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Coming together for the Inaugural Community Clean Air Day
 More than 100 San Joaquin Valley residents and community stakeholders came together for the first-ever Community Clean Air Day at the Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center on Saturday, June 22, 2024.
The day-long event highlighted the significance of the multi-agency collaboration that has been achieved through the Valley Air District’s Community Air Protection Program while also celebrating the progress made toward improving air quality in underserved communities. Attendees included community residents from across the Valley, leadership students, community-based organizations and key stakeholders that partner with the District.
The District’s Air Pollution Control Officer, Samir Sheikh, kicked off the event with opening remarks, which were followed by two discussion panels on the topics of Celebrating Community Engagement Success and Opportunities for Community Engagement and Support.
The afternoon included a vendor fair, a keynote address by Dr. Tania Pacheco-Werner, who is co-director of the Central Valley Health Policy Institute and a member of the District’s Governing Board, and a roundtable networking session for building connections and sharing community experiences.
Throughout the thoughtful, engaging discussions, a graphic recorder artistically documented ideas and captured the dialogue made at the event, creating a large, multi-paneled mural in real-time. District staff worked alongside the graphic recorder to translate into Spanish and make the mural bilingual.
For more info about the Community Clean Air Day, visit https://ww2.valleyair.org/community-engagement/community-clean-air-day/.
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New grant encourages safer, air-quality friendly fireworks events
Entertaining drone lights instead of sparkling fireworks dotted the night skies at a number of recent public outdoor events throughout the San Joaquin Valley.
These drone light shows were funded by a new District grant, Clean Alternatives to Fireworks Incentive Program, where public and private entities could apply for up to $50,000 for a drone or laser show in place of some or all of a large-scale fireworks display celebration during 4th of July, New Year’s Eve or other celebratory public gatherings.
Since the pilot program launched in February 2024, 25 entities have received a total of $850,000. The District is currently evaluating the pilot program, which is now closed, to determine the next steps.
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Community Air Protection Program Corner
Shafter and Fresno got a little greener this spring with new trees in their communities. Staff from the District, City of Shafter and Tree Foundation of Kern along with community volunteers planted 12 large box trees at Veterans Park in Shafter.
Two weeks later, it was Fresno’s turn! The tree planting team included staff from Tree Fresno, the District and numerous volunteers who planted 59 young trees at Computech Middle School.
These trees not only contribute to each of the community’s aesthetic appeal but also provide numerous environmental benefits, including improved air quality and climate resilience.
In both communities, the respective Community Steering Committees (CSC) supported allocating funding for Urban Greening as a clean air measure that provides more tree canopy to reduce urban heat islands and provide a healthy environment for all residents.
Visit the District’s Community Air Protection Program webpage to learn more about the Shafter, Fresno and other CSC communities.
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District Grants 101: Clean Green Yard Machines (CGYM)
Valley residents looking to tackle their yard care this year with cleaner equipment have an opportunity to make that transition easier on the pocket book by taking advantage of the District’s Clean Green Yard Machines rebate program.
The rebate program offers two options:
- Option 1: Trade-in an existing gas or diesel lawnmower at a participating dismantler and purchase a new electric lawnmower to qualify for a rebate. The eligible rebate amount is based on where you live and the purchase price of the new lawnmower. Valley residents can receive up to $250, one rebate per address for every two consecutive years. If residents live in a designated Community Air Protection Program community, they can get up to $500.
- Option 2: This new purchase option doesn’t require the trade-in of a piece of a gas-powered equipment. Instead, residents get a flat rebate amount, up to $50, depending upon the cost of the new electric equipment. Eligible electric lawn equipment includes lawnmowers, edgers, trimmers, chainsaws or pole saws.
For more information about CGYM, including bilingual applications, guidelines and a list of participating dismantler locations, visit www.valleyair.org/cgym.
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Almost 400 Valley residents exchanged old gas lawnmowers for new electric ones
As the temperatures climbed, so did the number of residents who signed up for two recent in-person Lawnmower Trade-In events. Within days, reservations for both events were full and waiting lists were created.
In total, almost 400 gas lawnmowers were traded in for new electric ones at events in Stockton and Lamont. To participate, residents had to live in the boundaries of the Community Air Protection Program for Stockton or Arvin/Lamont.
Residents who missed the event can still apply. The District’s Clean Green Yard Machines program offers a 100% rebate, up to $500, on electric lawnmowers with a gas mower trade-in to any resident living within a Community Air Protection Program community boundary, while funding is available.
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