Paying to clean up California's air.(In the News)

As housing has become more scarce and expensive in California's urban areas, people have moved farther away front the cities, enduring long commutes in exchange for lower mortgage payments. The resulting increase in building activities and commuter traffic in the San Joaquin Valley has contributed to pollution so severe it's triggered the state's highest asthma rates and some of its poorest air quality.

Hence, as part of an effort to meet EPA and state standards for ozone and particulate levels, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District started charging impact fees March 1 on new construction. Residential developments of fewer than 50 units are exempt; …