Thank you for the Feb. 3 article on the Clean Air Room pilot program (“Low income South County households could get free air purifiers“). Concerned Citizens for Clean Air has been advocating for the Air Pollution Control District (APCD) to address the unhealthy levels of particulate matter coming from the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area for more than 10 years. APCD board member and Arroyo Grande City Councilmember Jimmy Paulding is to be commended for taking the initiative to help the most vulnerable populations in Oceano and areas of the Nipomo Mesa.
Mitigation in the form of vegetation and wind fences has been slowly bringing down the levels of PM 10 and PM 2.5 at the air monitor downwind of the recreation area. However, the number of times the air exceeds state-designated levels is still four or five times higher than background emission levels should be at the Oso Flaco monitor. Much more needs to be done. In March there will be an APCD hearing board meeting to review the stipulated order of abatement, an order specifying the methods and goals for air pollution abatement. Concerned Citizens for Clean Air will be vigorously advocating for the amount of mitigation needed to achieve the background level of emissions.
We urge all citizens to tune in to the hearing board meeting and support the health and well-being of your neighbors as Councilmember Jimmy Paulding did. Small changes can have a big impact.
Rachelle Toti
co-founder
Concerned Citizens for Clean Air
Arroyo Grande
This article appears in Feb 24 – Mar 3, 2022.