The annual report on Valley Air District shows progress

The Valley Air District recently published its annual report in 2024 to the municipality and offered a comprehensive overview of the progress of Valley and the continued efforts to improve air quality and public health. Especially in 2024, the entire valley reached the achievement of the Federal PM2.5 standard of 15 μg/m³ microgram per cubic centimeter – a historical achievement in the development. The publication shows the work of the district last year and invites the further input of communities throughout the valley, since the Air District will work on a healthier company tomorrow.

For decades of public and private cooperation, paired innovative strategies and strong financing support from the state and federal government, have driven the record pollution level for both ozone and for PM2.5 in the valley. Since the beginning of PM2.5 monitoring in 1999, the annual average values ​​of 27.6 µg/m³ have dropped to 13.5 µg/m³ in 2023 – a reduction of more than 50 percent in the microgram per cubic inch. In fact, with the exception of some areas, the majority of the valley have reached the standard for many years. This significant progress has led to the construction value of the region for the three years from 2022–2024 under the federal pm2.5 standard of 15 & MGR; g/m³ lay. In addition to these improvements, the valley corresponds to the health-based air quality standards in all districts of the district for several days, even in the middle of challenges such as forest fire effects, which reflect a clear and positive trend towards clean air.

“The encounter with the annual PM2.5 standard marks a historical milestone for the San Joaquin Valley and reflects decades of cooperation, innovation and unshakable commitment of residents, companies, farmers and agency partners who work together to improve public health from all sectors,” said Samir Sheikh, senior director and air pollution control officer Joaquin Valley Lir Controllment Control District. “This proven track record of the success confirms the need for continued innovation and investment in Clean Air public-private partnerships in order to further improve air quality in the coming years.”

While the valley has made remarkable progress, the challenges of air quality remain a problem, especially since the effects of the forest fire and other factors continue to affect the region and the state. This reality increases the urgency of strengthening partnerships and the acceleration of efforts to reduce pollution. The district undertakes to work with local, state and federal partners in order to fulfill the impending standards of federal air quality and to achieve sustainable improvements to the residents of the region.

The annual report is available at Valleyair.org or a printed copy can be requested at public.education@valleyair.org or by phone at 559-230-6000.

The Valley Air District covers eight counties, including San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and San Joaquin Valley Air Basin parts of the core.