San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Board

Environment
Health

Location unavailable

According to its website, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD) comprises eight counties in California’s Central Valley: San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin portion of Kern.

The Valley Air District Board includes a fifteen-member governing board of representatives from the Board of Supervisors of all eight counties, one health and science member appointed by the Governor, one physician appointed by the Governor, and five Valley city representatives.

The District held a meeting on Thursday, September. 15, 2022, at 9 am. Vice-Chair Chiesa and Clovis Mayor Drew Bessinger were in the SJVAPCD building at 1990 E Gettysburg Ave, Fresno, CA 93726. Other members were available online.

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Fresno - CA Documenters Team

Note-taking by Alejandra Obregon

$71.5M for zero-emission school busses + $118.8M for ag equipment replacement + petroleum refinery amendments

Live reporting by Christos Karimbakas

$71.5M for zero-emission school busses + $118.8M for ag equipment replacement + petroleum refinery amendments

Christos @ChristosFres 3/33

Stream went down, but should be live again shortly. Here’s more information about the Governing Board for SJ Valley Air Pollution Control District. https://t.co/Up9dGUUDPn

Christos @ChristosFres 5/33

Roll call taken and pledge of allegiance complete. First public comment from the web. 3 minute limit. https://t.co/wzm7qFXZRV

Christos @ChristosFres 6/33

First speaker, Janet, says that board needs to focus on climate change. Says that first step is stopping and then reversing.

Christos @ChristosFres 7/33

Second speaker, Connie, says board is doing great work for climate change and thanks them.

No more public comments from web or cities.

Christos @ChristosFres 8/33

Item 6: Report on District Citizens Advisory Committee activities.

Item 7: STAR recognition. (Service, teamwork, attitude, respect). https://t.co/tQaz9y6oVA

Christos @ChristosFres 9/33

Item 8: Samir Sheikh holds up award for Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies’ Best Practice Award. https://t.co/EwU0SrS0Bi

Christos @ChristosFres 10/33

Item 9 for the $71.5 million in Volkswagen mitigation trust funding for the 2nd phase of statewide incentive program. https://t.co/6cG7CX82Hl

Christos @ChristosFres 11/33

Todd makes presentation for item 9. https://t.co/i6vOAJnqab

Christos @ChristosFres 12/33

Todd details past program activity before moving on to decisions regarding second phase of state funding. https://t.co/0BLEPK4MtD

Christos @ChristosFres 13/33

In response to busses in rural areas, Todd says current electric bus has 100 mile range and each iteration is increasing in range. https://t.co/oWKELTvwzA

Christos @ChristosFres 14/33

Samir says there will be more state and federal funding coming. He adds that they’ve been considering challenges with rural areas and range issues. https://t.co/p4xMlwBPtQ

Christos @ChristosFres 15/33

Supervisor Wheeler says Madera could use funding, but doesn’t think he can compete for funding with districts state-wide. https://t.co/dXT90s4JGt

Christos @ChristosFres 16/33

Two public comments from Fresno.

1: Money shouldn’t go to private schools. Urges oversight on fund use.
2: Resident from mountains says it’s a great program.

Christos @ChristosFres 17/33

No public comments from other counties and cities. MOTION PASSES.

Christos @ChristosFres 18/33

Moving on to Item 10

ACCEPT AND APPROPRIATE $118,800,000 IN STATE FARMER PROGRAM FUNDING FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT AND AUTHORIZE NECESSARY RESOURCE ENHANCEMENTS https://t.co/p1vOdPWXPY

Christos @ChristosFres 19/33

Todd says equipment costs have been rising as they learned in the electric bus discussion. https://t.co/ZhreOsBs0V

Christos @ChristosFres 20/33

Item 10: Motion passes unanimously.

Moving to Item 11. https://t.co/lZn6jeKGBe

Christos @ChristosFres 21/33

Presentation on Central Valley refineries before proposing amendments. https://t.co/FxshpZ36Kt

Christos @ChristosFres 22/33

To conclude presentation, amendments are proposed and there is an explanation as to how public feedback was obtained.

2 recommendations are made. https://t.co/W5VqNpZrNu

Christos @ChristosFres 23/33

After brief questioning from board, moving to public comments. https://t.co/I0dRdCJoE4

Christos @ChristosFres 24/33

Web speaker Cynthia says health effects of living near refineries are hurting low-income residents and people of color. Says regulations helps protect public from emissions. Urges district to ensure requirements of warning community and taking action to protect their health. https://t.co/ph59k1FXi1

Christos @ChristosFres 25/33

Motion passes for Item 11.

Moving to item 12 to appoint AD HOC Governing Board Subcommittee to nominate candidates for the 2023 governing board chair and vice-chair. https://t.co/bWp0VaoUmW

Christos @ChristosFres 26/33

Committee members are appointed. Mendes, Bessinger, Lewis, Pareira, and Shuklian.

Christos @ChristosFres 27/33

For Item 13: Incentive Program for small raisin farmers. https://t.co/yTcSiCRylD

Christos @ChristosFres 28/33

Mendes says this program is needed and he has received emails about it. https://t.co/6sZxAQVKt0

Christos @ChristosFres 29/33

Public comment in Fresno. Says this program to reduce burning is heartwarming. https://t.co/YbHlRZsG9t

Christos @ChristosFres 30/33

Item 13/14 passed.

Executive director makes brief comments. Moving to last item - governing board member comments.

Christos @ChristosFres 31/33

Some members said they had trouble hearing audio on web comments. https://t.co/o4o805tmuc

Christos @ChristosFres 32/33

Mayor Preciado thanks public participation for efforts in reducing pollution. https://t.co/KrOOyXVLPf

Christos @ChristosFres 33/33

Meeting moves to closed session and that’s it for this week. Thanks for following along🙂