Senator Padilla Introduces Measure Creating Dust Storm Forecasting and Warning System
SACRAMENTO – Today, Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) introduced Senate Bill 967, a bill to create a pilot project in Imperial County to develop a 3 day dust forecast and dust storm early warning system to improve the quality of life in the region.
Dust storms are frequent across parts of inland California and are expected to increase in severity and frequency as the climate changes. Early warning systems and dust forecasts are useful tools to allow communities time to prepare and mitigate the impact of these storms. However, the existing forecasts for dust storms are often inaccurate and uncommon.
These storms have a negative impact on public health in the areas of the state hardest hit by these phenomena; Imperial County is one such region. The county is home to the Salton Sea, California’s largest lake, where rapid evaporation, accelerated by climate change, exposes the lakebed which contains agrochemical runoff and heavy metals. These contaminates are then imparted into the dust which then becomes airborne, exposing the surrounding community to toxins such as lead, DDT, and chromium. As a result, Imperial County has one of the highest hospitalization rates for pediatric asthma in the state.
“Dust is quite literally choking the vulnerable communities across our state,” said Senator Padilla. “We need to invest in technology and programs that give these communities the tools to improve their health outcomes, and protect their families from the harmful impacts of dust storms.”
In partnership with the University of California Regents, SB 967 would request the regents develop a dust storm forecasting model and establish a pilot project for an early warning system in Imperial County.
"Dust storms are a fact of life across much of California, and they come with an array of negative health and public safety impacts from breathing in the particles and reduced road visibility,” said Amato Evan, climate scientist at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “To make matters worse, there is also a growing body of scientific research suggesting that as the planet warms, dust storms will increase across the Western U.S. Unfortunately, for Californians living and traveling in areas where dust storms occur, there are no reliable dust forecasts, nor is there a robust warning system for approaching dust storms. This pilot project will be the first step towards providing these communities the ability to plan ahead, reduce exposure, and take precautions to protect the health of themselves and their families.”
The measure will be heard in the Senate in the coming year.
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Steve Padilla represents the 18th Senate District, which includes the communities of Chula Vista, the Coachella Valley, Imperial Beach, the Imperial Valley, National City, and San Diego. Prior to his election to the Senate in 2022, Senator Padilla was the first person of color ever elected to city office in Chula Vista, the first Latino Mayor, and the first openly LGBT person to serve or be elected to city office. Website of Senator Steve Padilla: https://sd18.senate.ca.gov/