Coachella Today

Assemblymembers Wallis and Garcia Join to Address Urgent Air Quality Concerns in the Coachella Valley

Sacramento, CA – June 28, 2024 – Assemblymember Greg Wallis and Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, representing the greater Coachella Valley, have joined together to request swift action to address the worsening air quality in the Coachella Valley. In a letter to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), they highlighted the critical discrepancy between the AQMD’s claims of improving air quality and the reality on the ground.

Despite assertions by the AQMD, the air quality in the Coachella Valley has not shown significant improvement. The windy spring season has exacerbated the problem by stirring up dust and clay deposits left behind by Tropical Storm Hillary, leading to elevated levels of harmful PM10 particles in the air.

The request from Assemblymembers Wallis and Garcia emphasizes the urgent need for AQMD to prioritize this issue and implement more effective measures. These include suggestions from the Coachella Valley Association of Governments, along with increased monitoring, stricter enforcement of air quality regulations, and more robust public awareness campaigns to inform residents about ways to reduce exposure to harmful pollutants.