Score: +3
(3/0/0)
San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury
• 2017-2018
Is There a Health Risk from the Dunes?
⚠️ Aviso de traducción: Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 9 findings
F1
The District does not have an effective system to follow-up with the public, schools, medical clinics, hospitals, or those who sign up to receive AirAware Alerts and Better Breather Alerts.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The 2017-2018 Grand Jury recommends the San Luis Obispo County APCD prior to September 30, 2018 should: a. Contact senior centers, hospitals and clinics, child-care facilities, and local residents who may be unaware of the District air quality alert notification and alert forecast program and encourage them to sign up to receive AirAware Alerts. b. Perform follow-ups with residents and groups who previously signed up for District alert notification programs and confirm whether these residents and groups are receiving alerts and forecasts. c. Coordinate directly with the Lucia Mar Unified School District (LMUSD) and other schools on the Nipomo Mesa and nearby communities to facilitate sending them AirAware Alerts and warnings.
F2
The LMUSD does not use the APCD AirAware Alerts system or routinely use the CARB AQMIS system.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The 2017-2018 Grand Jury recommends the LMUSD should prior to the start of the next school year: a. Enroll in the APCD AirAware Alert notification program so that it can obtain current air quality alert conditions or alert forecasts. b. Use the APCD’s online Air Quality Management Information System (AQMIS) to obtain first-hand knowledge of the days when high particulate levels are forecast.
F3
CARB computer modeling performed in 2017 confirmed that emissions of PM and PM 2.5 10 predominately originate from riding areas in La Grande Tract of the ODSVRA.
No recommendations for this finding
F4
State Parks Deputy Director and the District APCO have worked together cooperatively to create a mitigation plan that was accepted by the APCD Hearing Board.
No recommendations for this finding
F5
When PM concentrations were recorded in the hazardous range, the Nipomo Mesa 10 experienced some of the worst air quality conditions in the United States.
No recommendations for this finding
F6
A collective total of 605 individual exceedances of the State PM air quality standard were 10 recorded on 363 days between 2012 and 2017 at three monitoring stations on the Nipomo Mesa.
No recommendations for this finding
F7
San Luis Obispo County is the owner of most of the land in the La Grande Tract, and the Board of Supervisors has the authority to terminate vehicular riding activity on the La Grande Tract.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The 2017-2018 Grand Jury recommends to the Board of Supervisors that if the Particulate Matter Reduction Plan (PMRP) fails to achieve its required goal of eliminating exceedances of state and federal PM air quality standards within the four-year time-frame 10 specified in the PMRP, the Board of Supervisors should perform the following: a. Rescind State Parks current month-to-month, informal agreement under which State Parks has operated and managed off-highway vehicular activities on the La Grande Tract, and under Board of Supervisors authority, do the following: • Give written notice to State Parks that all off-highway vehicular activity on the La Grande Tract shall cease after a period of no longer than six months. • Support State Parks’ planned transition of off-highway vehicular activity on the La Grande Tract to State owned areas in the southern portion of the ODSVRA located near Oso Flaco Lake b. Choose one of the following two options: • Negotiate a lease with State Parks and include in the lease agreement the stipulation the La Grande Tract shall only be used for non-vehicular camping or conventional recreational activity and that it not be used for any type of vehicular-recreational activity. • Sell the La Grande Tract to State Parks and include in the sales agreement the stipulation that the La Grande Tract shall only be used for non-vehicular camping or conventional recreational activity, and it not be used for any type of vehicular-recreational activity.
F8
The APCD Hearing Board has the authority to require vehicular riding activity on the La Grande Tract be terminated.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
The 2017-2018 Grand Jury recommends to the APCD Hearing Board if the Particulate Matter Reduction Plan (PMRP) fails to achieve its required goal of eliminating exceedances of State and Federal PM air quality standards within the specified four-year 10 time-frame of the PMRP, the Hearing Board immediately restrict vehicular riding activity on the La Grande Tract.
F9
There is a health risk to the residents on the Nipomo Mesa and nearby communities caused by high levels of PM and PM particulate matter in the ambient air. 2.5 10
No recommendations for this finding
Conclusions 1
-
CL1The Stipulated Order of Abatement offers the possibility that substantial remediation efforts may finally be implemented. Several individuals, including members of the Hearing Board and the former APCO, have identified deficiencies in the abatement order and question whether it will ultimately work. In the event that the Particulate Matter Reduction Plan (PMRP) fails to achieve the required attainment of the State and Federal PM air quality standards within the four-year 10 period specified, this would represent an unacceptable health risk to the public. If this were to occur, future BoS and APCD Hearing Boards may act decisively to protect public health, and take actions under the authorities they possess, and drastically restrict riding activity on the La Grande Tract as quickly as possible. Submitted June 12, 2018 18
Commendations 1
-
CM1The 2017-2018 San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury commends three individuals who have been intimately involved in every aspect of the particulate air quality problem over the past several years. Each of these individuals has played a critically important role in activities that have resulted in the Particulate Matter Reduction Plan (PMRP) described in this report. These persons are the Deputy Director of State Parks, and the previous and current Air Pollution Contol Officers. Submitted June 12, 2018 21
Agency Responses 1
Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.
No Responses Found 3
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
Lucia Mar Unified School District
School District
San Luis Obispo County
County
San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors
Elected County Office