More air quality monitors coming to Imperial County under AB-617

Fifteen stationary air quality monitors and two mobile ones will be placed along Calexico , Heber and El Centro.

Belen Leon-Lopez, Air Pollution Control District, said, “The reason for that is because the 15 monitors measure particulate matter which is dust.”

The local steering committee under the AB-617 Community Air Protection Program made that decision. They’ve been meeting monthly since November.

” A lot of input from the community, back and forth discussions. We have industry from industries from business owners to people at schools, ” Leon-Lopez said.

The committee selected locations, after careful study, they described as having high vehicle traffic affecting air quality.

” They’re going to be in places where there is security and also could be under residences if they give us the approval to do that. They’re going to be near sources that we understand there’s a hot spot. The mobile monitor is going to also have the dust, other toxics, and other pollutants as well. The primary area at this time is going to be the New River, ” Leon-Lopez said.

She said the new air monitors enhance others already in the area.

” Comite Civico del Valle that has 40 community monitors in place,” Leon-Lopez said.

The committee has one year as of Wednesday to install the new air monitors.

“AB-617 has really come together with the community, government agencies and environmentalists, all come together with this,” Leon-Lopez said.

These are the proposed locations of the 15 air monitors:

Port of Entry #2 (East) – Calexico Soutwest High School – El Centro Cesar Chavez and 2 nd Street – Calexico Dogwood Avenue and Highway 98 – Calexico Residences/Park near New River – Calexico Gran Plaza Outlet – Calexico Heber Feedlot (El Toro Land & Cattle) – Heber Enrique Camarena School – Calexico 4 th Street and Aurora – El Centro Port of Entry #1 (West) – Calexico El Centro Water Plant/Walmart area – El Centro Imperial Valley Mall – El Centro Heber Geothermal – Heber El Centro Regional Medical Center – El Centro Adams Street and Imperial Avenue – El Centro