News
News Releases & Air Alerts
Old Town Goleta Residents Can Pick Up Free Air Purifiers on March 14
Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) is sponsoring an upcoming event at the Goleta Community Center where residents of Old Town Goleta only will be able to pick up a free air purifier. The event will also offer free test drives of electric cars, open to all members of the public. Participants at each event will also receive a free meal (while supplies last). APCD is proud to partner with the City of Goleta to host this event.
2025 Vessel Speed Reduction Season Results and Rankings
Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) is proud to report the 2025 Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) Season results from the efforts of participating shipping lines. Over the VSR Season, from May 1, 2025 to January 15, 2026, 787 participating vessels traveled more than 481,000 nautical miles at whale-safer speeds of 10 knots or less. This is up from approximately 425,900 nautical miles and 743 participating vessels in the 2024 VSR Season.
Cruise Lines Now Invited to Join in for Safer Whales, Cleaner Air, and a Quieter Ocean
After a decade of proven success in reducing the risk of ship strikes and improving coastal air quality, the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) program is expanding participation to cruise lines — some of the most visible and fastest-moving ships on the West Coast.
BWBS is a collaborative effort by regional coastal air districts, the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation, NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries, and Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory to reduce risks to endangered whales and protect air quality. Since launching in 2014, BWBS has worked with more than 50 global cargo shipping lines to incentivize vessel speed reduction to 10 knots or less in key whale habitats.
Prescribed Burn Information
Prescribed Pile Burns in South County this Week
WHAT: Approximately 20 piles of cut vegetation (approximately four combined acres) will be burned as part of the San Antonio Creek pile burns.
WHEN: March 9-15, depending on conditions.
WHERE: San Antonio Creek area, near Highway 154. (see map)
Prescribed Pile Burns in South County Next Week
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department plans to conduct prescribed fire pile burns in the San Antonio Creek area (see map) over a two-week period from March 9-20, as conditions allow.
Approximately 20 piles of cut vegetation (approximately four combined acres) will be burned as part of the San Antonio Creek pile burns. Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) staff review the Smoke Management Plan and provide conditions to minimize smoke impacts in Santa Barbara County. Burning will occur when the meteorological conditions are highly favorable to direct smoke away from population centers.
Prescribed Pile Burns in South County Next Week
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department plans to conduct prescribed fire pile burns in the San Antonio Creek area (see map) next week, as conditions allow.
Approximately 20 piles of cut vegetation (approximately four combined acres) will be burned as part of the San Antonio Creek pile burns. Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) staff review the Smoke Management Plan and provide conditions to minimize smoke impacts in Santa Barbara County. Burning will occur when the meteorological conditions are highly favorable to direct smoke away from population centers.
Public Notices
Public Notice – Air Quality Regulatory Measures that May Be Adopted or Amended in 2026
For a pdf of this public notice, please click here. State law (Health and Safety Code §40923) requires the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control
Notice of Public Review and Comment Opportunity
Google, LLC has applied to the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (District) to increase the permitted daily hours of operation for eight Emergency/Standby Diesel Generators at 301 Mentor Drive in Santa Barbara. The engines are used to provide backup power to their facility during emergency events. The engines are currently permitted to a maximum of 2 hours/day of operation, but this permitting action will increase that allowance to 4 hours/day to accommodate annual load testing requirements. You are receiving this notice because the engines are within 1,000 feet of the property boundary of St. Raphael School.
Notice of Public Review and Comment Opportunity
Crestwood Behavioral Health, which is a mental health care facility, has applied to the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (District) to operate a linear generator at 303 South C Street in Lompoc, used to provide prime power to their facility. The location has property boundaries that are within 1,000 feet of the property boundary of Hapgood Elementary School.
