Letter to the Editor: Does Napa County Have the Dirtiest Air in the Bay Area?

NAPA, CA – The following letter to the editor was submitted regarding air quality in Napa County and the Bay Area.

Dear Editor,

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District seems to think that Napa County has the dirtiest air in the Bay Area but no one here does. In fact, the air is not unhealthful or even poor anywhere in Napa County but the Air District always insists that Napa’s air is so poor that they must declare a no-burn day for the entire Bay Area.

A bit of history. First, the single Napa County sensor is located on top of a strip mall with various polluting sources, next to the city of Napa’s busiest street (as reported previously to the media). These sensors are, by both Air District and EPA rules, supposed to be in residential neighborhoods. After a complaint was filed with the EPA, the EPA ordered the Air District to move the sensor. Unfortunately, they are in the process of moving it to Napa Valley College, a commuter school next to Napa Pipe, a project that will involve the construction of over 900 homes, a Costco, and many retail and semi-industrial businesses. Again, not a residential area, something that will be brought to the attention of the EPA shortly.

Secondly, a former Information Officer for the Air District tried to sell Spare-the-Air to Napa County years ago but was ungracefully told that no one here wanted or needed it. Her last words were “this isn’t over yet” and one has to wonder if blaming Napa for no-burn days is a vendetta against us. Unfortunately, there is no way of proving this since this person retired a few years ago although the timing of the construction of the Air District’s single Napa sensor and their lack of truth to the EPA about its location happened at about the same.

Over 80 percent of no-burn days declared since Spare-the-Air began are due to Napa’s air quality. We have downloaded the data three times per day since the first season and can prove this. The data show some interesting facts such as the unimaginative selection of AQI data values; for instance, the forecast is usually 82 or 83 and, suddenly, jumps to 102 (100 or more is needed to declare a no-burn day). This is a statistical impossibility and clearly a bureaucratic (and non-scientific) decision. This just happened for tomorrow’s no-burn day.

The second culprit, albeit far behind, is Santa Clara county where three sensors are literally on runways of small airports. A fourth one is on top of a strip mall. Even with these higher-pollutant sources nearby, the Air District still only manages to blame Santa Clara county once or twice per season. Anyone who has been in Santa Clara County knows that the air quality is far worse than in Napa, although still not bad.

Two seasons ago, there were 26 no-burn days declared. Without Napa county, there would have been two (2). Last season, while the EPA was investigating the Air District for it not telling the truth about the location of the single Napa county sensor, there was only one no-burn day declared. What are the odds of having 26 no-burn days one season and then go down to two and then one subsequently, for legitimate and scientific reasons? Zero percent.

The problem with the Air District and other self-regulating “special districts” is that they raise their own funds through taxes and fees, and then spend them, often without adequate regulation or oversight. Hopefully, the work you in the media and investigative reporting world do will help keep them in check and working for us for the right reasons.

Thank you,

R.M.
Napa

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