During a Town Hall meeting in Paramount held by the South Coast Air Quality Management District on June 21, residents requested clarification for submitting air quality complaints to the SCAQMD. Although the District recently updated its website, the public can still access the online complaint system via this link.
On the form, individuals should report:
- The time the air quality incident occurred and whether it is continuing at the time of your call or online report.
- The nature of the air quality complaint — smoke, dust, odor, or other.
- Whether you have experienced this type of air quality problem in the past.
- The wind direction, if known.
- The name and address of the alleged source and the type of operation, if known.
- Your contact information.
Users also have the option of attaching a picture or video to their complaint.
The two other methods of submitting complaints to SCAQMD are through a free mobile app – which can be downloaded from the iTunes Store or Google Play – or by phone.
Residents can call 1-800-CUT-SMOG (1-800-288-7664) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Complainants will be asked for the same information as that requested in the online form. Messages received off-hours are routed to a standby supervisor who reviews the complaint and takes appropriate action. Unless the air quality incident appears to pose a particularly serious threat to the health or safety of the public, the supervisor usually dispatches an SCAQMD inspector for follow-up during the next business day.
All three methods ask for the contact information of the individual who is reporting the issue. However, this information will remain confidential, and may only be released under very limited and unique circumstances, such as being requested under a subpoena or used for a legal hearing. This information helps SCAQMD inspectors verify complaint details as necessary, as well as possibly contact the complainant to discuss findings of the investigation after it has concluded.
For questions about this process or any other SCAQMD issues, please visit the SCAQMD Directory to find the appropriate department to contact.
Comments are closed.