The agreement provides funding under the inflation reduction act (IRA) to the santa barbara county air pollution control district (sbcapcd)

This federal Project Grant award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), provided under the EPA's Federal Grant Program 66.034 - Surveys, Studies, Research, Investigations, Demonstrations, and Special Purpose Activities Relating to the Clean Air Act, will fund the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (SBCAPCD) to collect and analyze particulate matter (PM) samples at several locations in the Santa Maria Valley, analyze the data, and share the information with the community.

The $662,446 award, which runs from March 1, 2025 to February 28, 2028, will support the purchase of equipment, air monitoring activities, and community outreach and training. The anticipated deliverables include deploying equipment at existing air monitoring sites, conducting community outreach and trainings, and developing quality assurance/quality control documentation. The expected outcomes include increased air quality monitoring in disadvantaged communities, problem identification, increased public awareness of air quality, and benefits for residents in the Santa Maria Valley and surrounding areas of Santa Barbara County.

Specifically, sbcapcd will collect and analyze PM samples at several locations, analyze the data, and share the information with community members and groups to gain a better understanding of the PM concentrations throughout the santa maria valley. This assistance agreement provides full federal funding in the amount of $662,446.00. See terms and conditions. Activities:the activities include purchasing equipment, air monitoring, and hosting community training. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include equipment deployed at existing air monitoring sites, community outreach and trainings, and development of quality assurance/quality control documentation. The expected outcomes include increased disadvantaged communities monitored for air quality; problem identification; increased public awareness of ambient air quality; increased access to information and tools that increase understanding and reduction of environmental and human health risks; reduction of ambient concentrations of certain air pollutant(s); publicly available air quality monitoring data for communities; and benefits for disadvantaged communities. The intended beneficiaries include residents in the santa maria valley and surrounding area of santa barbara county.