News Releases and Air Alerts

Apply for 2021 Clean Air Grant Funding

Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) announced today that the 2021 Clean Air Grants Program will accept applications starting August 2, through September 3. Approximately $1.6 million is available for voluntary emission reduction grant projects.

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Santa Barbara County APCD Announces Nearly $5 Million to Install Electric Vehicle Chargers

Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) and the Central Coast Clean Cities Coalition (C5) are excited to announce the upcoming regional launch of the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP) on July 27. CALeVIP, administered by the nonprofit Center for Sustainable Energy, is an effort to accelerate the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations throughout select regions in California.

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Protect Against Wildfire Smoke by Creating a “Clean Air Room”

Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) and Santa Barbara County Public Health Department encourage Santa Barbara County residents to plan for poor air quality conditions caused by future wildfire smoke. Smoke and ash from wildfires contain very small particles known as particulate matter. These particles harm the lungs and heart, and can cause coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest pain, nausea, and in severe instances, premature mortality.

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Results from 2020 Marine Shipping Program

The partners in an initiative to cut air pollution and protect endangered whales announced results from the 2020 program and recognized the shipping companies that successfully participated, reducing speeds to 10 knots or less in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Southern California region. The program’s new Southern California region extends from Point Arguello (in Santa Barbara County) to waters near Dana Point (by the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach). The voluntary incentive program, called “Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies,” ran May 15, 2020 through November 15, 2020.

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Old Car Buy Back Program Expands Model Years

Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (District) is now accepting vehicles, model year 1997 or older (expanded from the previous requirement of model year 1995 or older), under the popular Old Car Buy Back Program.

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Voluntary Electric Landscape Equipment Program Launching November 16

Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) is excited to announce the second year of the Landscape Equipment Electrification Fund (LEEF) program. Total funding of $100,000 is available for vouchers covering up to 60 percent of the cost for eligible equipment, up to $7,000 per organization. The program is available to commercial landscape businesses and nonprofit organizations — as well as public agencies and public and private schools and universities that perform their own landscape maintenance.

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Air Quality Watch Issued for Santa Barbara County

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District issued an Air Quality Watch to be in effect until conditions improve. An unprecedented number of large wildfires throughout California are producing significant smoke that is being held in the upper atmosphere and is reaching ground level throughout the state. This is a dynamic situation, and local air quality conditions can deteriorate quickly. Stay alert to local conditions and be ready to take action.

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