The Valley Air District’s recent Clean Air Equipment Showcase spotlighted the latest advancements in clean technology and equipment. This inspiring event highlighted innovative tools and organizations dedicated to reducing emissions in the San Joaquin Valley. By replacing older, high-emission equipment with cleaner alternatives, the Valley is making historic strides in lowering pollution and improving air quality. Held at the Visalia Convention Center’s Plaza Courtyard, the clean air equipment on display included:

• Low-dust nut harvesters
• Various types of electric transportation, such as an van, school bus and truck
• Commercial & residential electric lawn and garden equipment

Attendees, including District stakeholders, partners and students from Visalia Technical Early College High School, explored the various equipment on display and connected with partner agencies committed to air quality education in the Valley.

Executive Director Samir Sheikh, Stanislaus County Supervisor Vito Chiesa, along with local business leaders and elected officials, were on hand to celebrate the remarkable progress being made in air quality in the San Joaquin Valley.

The District’s annual winter program to protect Valley residents from harmful wood smoke has begun.

During the Residential Wood Smoke Reduction season, which runs from November 1 through the end of February, the District releases daily, county-by-county, wood-burning declarations based on the air quality forecast for the next day. The declarations can be found at valleyair.org/burnstatus, on the Valley Air app or by calling 1-800-SMOG-INFO (1-800-766-4463).

Residences with no other source of heat or no access to piped-in natural gas are exempt from these restrictions (including homes that use propane), and require exemption verification by the District. However, outdoor wood-burning devices at all residences are still subject to the daily restrictions, regardless of exemption status.

Residential wood burning can be one of the Valley’s largest sources of wintertime emissions and is shown to have a direct effect on neighborhood air quality. Valley residents are urged to heat their homes by other means than burning wood whenever possible, thus improving the wintertime air quality and quality of life in their community.

Residents found by District inspectors to be using wood-burning devices on days when they shouldn’t be can be cited and fined. To report a complaint, residents can use the Valley Air app, go online at valleyair.org/complaints or call the District (Northern Region, 800-281-7003; Central Region, 800-870-1037; or Southern Region, 800-926-5550).

For the last several years, District staff have organized several Clean Green Yard Machine lawn mower trade-in events within the Community Air Protection Program communities of South Central Fresno, Shafter, Stockton and Arvin/Lamont.

This month, Valley Clean Air Now (CAN) officially took over the trade-in events, kicking off its first one in Shafter on November 2. Valley CAN already partners with the District organizing the Tune In Tune Up events, which are part of the Drive Clean in the San Joaquin’s Repair program. Pairing the lawn mower trade-in event with a Tune In Tune Up event happening on the same day and in the same location has allowed the District to tackle two different mobile sources in the community.

Valley residents can still participate in the Clean Green Yard Machine program by visiting www.valleyair.org/CGYM.

Residents looking to make the switch from wood-burning devices to electric heat pumps or gas inserts can utilize the District’s Fireplace & Woodstove Change-Out program to help with the costs. The program offers incentives up to $5,000.

In “Hot Spot” counties of Madera, Fresno and Kern (which see a higher number of burning curtailments) and the AB 617 Stockton community boundary, residents with access to natural gas are eligible for up to $5,000 regardless of income status. Residents in other counties can receive up to $3,500, with an additional $1,500 for low-income applicants.

Valley residents in any county of the air basin who live in homes without access to natural gas are eligible for incentives up to $3,500 to upgrade. Qualifying low-income residents are also eligible for an additional $1,500.

To take advantage of the incentives, residents can visit valleyair.org/change-out.

A District video featuring local farmer Ivan Hurd of Kings County took first place at the recent 2024 STAR Award in the Community Awareness under 250K category.

The California Association of Public Information Officials presented the awards on behalf of the Southern California and Nevada chapter of National Association of Telecommunications Officers of America. These awards recognized excellence in government video programming from a public agency in California or Nevada that aired or was published online between March 18, 2023, and May 31, 2024.

The District’s winning entry was created in 2023 as part of the "Believe It" video series featuring diverse individuals, not actors, who benefited from the various District grant programs. In the video, Hurd shared his experience in the Agricultural Tractor Replacement Program, highlighting the District’s assistance and the substantial cost reduction for a John Deere tractor.

Click here to watch the video.