OJAI : Council Asks More Monitoring of Smog

The Ojai City Council voted Tuesday to ask the Air Pollution Control District to improve its monitoring of air quality in the Ojai Valley, possibly by adding another monitoring station.

The voted followed a report from the district that said air pollution did not increase in the Ojai Valley during the Seacliff train derailment. From July 28 to Aug. 2, the Ventura Freeway was closed and traffic rerouted along California 33 and 150.

Although the Air Pollution Control District has not completed its own analysis of the apparent anomaly, City Manager Andy Belknap said it was possible that weather conditions were not right for ozone creation. Also, he said, the air monitor is located at El Roblar Drive and California 33, which may have been far enough from the detour route to account for the low reading.

Monitoring stations cost about $75,000 to install and $75,000 each year to staff and maintain.

The city is offering to assist the district by helping it obtain a monitoring site in the city and by asking the state to help.

Doug Tubbs, monitoring manager for the district, said the air pollution agency is looking into the request.

However, no action will be taken for about a year.

He said the district has just completed an analysis of its monitoring network for the coming year.

It will be at least fiscal 1992-93 before any new or expanded monitoring efforts will be made in the Ojai Valley.