Summer is in full swing in the District

As summer brings the heat and bounty of the District's agricultural sector, our staff continues to work to protect human health and property from the harmful effects of air pollution.

In this edition of Air Aware:

District remembers Mat Ehrhardt, P.E. Executive Director/APCO
FARMER and Carl Moyer Program Incentive awards approved
Clean Air Funds Grant awards announced
Woodsmoke Reduction Program Accepting Applications
Spare The Air
Wildfire Resources and Information
New District Staff and Interns

The District mourns the loss of Mat Ehrhardt, P.E., Executive Director/Air Pollution Control Officer (APCO)

On Sunday, June 26, Mat Ehrhardt, tragically passed away in a bicycle accident. Mat came to the District in 1997 as an Associate Air Quality Engineer. He earned his Professional Engineering license in Mechanical Engineering in 1997 before promoting to Supervising Air Quality Engineer in 2000, and then Deputy Air Pollution Control Officer in 2002. In 2005, he became the Executive Director of YSAQMD, leading operations for nearly 20 years. Thank you to those that have reached out with condolences and have honored Mat through their agencies and governing bodies. Learn more about Mat's contribution to air quality and the District.

On July 7, 2022, at a special meeting of the YSAQMD Board of Directors, Paul Hensleigh, Deputy APCO was appointed to the position of Interim Executive Director/APCO.

43 PROJECTS FOR RESIDENTS

AND BUSINESSES AWARDED FUNDING IN 2022

This year, the District has awarded $3,910,625 for 43 projects through the FARMER, Carl Moyer and Clean Air Funds Grant Programs. In addition, new funding in the amount of $2.6 million has been secured for the development of new incentive programs later this year.

FARMER and Carl Moyer Incentive Program

Applications Awarded

Between March 28 and May 13, the District solicited applications to the FARMER and Carl Moyer Programs for qualifying on-road, off-road and infrastructure projects. A total of 32 complete applications were received by the District, requesting a total of $3,407,350 in grant funding.

At the YSAQMD Board of Directors meeting held on June 8, 2022, the 32 applications were awarded funding. District staff is working with the recipients to complete the projects and equipment purchases.

The remaining Carl Moyer funds from the initial solicitation period will be available at a later date for Infrastructure Projects.

$503,275 Awarded for 2022

Clean Air Funds Grant Projects

Each year the District opens a solicitation for the Clean Air Funds (CAF) Grant Program. Funding for the CAF program is provided through AB 2766 from annual vehicle registrations throughout the district, and Solano County property tax revenue (AB 8) for projects within District boundaries in Solano County. This grant program is intended for projects that reduce emissions caused by mobile sources.

At the June 8, 2022 YSAQMD Board of Directors meeting, 10 projects were approved for funding. Projects include bike and pedestrian infrastructure, installation of secure bike racks and bike skills instruction, alternative commute programs, and gas to electric lawn mower replacement. READ MORE ABOUT THE CAF PROGRAM and PROJECTS.

Woodsmoke Reduction Program -

Now Open

With funding from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Targeted Airshed Grant (TAG) Program, the District is offering a voucher program for the replacement of older non-EPA certified woodstoves or open-hearth fireplaces.

To qualify, residents must reside within the District and the Sacramento Federal PM2.5 Nonattainment Area. Vouchers are available in $1000 and $3500 amounts depending on income. LEARN MORE AND APPLY.

It's "SPARE THE AIR" Season

Spare The Air is a Sacramento regionwide driving reduction campaign with the goal of improving air quality. Starting May 1st and running through October 31st, the Spare The Air (STA) campaign provides the public with air quality-related health information, and issues STA alerts when the AQI (for Ozone) is forecast to be 126 or above. LEARN MORE ABOUT SPARE THE AIR. Sign up for Enviroflash below to receive air quality alerts.

Sign-up for Air Quality Alerts

You can do your part to help Spare The Air this summer and reduce car trips.

Combine errands into one vehicle trip
Share your commute by carpooling
Take public transit
Skip the car and walk or bike

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Want to check the Air Quality where you are?

Check real-time Air Quality at:

AirNow.gov - Enter your zip code for information from monitors near your location

PurpleAir.com - Learn more about the District's Community Air Sensors Program and how to use the Purple Air website.

Wildfire Information and

Smoke Exposure

Summer is here, and with it comes higher fire danger. The District has already seen several small spot fires that have been extinguished quickly through the quick deployment of resources by local fire departments and Cal Fire. When these incidents happen, District staff monitor weather conditions and air quality near the incident to forecast expected smoke impacts. If the District is experiencing or is expected to experience smoke impacts, staff will publish any air quality alerts (if warranted), identify the areas that may be impacted and provide steps residents can take to limit wildfire smoke exposure.

Warnings and Alerts for fires that are expected to burn for a longer period of time and have more severe air quality impacts will be posted on the District website and social media channels (Facebook and Twitter).

Information regarding smaller or shorter-term incidents with more localized impacts will be shared through District social media channels at YoloSolanoAir on Facebook or Twitter.

Information about preparing for wildfire season and wildfire smoke can also be found on the YSAQMD website along with outdoor activity level recommendations for adults and children based on air quality categories. (see chart)

YSAQMD Welcomes New Staff and 2022-23 Interns

Compliance Division:

Henry Carino began working at the District as an Air Quality Specialist in April. Mr. Carino came to the District after working as a Process Engineer in Sacramento and a Product Engineer in Emeryville. At the District, Mr. Carino is responsible for reviewing and approving asbestos surveys and notifications for renovations and demolitions in Rio Vista, West Sacramento, Winters, Woodland and unincorporated Yolo County. He also performs source inspections from the Capay Valley to Zamora, and Yolo County.

Engineering Division:

Tarlan Zolnoun joined the District as an Air Quality Engineer in May. Ms. Zolnoun is originally from Tabriz, Iran where she worked for the National Gas Company as an Environmental Health Engineer. She joined the District after working for Santa Barbara County in the Resource Recovery Waste Management Division.

Grant Setzler recently graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Master's Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering and joined the District as an Air Quality Engineer in August. Previously, he was an Air Quality Engineering and Compliance Intern at the San Luis Obispo Air Pollution Control District.

Each year the District offers internships for students to learn more about air quality and to work with the District in the Engineering Division. We are glad to have these talented students working at the District through next June.

Genevieve Burye is in her 3rd year pursuing a double major at UC Davis in Civil and Environmental Engineering. She was interested in the internship after she "took a course that briefly covered the Clean Air Act and she wanted to learn more about how engineering fit into the field of air quality and how I could help keep our air clean."

Maisha Huq is a 3rd year student at UC Davis majoring in Mechanical Engineering. She wanted to work at the District because, "I think it is really interesting and rewarding to see how the work of the YSAQMD directly protects the health of the community by working with local businesses and educating the public on the importance of clean air and the role we all play."