Report 2019-127 Recommendation 6 Responses

Report 2019-127: San Diego County Air Pollution Control District: It Has Used Vehicle Registration Fees to Subsidize Its Permitting Process, Reducing the Amount of Funds Available to Address Air Pollution (Release Date: July 2020)

Recommendation #6 To: San Diego County Air Pollution Control District

To ensure that it is responsive to its stakeholders and encourages public participation in the creation of its regulatory and permitting policies, the San Diego Air District should create and implement a public participation plan by January 2021 that includes both public outreach and public engagement activities.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2022

On April 14, 2022, the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District's Governing Board approved the Public Participation Plan (PPP) for the district. The PPP is the guiding document for developing and implementing public participation across APCD's many functions and programs that improve air quality. Developed through extensive and close engagement with the community—particularly those who are disproportionately impacted by air quality issues—this plan outlines how APCD will honor principles of community engagement through a comprehensive set of goals and strategies that are based on the community's priorities for meaningful and robust public participation. The PPP can be accessed online at https://www.sdapcd.org/content/dam/sdapcd/documents/community/public-participation-plan-/APCD-Public-Participation-Plan-Board%20Packet.pdf

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2021

On February 16, 2021, APCD hired a Public Outreach Coordinator. Since then, this position has been increasing public outreach and engagement activities in English and Spanish by establishing a more active presence in social media, establishing relationships with community-based organizations (CBOs), assisting APCD staff in promoting public meetings and workshops, assisting staff in developing public-friendly messaging, and starting the development of a Public Participation Plan (PPP). To help inform plan development, the District has surveyed other public agencies to identify current best practices in public outreach and engagement. ACPD also secured grant funding to develop the plan and has hired a consultant who will fully develop a PPP by early 2022. Currently, the consultant is working with CBOs to conduct focus groups with community members to help inform the PPP and will present an update and obtain input from the APCD Governing Board in December, 2021.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

The Air District reported that it hired a public outreach coordinator in February 2021, and in its one-year response it stated that it planned to develop a public participation plan by the end of 2021. However, in its October 2021 response the Air District revised that completion date and stated that now it does not expect to develop a public participation plan until Spring 2022. This is more than one year after our recommended deadline of January 2021.

1-Year Agency Response

On February 16, 2021, APCD a hired a Public Outreach Coordinator. This position has been increasing public outreach and engagement activities in English and Spanish by establishing a more active presence in social media, establishing relationships with community-based organizations, assisting APCD staff in promoting public meetings and workshops, assisting staff in developing public-friendly messaging, and starting the development of a Public Participation Plan. Additionally, to help inform plan development, the District has surveyed other public agencies to identify current best practices in public outreach and engagement. ACPD has also secured grant funding to develop the plan and, in accordance with best practices, has hired an expert consultant (MIG Communications) that is assisting APCD in fully developing a Public Participation Plan by the end of 2021.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

The Air District stated that it expects to fully develop a public participation plan by the end of 2021, a year after our recommended deadline of January 2021.

6-Month Agency Response

The District opened a recruitment on September 8, 2020, to hire a bilingual Communications Program Coordinator to oversee and enhance its public outreach and engagement activities (see attachment). The hiring process is scheduled for completion by the end of January 2021. Assigned priorities include creating and implementing a public participation plan. To help inform plan development, the District has surveyed other public agencies to identify current best practices in public outreach and engagement.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

We look forward to reviewing the San Diego Air District's public participation plan upon its scheduled completion in June 2021.

60-Day Agency Response

The District opened a recruitment on September 8, 2020, to hire a Program Coordinator to enhance its public outreach and engagement activities (see attachment). Assigned priorities include creating and implementing a public participation plan.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

The San Diego Air District began the process of hiring a Program Coordinator whose duties will include creating a public participation plan. However, it did not identify an expected time frame for creating and implementing that plan. We look forward to reviewing the District's progress in its 6-month response.

All Recommendations in 2019-127

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.