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The Air District is announcing its support for the revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, or NAAQS, for particulate matter pollution that were adopted today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Air District announced today that it is requesting approval of an abatement order with the agency’s independent Hearing Board to end a significant excess emissions violation by Valero Refining Co. at its Benicia refinery. 

The Hearing Board is an independent quasi-judicial body created by California State law with the sole authority to provide temporary relief from Bay Area Air District rules, regulations, and permit conditions, under certain circumstances.

The Air District is offering $6 million in grant funding to public agencies to support projects that improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing vehicle trips and miles traveled in the Bay Area. 

Today the Air District's Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the community action plan, Owning Our Air: The West Oakland Community Action Plan, co-authored by the Air District and the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project. 

The Air District and Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson filed a joint civil lawsuit against Radius Recycling, formerly Schnitzer Steel Industries, for air quality violations related to the fire at the company’s facility in West Oakland on August 9-10, 2023. In addition, previous enforcement actions by the Air District and the district attorney required Radius Recycling to install new equipment that has eliminated hundreds of tons of air pollution and reduced cancer risk by 84 percent since 2022; today the Air District finalized the operating permit for this important equipment. 

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Board of Directors approved more than $2.6 million in Carl Moyer Program grant funds to help reduce air emissions through grant projects of over $100,000 by installing cleaner engines at nine Bay Area businesses.

The Air District’s Board of Directors today adopted amendments to Regulation 2, Rule 1: General Requirements, and Regulation 2, Rule 5: New Source Review of Toxic Air Contaminants to better address air pollution in areas overburdened by environmental and health stressors. 

The Air District urges residents to celebrate responsibly this Fourth of July by avoiding personal fireworks, which can elevate air pollution and increase wildfire danger. Fireworks release smoke and fine particulate matter pollution, contributing to temporary spikes in unhealthy air quality.

The Air District is announcing the launch of its Commercial Electric Lawn and Garden Equipment Exchange Program, a pilot grant program designed to reduce air pollution by replacing gasoline and diesel-powered landscaping equipment with cleaner, zero-emission electric alternatives.

The Air District announced today it has reached two separate agreements with Chevron and Martinez Refining Company resulting in an end to the litigation against the agency over its groundbreaking Regulation 6, Rule 5, major emissions reductions from both refineries, unprecedented penalties and other payments of up to $138 million, and a Richmond-area Community Air Quality Fund, among other benefits. The Air District estimates that the emission reductions achieved by the rule will result in tens of millions of dollars per year in health benefits by reducing early deaths and other health impacts of exposure to particulate matter.

The Air  District will accept proposals for the Community Health Protection Grant Program beginning April 29 for up to $50,000 from community groups, neighborhood associations and other community-based, local non-profit organizations in designated Bay Area neighborhoods most impacted by air pollution.

A new report entitled, Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Greenhouse Gas Reductions from Bay Area Commercial Aircraft, commissioned by the Air District and examining the potential positive air quality effects of sustainable aviation fuel, has been released and is available on the Air District website.

The Air District does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, ethnic group identification, ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, color, genetic information, medical condition, or mental or physical disability, or any other attribute or belief protected by law.

The Air District has awarded a loan guarantee to Zevvy, formerly Flux EV, an electric vehicle leasing solution with flexible lease agreements designed to save drivers in the Bay Area money on gas and maintenance costs by choosing an EV over a gas-powered vehicle. 

The Air District will host a public meeting session on Thursday, October 10, regarding a permit application that was filed by Radius Recycling, formerly Schnitzer Steel Products Company. Members of the public are invited to attend to learn about and comment on this permit application.  

The Air District invites written comments on new provisions related to hydrogen sulfide monitoring and quality assurance procedures in revised draft fenceline air monitoring plans for the five Bay Area refineries. Comments must be received by 5 PM Pacific Time on April 20, 2023.

The Air District has fined Marathon Martinez Refinery, which is operated by Marathon subsidiary Tesoro Refining & Marketing Company LLC, $372,500 for 13 Notices of Violation that include tank-related violations, uncertified pieces of equipment at their on-site gas dispensing facility and reporting delays.

Air quality is an important consideration for schools when planning student activities, especially when the region is being impacted by wildfire smoke. Read the Air District's new School Air Quality Activity Recommendations for guidance and further information. See also the Air District's Wildfire Preparedness Tips brochure.

The Air District Board of Directors has adopted amendments to Regulation 9, Rules 4 and 6, to eliminate emissions of nitrogen oxides, or NOx, from residential and commercial natural gas furnaces and water heaters in the Bay Area by requiring new appliances to be zero-NOx.