SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency next week will honor the partners behind the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies project — which reduced ship speeds in the Santa Barbara Channel to cut air pollution and protect endangered whale species — with a national Clean Air Excellence Award. The Clean Air Excellence Awards recognize outstanding efforts to achieve cleaner air. The agencies and organizations who collaborated on this project are one of only a select number of honorees this year.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Hundreds of local business and community leaders and educators helped celebrate the teachers who earned this year’s Care for Our Earth Grants, as part of the annual Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO) Teachers Network annual Education Celebration held at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott on Thursday, May 26. Thirty-eight teachers — spanning 26 Santa Barbara County schools — won the 2015-2016 grants, awarded by the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, Santa Barbara County Education Office, Santa Barbara County Water Agency, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, and Southern California Gas Company.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District and Community Environmental Council — along with dozens of supporters and 10 hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles of different makes and models — celebrated the opening of True Zero’s Santa Barbara hydrogen fueling station on Friday, May 13. Supporters include True Zero, California Air Resources Board, California Energy Commission, California Fuel Cell Partnership, Central Coast Clean Cities Coalition, California Governor’s Office, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, and Conserv Fuel.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District and Community Environmental Council, along with other supporters and vehicle owners, will celebrate the opening of True Zero’s Santa Barbara hydrogen fueling station on Friday, May 13. Supporters include the California Air Resources Board, California Energy Commission, California Governor’s Office, Central Coast Clean Cities Coalition, and California Fuel Cell Partnership.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Air Quality Awareness Week starts today, and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District has clean-air tips to share. Cars and trucks are a major source of smog-forming emissions in our county. “The biggest thing we can do to help reduce smog is to drive less. When we can walk, bike, or take the bus instead of driving, that can make a big difference for air quality,” said Aeron Arlin Genet, District Director and Air Pollution Control Officer. “When we do need to use our cars, there are steps we can take to ensure that our cars are polluting less.”

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The Santa Barbara County Fire Department and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District announced today tips for cleaner fireplace burning and safer homes. As the weather cools, and the holiday season approaches, it is important to remember that fireplace fires can cause emergencies, and breathing wood smoke is bad for our lungs and our hearts. Follow these suggestions for a safer and healthier community.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District announced today that air monitoring stations around the county recorded concentrations of ozone above health-based standards over the weekend. Ground-level ozone is a principal component of smog.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. ? The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (District) announced that levels of ground-level ozone, a principal component of smog, recorded yesterday at county monitoring stations exceeded state and federal health standards.The federal eight-hour ozone standard was exceeded at stations in Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, El Capitan, and Las Flores Canyon (on the Gaviota Coast). In addition, ozone levels at these stations exceeded the state eight-hour ozone standard, which was also exceeded at stations in Goleta, Lompoc, Nojoqui, and Paradise Road.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (District) announced that health-based air quality standards were exceeded on Friday at county monitoring stations, likely due to hot weather conditions. Concentrations of ground-level ozone, a principal component of smog, recorded Friday at stations in Carpinteria and Lompoc exceeded both the federal eight-hour ozone standard and the state eight-hour ozone standard, and ozone concentrations at the  Las Flores Canyon (Gaviota coast), Paradise Road, Santa Ynez, and Vandenberg Air Force Base stations exceeded the state ozone standard. In addition, the state standard for particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10) was exceeded at the Santa Maria station on both Friday and Sunday, due to very windy conditions.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. ? The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District today issued an Air Quality Watch for Northern Santa Barbara County. High winds are forecast that could produce elevated particle levels and poor air quality in some areas, especially the Santa Maria area. The strongest winds are anticipated to occur Tuesday afternoon; high winds are expected to continue through THURSDAY Evening. This advisory is in effect until FRIDAY MORNING JUNE 8. Similar wind patterns in May resulted in exceedances of the state standard for particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM10) at the Santa Maria and Lompoc monitoring stations.   If you are in an area where there are high levels of dust in the air, be cautious and use common sense to protect your family?s health. Everyone, especially people with heart or lung disease (including asthma), older adults, and children, should limit time spent outdoors, and avoid outdoor exercise when high concentrations of dust and particles are in the air. If you have symptoms of lung or heart disease that may be related to exposure to particles, including repeated coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness or pain, palpitations, nausea or unusual fatigue or lightheadedness, contact your health care provider.