Shalema Booty Lopez of the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District told the Escondido City Council on Dec. 10 that the district has added a monitoring station in Escondido and is expanding sensor-based monitoring and outreach across North County.

"We have a new monitoring station here in Escondido," Booty Lopez said during a presentation to the City Council and Rent Review Board, describing a regional program of eight monitors and additional sensor deployments planned for the North End. She said the district’s Office of Environmental Justice had reached about 3,000 people in its first year and roughly 5,000 so far this year through educational and outreach activities.

Booty Lopez described the APCD’s role regulating stationary sources such as dry cleaners and body shops, its 24/7 complaint hotline and an inspections program that can issue notices of violation. She outlined four core Office of Environmental Justice activities: community outreach and education, the community air protection program, an environmental-justice partnership with local community-based organizations, and internal policy work to integrate EJ principles.

The presentation highlighted the community air protection program’s focus areas, tools such as CalEnviroScreen and the EPA’s EJScreen for mapping particulate exposure, and partnerships in North County including Vista Community Clinic to connect residents with monitoring and outreach. The district also emphasized smoke and odor advisories, hydrogen sulfide monitoring in the Tijuana River Valley, and the ability for residents to submit photos via the APCD mobile app to help investigators.

Councilmembers thanked the presenter and asked for copies of the slides and contact information. Councilmember Fitzgerald highlighted the district’s bilingual materials and requested the presentation materials for local outreach. Booty Lopez said she and the APCD public outreach specialist, Lauren Perez, left printed materials at the back of the chamber and offered email contact for follow-up.

The presentation concluded with a request for the council’s assistance in plugging the APCD into local events and community conversations, and an invitation to the district’s Earth Day outreach in Escondido.