About the District
Our Mission: to protect the people and the environment of Santa Barbara County from the effects of air pollution.
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Who We Are
In 1970, the California Legislature passed a law that gave local governments primary responsibility for controlling air pollution from all sources except motor vehicles. In response, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors formed the Air Pollution Control District (APCD). Our staff includes meteorologists, engineers, environmental scientists, planners, inspectors, and administrative personnel.
The District was originally part of the county government. In 1994, we became an independent agency because state legislation added city representatives to our governing Board. The District Board consists of each of the five county supervisors plus a city council member or mayor from each of the county’s eight incorporated cities. The Board meets at locations in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria (see calendar) and is sometimes advised by the Community Advisory Council.
To see a list of names of the staff people in each division, go to the Staff Directory. For information on each Division, see What We Do below.
What We Do
Engineering Division staff: issues and enforces permits, and works with businesses to help them comply with permits; inspects businesses; responds to complaints from the public; implements the federal Title V program for large sources of air pollution; and implements the state’s air toxics “Hot Spots” program for sources of toxic air pollution. For more information, see these pages on this site:
Compliance Division staff: enforces permits, and works with businesses to help them comply with permits; inspects businesses; responds to complaints from the public; implements the federal asbestos program; oversees our open burning program; and handle petitions for variances and breakdowns. For more information, see these pages on this site:
- Comply with Our Rules
- Asbestos
- Open Burning
- Breakdowns
- Compliance Advisories
- Variances (If you cannot comply with air pollution regulations)
- Notices of Violation and the Mutual Settlement Program
Planning Division staff: monitors the air in our county; prepares Clean Air Plans to show how we will meet clean-air standards; develops rules; implements clean air technologies; reviews environmental documents for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act; and educates and assists businesses and the public about our air and how we can keep it clean. For more information, see these pages on this site:
- Air Monitoring
- Clean Air Plans
- Current Rules and Regulations
- Funding and Incentive Programs
- Land Use and CEQA Environmental Review
- In Our Community
More Information
- The APCD offers email subscriptions to air quality alerts, news, public notices, and more.
For more information, email Public Information Officer, Lyz Bantilan: [email protected].
