The Air District has filed a lawsuit against Acme Fill Corp. for illegally emitting high levels of methane and other organic compounds from its landfill in Martinez. The complaint, filed today in Contra Costa County Superior Court, seeks monetary penalties for multiple violations of state and local air quality regulations following a compliance inspection conducted by the Air District on August 24, 2023.

The Air District is issuing an air quality advisory due to wildfire smoke from the Gifford Fire in the Bay Area for today, August 12. Smoke from the Gifford Fire in Central California is expected to move over the Bay Area on Tuesday. Conditions can change rapidly and the amount and location of smoke at ground level is hard to predict. The public can check for real-time smoke pollution levels in their local area with the U.S. EPA’s Fire and Smoke Map. Smoky, hazy skies may be visible, and the smell of smoke is possible, especially at higher elevations,  on Tuesday.

The Air District has reached an agreement with Argent Materials, Inc., that resolves violations at the company’s aggregate recycling facility in East Oakland. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Argent will install and operate a fenceline air monitoring system at both yards of its East Oakland facility to enhance transparency and provide continuous air quality data to the Air District and the community.