Claremont sunset, of course! While I appreciate a vibrant sunset as much as the next person, they serve as a striking reminder of our region’s poor air quality. Los Angeles is infamous for its photochemical smog and particulate matter, and is the only American city on AQI’s list of the most polluted cities.
Behind the manicured lawns and lush trees, the 5Cs have a dirty little secret: They are home to four industrial gas boilers that release harmful gases into the atmosphere, worsening our air quality. While we do not have the power to remove these boilers, we can effect change at our institutions and beyond by applying pressure on our regulators. To do so, we are calling on you to help us pass resolutions at the 5Cs that put pressure on our local government agencies to pass zero-emissions policies.
The air we breathe in Claremont is under the jurisdiction of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), which oversees air quality regulations for over 17 million residents of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange and Riverside counties. Currently, the SCAQMD is updating two rules that would regulate industrial gas boilers and phase them out in favor of electric boilers and heat pumps. Gas boilers, which heat large volumes of water, burn natural gas to power much of California’s manufacturing industry. In the United States, gas boilers are responsible for six percent of industrial nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and five to ten percent of carbon dioxide emissions, contributing to global climate change and local air pollution. Poor air quality is associated with negative health impacts such as asthma, heart disease, dementia and premature death. These boilers also pose an issue of environmental injustice as nearly half of them are located in federally recognized disadvantaged communities, disproportionately affecting low-income people of color.
In June of 2025, the SCAQMD board voted 7-5 against regulations that would have increased the price of residential gas boilers. Opponents cited financial pressure on locals as their rationale, while supporters stated that these rules are necessary to redress poor air quality in the region. Preventing economic burden on residents is an important consideration, but it should not be viewed separately from or above public health costs. The board’s vote maintained the fossil fuel-driven status quo when they had the opportunity to push for renewable energy alternatives.
However, in 2024, SCAQMD updated Rule 1146.2, changing NOx emissions standards for small industrial boilers. The amendment was the first rule to set zero-emissions standards by the SCAQMD, and will reduce NOx emissions and their public health impacts. Now, the board has the opportunity to follow suit and pass more progressive regulations by amending rules 1146 and 1146.1, passing similar rules for large industrial boilers.
The 5Cs are a part of the problem, as we house one industrial boiler at Harvey Mudd and three at Pomona. If the more progressive versions of 1146 and 1146.1 receive sufficient support to pass, these boilers will be replaced at the end of their natural lifespans with already existing zero-emissions alternatives like heat pumps or electric boilers.
Student commitment against fossil fuel usage can help to counteract gas companies’ strong lobbying against the rules. We must advocate for clean air for ourselves, the members of our neighboring communities and future 7C students. One way we can do this is by passing resolutions at the Colleges. Resolutions in favor of the proposed rules would show the SCAQMD board that the bodies that they govern are in support of zero-emissions regulations, which could create the necessary pressure for these rules to pass.
Our colleges opted out of 100 percent renewable energy back in 2022, but as students, we have the opportunity to align ourselves with different values and support a just transition away from fossil fuels. Under the jurisdiction of the SCAQMD, the Colleges will have to abide by the standards set forth in the updated versions of rules 1146 and 1146.1. Now is our chance to make our voices heard by advancing local air quality regulations and ensuring a future with cleaner air.
The 5C Environmental Justice (5CEJ) outreach working group has mobilized to pass resolutions at the 5Cs in support of these decarbonization rules. This past Sunday, the Pitzer Student Senate unanimously voted to pass one such resolution, following the passage of a similar resolution by Associated Students of Pomona College (ASPC) on Feb. 20. We are now aiming to pass resolutions at CMC, Mudd and Scripps and are seeking the support of any students at these schools who have experience navigating student government or passing resolutions.
While the amendment to rule 1146.2 was a step in the right direction towards a future with cleaner air, the outcome of the vote in June of last year shows we have a long way to go in prioritizing public and environmental health and shifting away from our reliance on fossil fuels.
If you are interested in helping pass resolutions supporting clean air policy at your school or getting involved with the campaign more generally, reach out to 5cenvirojustice@gmail.com. To stay updated with this campaign and future engagement with local environmental justice issues, follow @sdclimateaction and @5cenvirojustice on Instagram.
Leah Glasser PZ ’26 is a co-lead of the 5CEJ outreach working group and hopes you will join the fight against industrial gas boilers!
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