Scaqmd
National Paint & Coatings Ass'n v. South Coast Air Quality Management District
Opinion
Opinion
Pregerson, J.
ORDER DENYING WRIT OF MANDATE
This matter comes before the Court on petitioner National Paint & Coatings Association, Inc.’s petition for writ of mandate. After reviewing the materials submitted by the parties and hearing the parties’ trial arguments, the Court denies the petition.
I. Background
A. Factual History
The petitioner, National Paint & Coatings Association, Inc. (“NPCA”), alleges that the respondent, South Coast Air Quality Management District (“SCAQMD”), acted outside the scope of its authority in adopting amendments to regulations governing architectural coatings. (Petr.’s Br. 1:3-20.) The petitioner is a national trade association that represents the manufacturers of more than 90% of the architectural coatings sold in the United States. (Id. 1:21-25.) The respondent is the local agency tasked by the California legislature, pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act (“CAA”) and the California Clean Air Act, with regulating air pollution from stationary sources in Orange County and the urban portions of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. (Id. 3:12-17.)
As the California Courts have recognized, “the paint industry has extensively litigated attempts by…