Air Quality Planning
(Updated 9/3/2021)
Upcoming Public Virtual Workshop
Ozone is a ground-level air pollutant formed when emissions from motor vehicles, industrial plants, consumer products, and other sources interact under the influence of sunlight and heat. Ozone pollution levels have declined significantly in the region, however the region does not yet meet the state ozone standards. To comply with State law, the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District (District) must prepare an updated State Ozone Attainment Plan (“Regional Air Quality Strategy” or RAQS) to identify possible new actions to further reduce emissions. Initially adopted in 1992, the RAQS identifies measures to reduce emissions from sources regulated by the District (stationary sources such as industrial operations and manufacturing facilities). Last updated in 2016, the RAQS is periodically updated to reflect updated information on air quality, emission trends, and new feasible control measures. The District invites the public and interested takeholders to a webinar on October 6 - 4th Annual California Clean Air Day - to collaborate and discuss ideas for further reducing ozone pollution in San Diego County and how the future RAQS revision should be prepared to maximize transparency. The webinar is open to all interested stakeholders and is scheduled as follows - live Spanish translation services will be provided.
Workshop
Notice (English)
Workshop
Notice (Spanish)
| DATE: | Wednesday, October 6, 2021 |
| TIME: | 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. |
| HOW TO PARTICIPATE: | Via web browser
or mobile device at: https://bit.ly/3AXyqJK (Webinar ID: 931 7503 2194, Passcode: 183272) |
State Plans
The California Clean Air Act (CCAA) of 1988 requires the air districts to endeavor, achieve and maintain the state ambient air quality standards by the earliest practicable date and develop plans for attaining the state ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide standards.
In compliance with the CCAA, the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District prepared and submitted the 1991 Regional Air Quality Strategy (RAQS) to address San Diego County's nonattainment status for ozone. The RAQS is designed to make expeditious progress toward attaining the state ozone standard and contains preliminary implementation schedules for control programs on stationary sources, transportation, indirect sources, and a vehicle/fuels program.
| Year | Report Description | Attachments (if applicable) |
| 2016 | RAQS Revision | Attachment I, Attachment II |
| 2009 | RAQS Revision | Attachment I, Attachment II |
| 2005 | Measures to Reduce PM | N/A |
| 2004 | RAQS Progress Report | N/A |
| 2004 | RAQS Revision | N/A |
| 2001 | RAQS Revision | N/A |
Background
Air quality plans provide an overview of the region's air
quality and identify the pollution-control measures needed to
expeditiously attain and maintain air quality standards. The
District's plans include the San Diego Regional Air Quality Strategy
(RAQS), addressing State requirements, and the San Diego portion of
the California State Implementation Plan (SIP), addressing federal
requirements.
Current
Attainment Status
Information
on EPA's 2015 Ozone Standard
CEQA
Reducing
Air Pollution
Walking,
Biking, and Transit
Climate
and Pollution
 |  |
| The Facts about Ozone (English) La Realidad Sobre el Ozono (Espanol) |
Simple Ways to Reduce Air Pollution
(English) Formas Sencillas de Reducir La Contaminación del Aire (Espanol) |
Federal Plans
- Carbon Monoxide (CO)
- Lead (Pb)
- Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
- Ozone (O3)
- Particulate Matter (PM)
- Sulfur Oxides (SOx)
The federal Clean Air Act (CAA) requires plans which identify how nonattainment areas will attain and/or maintain the NAAQS. The CAA requires the EPA to review each plan, any plan revisions, and to approve the plan/revisions if consistent with the CAA. Key elements of these plans include emission inventories, emission control strategies and rules, air quality data analyses, modeling, air quality progress and attainment or maintenance demonstrations.
The San Diego County Air Pollution
Control District (District) has prepared an Attainment Plan for San
Diego County (Attainment Plan), demonstrating how the region will
further reduce air pollutant emissions in order to attain the
current National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone in the
future. Approved by the District Board on October 14, 2020, and the
California Air Resources Board on November 19, 2020, the plan was
submitted by CARB on January 8, 2021 for EPA's consideration as a
revision to the California State Implementation Plan (SIP) for
attaining the ozone standards.
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