Burn Day Status
Oct 23-26. Due to rain
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Coastal
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Inland
Oct 23-26. Due to rain
Coastal
Inland
Interested in seeing all the steps that have been taken to reduce particulate matter on the NIpomo Mesa? We have developed a comprehensive flow-chart to help you better understand the efforts that have been completed and are underway. Click here to view.
The APCD Hearing Board is a five member quasi-judicial body whose purpose is to decide on matters of conflict between the Air District and industry and to act at the time of an air pollution emergency resulting from an upset or breakdown. The Hearing Board is an independent body, appointed at-large by the APCD Board and consists of an attorney practicing law in California, a registered professional engineer, a member of the medical profession, and two public members.
To see the Hearing Board's current matter related to the Oceano Dunes, Stipulated Order of Abatement 17-01, click here.
If you are looking for updates and documents that were provided/produced in 2022 or earlier. Please click here.
On July 7, 2026, APCD extended the due date for 2026 Annual Report and Workplan (ARWP) from August 1 to August 17, 2026. State Parks submitted its first draft ARWP for review on August 13, 2026, and the SAG review was submitted on August 27, 2026. Then, on September 23, 2026 the second draft or Provisional Final 2026 ARWP was provided for review. On October 7, State Parks resubmitted the Provisional Final 2026 ARWP with minor formatting and typogrpahical errors corrected.
Provisional Final 2026 ARWP and Attachments
Provisional Final 2026 ARWP (corrected)
Provisional Final 2026 ARWP Attachments (corrected)
SAG Comments on Provisional Final 2026 ARWP
APCD Provisional Approval of Final 2026 ARWP
APCD Final Conditional Approval of State Parks' 2026 ARWP
First Draft 2026 ARWP and Attachments
Draft 2026 ARWP
Draft 2026 ARWP Attachments
APCD Letter
SAG Review of Draft 2026 ARWP, August 27, 2026
APCD Comments on First Draft of ARWP
APCD Comments on Provisional Final 2026 ARWP
A new report by scientists from Desert Research Institute was recently published in Atmospheric Environment. It confirms that the dust mitigations at the Oceano Dunes are working as intended and improving air quality downwind. The report estimates PM10 "reductions of up to 35% at CDF and 20% at Mesa 2, preventing possibly ten federal and more than 170 exceedances of the California state standard. " Co-author Jack Gillies, PhD, is a member of the Scientific Advisory Group.
The Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies 10th annual State Air Trends & Successes Report (StATS Report) features a case study on reducing PM10 downwind of the Oceano Dunes. Read the full report here or jump to the case study here.
APCD submitted comments to State Parks on their Habitat Conservation Plan. To see the plan, related documents and more information on this, visit: https://www.oceanoduneshcp.com/
APCD Comments to Dept of Parks & Recreation on the Recirculated DEIR - Oceano Dunes District Habitat Conservation Plan
APCD Comments to US Fish & Wildlife Services on Environmental Assessment
August 15, 2025, the Draft 2025 Annual Report and Work Plan was provided to APCD for review, then on September 26, 2025 the second draft or Provisional Final of the 2025 ARWP was provided to APCD. On October 2, 2025, APCD provided a Provisional Approval of the 2025 ARWP to CA State Parks. Finally, following the October 15, 2025 APCD Hearing Board Meeting, SLO County APCD provided a Final Approval of the 2025 ARWP. Below are copies of the ARWP and the Attachments associated.
Final Approval of the 2025 ARWP - SLO County APCD Letter
Provisional Approval of the 2025 ARWP - SLO County APCD Letter
Fourth Amendment to SOA 17-01 (Signed and Final)
Provisional Final 2025 ARWP and Attachments
Provisional Final 2025 ARWP
Provisional Final 2025 ARWP Attachments
Cover Letter
SAG Review of Provisional Final 2025 ARWP
First Draft 2025 ARWP and Attachments
Draft 2025 ARWP
Draft 2025 ARWP Attachments
SAG Review of 2025 Draft ARWP
APCD Comments of Draft 2025 ARWP
On July 25, 2025, APCD provided a two-week extension of the due date for the 2025 Annual Report and Work Plan for the Stipulated Order of Abatement Number 17-01.
July 25, 2025 Extension Letter
State Parks submitted their First Draft 2024 Annual Report and Work Plan (ARWP) on August 1 and the Second Draft on September 11. The Provisional Final Draft is currently under review by the SLO County APCD.
