Changes focus on improving efficiency and delivering timely, transparent permit decisions.
Learn about San Mateo County - its climate, potential air pollution concerns, and current air quality. You can also view upcoming Air District events in San Mateo County and read about local efforts to improve air quality.
Changes focus on improving efficiency and delivering timely, transparent permit decisions.
The Air District has fined Chemtrade West US LLC $160,000 for air quality violations at its sulfuric acid manufacturing plant in Richmond, which is connected to the Chevron Richmond refinery. Chemtrade supplies various chemical products to industry, including sulfuric acid, which is a byproduct of refining crude oil.
The Air District is lifting an air quality advisory for wildfire smoke that was originally scheduled to last through tomorrow, Wednesday, August 27.
The Air District has announced a $13.3 million grant to the San Mateo County Transit District toward the installation of new high-capacity electric bus charging infrastructure at its San Carlos facility. This SamTrans project will help accelerate the transition of the SamTrans bus fleet to zero-emission technology and improve air quality in communities most affected by air pollution.
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San Mateo County lies in the middle of the San Francisco Peninsula, south of San Francisco County, and north of Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. It is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and San Francisco Bay to the east. Two San Mateo County representatives sit on the Air District’s Board of Directors.
Cool, foggy weather is prevalent along the western coast of the peninsula, particularly during the summer. Summertime average daily temperatures are moderate along the west coast and warm in the county’s east side. In the winter, average daily temperatures across the county range from mild to moderate. Winds are mild, with the highest wind speeds focused along the western coast. Rainfall averages about 20 to 25 inches per year at lower elevations and up to 36 inches in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Interactive Air Monitoring Stations Map
Ozone and fine particle pollution, or PM2.5, are the major regional air pollutants of concern in the San Francisco Bay Area. Ozone is primarily a problem in the summer, and fine particle pollution in the winter.
In San Mateo County, ozone almost never exceeds health standards, and PM2.5 exceeds the national standard only on about one day each year. San Mateo County frequently receives fresh marine air from the Pacific Ocean, which passes over the coastal hills. In winter, PM2.5 may be transported into San Mateo County from other parts of the Bay Area, adding to wood smoke, which may lead to elevated concentrations, but these are rarely high enough to exceed health standards.
Last Updated: 4/21/2017