Oceano Dunes dust to be monitored

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• Officials proceed with Oceano Dunes dust rule work

  Officials proceed with Oceano Dunes dust rule work

  Despite two legal challenges, local agencies are moving full speed ahead to implement a new requirement to reduce dust blowing off Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area.

  State Parks is working to set up some mobile monitoring stations in the Dunes that will measure dust levels during the windy springtime when dust emissions are highest, said Dunes Superintendent Andy Zilke.

  Meanwhile, the county Air Pollution Control District is beginning a separate project to establish a series of temporary monitoring stations on the Nipomo Mesa that will allow the district to map the dust plume coming off the park, said Larry Allen, air pollution control officer.

• Review of Oceano Dunes dust control coming

  Review of Oceano Dunes dust control coming

  The county Air Pollution Control District will outline its plans Wednesday for reducing unhealthy levels of particulate pollution on the Nipomo Mesa.

  A public workshop will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Ramona Garden Park Center, 993 Ramona Ave., Grover Beach.

  Air district officials will discuss the results of a recently completed pilot program in which three different methods for reducing dust emissions from Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area were tested.

• Air board votes to cap dust at Dunes

  Air board votes to cap dust at Dunes

  After years of studies and negotiations over pollution coming off the Oceano Dunes, county air regulators took the first concrete action Wednesday to force the State Parks Department to reduce the amount of dust from the Dunes.

  The county air pollution control board voted to move ahead with new regulations that could subject Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area to fines and other enforcement action if dust blowing off the park is not reduced in coming years.

  After hours of discussion and public comment, the 12-person board of local elected officials decided health concerns stemming from the blowing dust trumped questions about the science behind the rules.

• Pismo wary of adopting dust rule

  Pismo wary of adopting dust rule

  The Pismo Beach City Council is sending a letter to county air officials raising concerns about plans to hold the State Parks Department responsible for unnatural amounts of dust blowing off Oceano Dunes.

  The council Tuesday approved a letter urging the county Air Pollution Control District to delay adopting a rule that could subject Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area to fines of up to $1,000 a day. Council members said they favor a more collaborative approach.

  Councilman Ed Waage, who is also a member of the air district’s board of directors, has been a vocal critic of a scientific study done by the air district that linked dune riding in the park to unhealthy levels of dust on the Nipomo Mesa.

• Grover Beach council won't support fines over Oceano Dunes dust

  Grover Beach council won't support fines over Oceano Dunes dust

  Grover Beach City Council members said Monday that public health is a top priority but they could not support plans to force the State Parks Department to reduce the amount of dust blowing off Oceano Dunes.

  The council specifically said it wants the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District to eliminate the portion of a proposed rule that could subject Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area to fines of up to $1,000 a day.

  Council members also said they hope the 12-member air board could unanimously agree on the program and tools used to reduce dust blowing from the off-road vehicle portion of the park.