News Releases and Air Alerts

Electric Car Show for National Drive Electric Week

SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Community Environmental Council (CEC) and Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (SBCAPCD) present the Goodland Drive Electric Car Show, a free public event showcasing the latest electric vehicles on Sunday, September 18 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. next to the Farmer’s Market at Camino Real Marketplace in Goleta.

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Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Project to Receive National Clean Air Excellence Award

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency next week will honor the partners behind the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies project — which reduced ship speeds in the Santa Barbara Channel to cut air pollution and protect endangered whale species — with a national Clean Air Excellence Award. The Clean Air Excellence Awards recognize outstanding efforts to achieve cleaner air. The agencies and organizations who collaborated on this project are one of only a select number of honorees this year.

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Teachers Awarded Care for Our Earth Grants

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Hundreds of local business and community leaders and educators helped celebrate the teachers who earned this year’s Care for Our Earth Grants, as part of the annual Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO) Teachers Network annual Education Celebration held at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott on Thursday, May 26. Thirty-eight teachers — spanning 26 Santa Barbara County schools — won the 2015-2016 grants, awarded by the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, Santa Barbara County Education Office, Santa Barbara County Water Agency, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, and Southern California Gas Company.

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Central Coast Celebrates Its First Hydrogen Fueling Station

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District and Community Environmental Council — along with dozens of supporters and 10 hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles of different makes and models — celebrated the opening of True Zero’s Santa Barbara hydrogen fueling station on Friday, May 13. Supporters include True Zero, California Air Resources Board, California Energy Commission, California Fuel Cell Partnership, Central Coast Clean Cities Coalition, California Governor’s Office, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, and Conserv Fuel.

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Ribbon-Cutting for the Central Coast’s First Hydrogen Fueling Station

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District and Community Environmental Council, along with other supporters and vehicle owners, will celebrate the opening of True Zero’s Santa Barbara hydrogen fueling station on Friday, May 13. Supporters include the California Air Resources Board, California Energy Commission, California Governor’s Office, Central Coast Clean Cities Coalition, and California Fuel Cell Partnership.

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Celebrate Air Quality Awareness Week 2016

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Air Quality Awareness Week starts today, and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District has clean-air tips to share. Cars and trucks are a major source of smog-forming emissions in our county. “The biggest thing we can do to help reduce smog is to drive less. When we can walk, bike, or take the bus instead of driving, that can make a big difference for air quality,” said Aeron Arlin Genet, District Director and Air Pollution Control Officer. “When we do need to use our cars, there are steps we can take to ensure that our cars are polluting less.”

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Tips for Cleaner Fireplace Burning and Safer Homes

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The Santa Barbara County Fire Department and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District announced today tips for cleaner fireplace burning and safer homes. As the weather cools, and the holiday season approaches, it is important to remember that fireplace fires can cause emergencies, and breathing wood smoke is bad for our lungs and our hearts. Follow these suggestions for a safer and healthier community.

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Hot Weather Impacts Air Quality over the Weekend

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District announced today that air monitoring stations around the county recorded concentrations of ozone above health-based standards over the weekend. Ground-level ozone is a principal component of smog.

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