SLO County Air Pollution Control District
E-Newsletter

September 2015

Upcoming Events APCD is Participating In: 
  • September 19: Cal Poly Football Game at 7:30 pm
  • September 23: APCD Board Meeting, SLO Government Center at 9:00 am
  • October: Rideshare Month
  • October 3: Cal Poly Football Game 6:05 pm
  • October 24: Cal Poly Football Game 6:05 pm
In This Issue
Mark Elliott Celebrates 25 Years
Mural Contest!
APCD Annual Report
Oceano Dunes Dust Mitigation
Grant Funding Available

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Mark Elliott Celebrates 25 Years at APCD

At its June meeting, the Air District Board honored Mark Elliott, for dedicating 25 years as an Air Quality Specialist and working to ensure cleaner air for all of SLO County! Mark has been the lead staff member for a variety of projects in the Engineering and Compliance Division over the years and his commitment and enthusiasm have never wavered. He is our primary inspector for the Phillips 66 Refinery, acts as an APCD representative to the FireSafe Council, plays a major role in the District's asbestos program, and contributed to the development of the District's Smoke Management Program in support of agricultural and prescribed burning. A Cal Poly biology graduate, Mark enjoys camping, hiking and spending time with his wife Terri, three children and grandchild. Always pursuing his hobbies and passions, Mark is a certified Master Gardner. Mark's calm demeanor and expertise in the field provide outstanding representation for the District, and he is well respected by those with whom he interacts. We want to thank him and celebrate all of his contributions to the APCD and public over the past 25 years. Thank you Mark!



Mural Contest!

 
Calling all artists! Enter the Community's Vision of Clean Air Mural Contest to proudly showcase your talent and creativity! Win and receive the opportunity to paint a mural on a large wall at the APCD San Luis Obispo office that illustrates the mural's theme of "The Community's Vision for Clean Air." In addition to the winner being able to display their creativity and design at the APCD offices, the selected artist will also receive countywide recognition through a press release, advertisements in media outlets and a ribbon cutting celebration. The winner will also receive an $800 prize (with an additional $200 stipend to help cover the cost of the supplies) and receive Board Recognition at the January 27, 2016 APCD Board Meeting! 

Show us your skills and your vision for clean air in our community! Any San Luis Obispo County artists of at least 15 years of age are eligible to apply. 

Contest submissions are due by September 28. 

For more information and to apply, visit our website! 

APCD's Annual Report Video

Protecting blue skies for a healthy community is our mission, every day. 2014 brought many opportunities and challenges for air quality protection and the SLO County APCD developed this Annual Report to showcase the hard work that was put in to preserve the air that we all share.


Read on, enjoy and please share with your friends and family!
Oceano Dunes Dust Mitigation
During the 2015 spring windy season, State Parks installed 40 acres of wind/sand fencing in the mid-eastern portion of the ODSVRA riding area from April to June to reduce particulate emissions. This is the second year of sand fencing mitigation in the riding area, and data analysis is currently underway to evaluate its effectiveness and help determine the level of mitigation needed during the coming year.
  
A new, solar powered PM10 and meteorological monitoring station was also installed in June by State Parks downwind of a nonriding area southeast of Oso Flaco Lake. PM10 data from this site will be compared to measurements at the APCD's CDF Nipomo Mesa monitoring site to determine the level of dust control strategies needed to achieve compliance with the emission reduction requirements in APCD Rule 1001. Those strategies will be incorporated into a 5-year dust mitigation plan currently under development.
  
APCD, State Parks and California Air Resources Board staff continue to meet monthly to discuss the status of existing efforts and next steps in moving forward to achieve public health protection for downwind residents.


New Oso Flaco Monitoring Station
Wind-fencing at the Oceano Dunes.
 

Grant Funding Available

Two opportunities for grant funding currently available through the Air District! The APCD offers several incentive programs to help you replace old, polluting engines and equipment and help improve SLO County's air quality. In 2014 alone, $1.4 million was spent in grant funding, reducing 31 tons of pollutants in SLO County.



Marine Grant Program:
The APCD has approximately $115,000 available to help fund engine replacement projects for commercial fishing boats and other commercial vessels on the Central Coast.  If you own or operate a commercial vessel that is ported in San Luis or Morro Bay harbor and operate in the waters offshore of San Luis Obispo County, you may be eligible for a grant of up to 65% of the replacement cost of your diesel engine. 

This program provides funding to help replace older, high-emission commercial marine vessel diesel engines with newer, cleaner engines. See if your vessel qualifies for a grant by completing our simple, one page questionnaire, but act fast, if no applications are received by October 31, 2015, grant funds may be directed for use in other grant programs! 


 
School Bus Replacement:
The Lower-Emission School Bus Program is a grant program that provides funds to purchase new buses to replace old, high-emitting public school buses, and to equip existing diesel school buses with retrofit devices that reduce toxic particulate matter (PM) emissions by at least 85%.  

Funds are currently available for public school bus grants - interested San Luis Obispo County School Districts should complete the application found on the APCD web site below. 

The deadline to apply is September 30, 2015.

Click here for more information. 

If you are interested in either of these grant funding opportunities, please contact Vince Kirkhuff at vkirkhuff@co.slo.ca.us or 805-781-4247.
Thank you for taking the time to read our e-newsletter! If you have any questions regarding programs of the Air Pollution Control District, please give us a call at 805-781-5912. You can also email the APCD at info@slocleanair.org. 
 
SLO County Air Pollution Control District