Provisional Final Draft ARWP and Attachments
Provisional Final Draft ARWP
Provisional Final Draft ARWP Attachments
SAG Review Memo of Provisional Final Draft 2024 ARWP
APCD's Provisional Approval of the 2024 ARWP 9-17-2024
APCD's Final Conditional Approval of the 2024 ARWP - 10-31-2024
First Draft ARWP and Attachments
Draft 2024 ARWP
Draft 2024 ARWP Attachments
SAG Review Memo of Draft 2024 ARWP
SLO County APCD Comments on Draft 2024 ARWP
In accordance with the conditions of approval of the 2023 ARWP, on March 15, 2024, State Parks submitted the following modeling results, which incorporate the emissivity assumptions recommended by the SAG and approved by the Air Pollution Control Officer.
State Parks Submittal Letter to APCD
Modeling to Determine the Condition of Excess Emissions for 2023 ODSVRA
In response to questions from the public about the effectiveness of dust controls on the ODSVRA, the District has prepared the following Frequently Asked Questions document.
Air Quality and ODSVRA Mitigations FAQs
In accord with the conditions of approval of the 2023 ARWP, the SAG provided recommended assumptions for establishing emissivity grids to be used in modeling of pre-disturbance conditions and future excess emissions reductions. State Parks has concurred with these recommendations and the District has approved them.
SAG Memo Emissivity Grid Cover Letter
SAG Modeling Memo
SAG Memo - Response to APCD and CDPR on Comments Regarding June 21 Emissivity Grid Proposal
SAG Memo - Analysis of PI-SWERL Measurements in Plover Exclosure Area
State Parks' Concurrence with SAG Recommendations
DRI Analysis of Divergent Results from 2023 ARWP modeling
Approval of Emissivity Assumptions, February 8, 2024
On August 1st, State Parks submitted their first Draft Annual Report and Work Plan (ARWP). The report was subsequently reviewed by the SLO County APCD and the Scientific Advisory Group (SAG). A second draft was submitted in September 2023, and the Air Pollution Control Officer has determined that the ARWP is provisionally approvable the end of September 2023. A Hearing Board Meeting and Public Workshop will be held on October 13, 2023. After considering comments received at the the workshop, the APCO will make a final decision on the ARWP. Approval of the ARWP may include conditions imposed by the APCO. See below for the Provisional Approved ARWP, various drafts and associated documents.
Conditional Approval ARWP
Conditional Approval 2023 ARWP Letter
Provisional Final ARWP
Provisional Final 2023 ARWP Cover Letter
Provisional Final 2023 ARWP
Provisional Final 2023 ARWP Attachments
Attachment 04: Increments of Progress Toward Air Quality Objectives (received January 23, 2024)
Second Draft ARWP
Second Draft 2023 ARWP
Revised 2023 ARWP Cover Letter
Second Draft 2023 ARWP Attachments
SAG Comments on Second Draft 2023 ARWP
SAG Memo - Summary of Executive Discussion
Provisional Approval of the Second Draft 2023 ARWP
CARB Letter
In September the California Air Resources Board provided a letter to the SLO County APCD Board concerning Oceano Dunes PM10 measurements and progress.
SAG Memo on Emissivity Grids
SAG Recommendation for Establishing Emissivity Grids
SLO County APCD Comments on SAG Recommendations
DRI Comments on SAG Recommendations
First Draft ARWP and Reviews
Draft 2023 ARWP
2023 ARWP Cover Letter
Draft 2023 ARWP Attachments
SAG Comments on Draft 2023 ARWP
SLO County APCD Comments on Draft 2023 ARWP
Scientists from the Desert Research Institute and SLO County APCD staff collaborated on a study titled "Quantifying the Source Attribution of PM10 Measured Downwind of the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area," which has now been published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Atmosphere. Lead author Jack Gillies is a member of the Scientific Advisory Group. The study concludes that "On days when the 24 h PM10 concentration equaled or exceeded the State of California Standard at the CDF monitoring station, mineral dust was a consequential contributor....The source of this component of the PM10 is attributable to the wind-driven saltation and dust-emission processes within the ODSVRA."
The Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) has prepared a "State of the Science" Report, which summarizes and synthesizes all of the various reports, studies, and other publicly available materials relevant to the Oceano Dunes dust issue and mitigation measures. This report was prepared independently by the SAG. The participation of the APCD and State Parks was limited to providing comments on a draft version.
State of the Science Final Report