The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District Clean Air for All Newsletter - April 2026

Dr. Anne Marie Birkbeck-Garcia Appointed as SDAPCD Governing Board Chair 

The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District Governing Board unanimously voted to appoint Dr. Anne Marie Birkbeck-Garcia to serve as the board’s new Chair at the February 12, 2026, meeting. Dr. Birkbeck-Garcia has served as the board’s public health professional since 2021 and prior to this appointment served as Vice-Chair. Dr. Birkbeck-Garcia is a pediatric physician and serves on the Bioethics Committee at Kaiser Permanente. She is also a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics California Chapter 3 (AAP-CA3) Climate Change and Health Committee, and a fellow on the Council of Environmental Health.

2026 Calendar Art Contest Winners Recognized

Winning students of the 2026 Clean Air for All Calendar Contest were recognized at SDAPCD’s Governing Board meeting on February 12, 2026. Every year, SDAPCD invites K-12 students from across San Diego County to participate in the art contest, with the winning artwork selected to be featured in SDAPCD’s annual calendar.  

Through this contest, students are encouraged to use their voice through art to reflect on the importance of Clean Air for All in their communities and the ways they can help reduce air pollution in the region.

SDAPCD Funds Electrification Project

The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District (SDAPCD) was proud to join the Helix Water District (HWD) for the ribbon cutting of its brand-new, first of its kind, state of the art fleet charging infrastructure in San Diego County. 

SDAPCD contributed $5.2 million in grant funding for the battery charging hub at the HWD’s Nat L. Eggert Operation Center which will be available for use to public agencies across the County and serve as a model for other agencies seeking to retrofit their facilities to meet California’s Advanced Clean Fleets regulations.

Projects such as this one make impacts in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality and supporting healthier communities for years to come. Funding clean air and clean technology projects is part of our vision of Clean Air for All.  

Interested in applying for project funds?

SDAPCD is currently accepting applications for clean air projects working towards emission reduction through the Clean Air for All program with up to $20 million available for eligible projects! To learn more information, visit the link below.

Applications are being accepted through Friday, May 15, 2026.