Complaints should be
reported as quickly as possible after you
detect an offensive odor, observe smoke,
fallout, dust or any other air pollution
problem. The sooner a complaint is
received, the sooner it will be dispatched
to an inspector who can begin an
investigation. Problems should be reported
each day that they occur. The most
efficient way to make a complaint is to use
one of the District’s toll-free lines.
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How do I file an air
pollution complaint?
County of
Residence |
Toll Free Number |
San
Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced
|
(800) 281-7003 |
Madera, Fresno, Kings |
(800) 870-1037 |
Tulare, Valley portion of Kern
|
(800) 926-5550 |
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What information do I need to give the
District when filing a
general air pollution
complaint?
When making an odor
complaint, wind direction and a detailed
description are extremely helpful,
especially in situations when the odor has
dissipated by the time an inspector
arrives. Try to associate the odor with
something familiar to most people such as
rotten eggs, sweet or sour chemicals,
burned gunpowder, garlic, acid, chlorine or
asphalt. Other useful descriptions include
oily, musty, metallic, pungent, light or
heavy. Additional helpful information to
include is whether the odor is fleeting but
recurring or constant for long periods.
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What information do I need to give the
District when filing a
smoking vehicle
complaint?
A District staff member will ask the
following of callers on the toll-free
Smoking Vehicle hotline (
or 1-800-559-9247):
- the smoking vehicle's license plate
number (the program only has jurisdiction
over vehicles registered in the State of
California);
- the vehicle make; and
- the date, time and location of the
observation.
You may also access and/or fill out an
online smoking vehicle report .
Using the Department of Motor Vehicle's
database, District retrieves the owner's
registration information and mails an
advisory letter to the owner informing them
that a complaint has been filed against
their vehicle. All information involved in
the program remains confidential.
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How does the District
respond to general air pollution complaints?
Every complaint received
by the District is investigated and all
complainants are contacted, unless
specifically requested otherwise. The names
and addresses of complainants are
confidential and are divulged to no one but
District staff, except where required in
litigated matters.
During regular business
hours, complaints are dispatched by radio
to the area inspector as soon as possible.
An alternate inspector will be contacted
when the area inspector is unavailable.
During non-business
hours, the District’s telephone answering
system will forward complaints to the
on-call inspector who will contact the
complainant directly. Depending upon the
severity and nature of the situation,
violations in progress will either receive
immediate attention, or they will be
investigated the following business day.
A special form is used
by inspectors to record details of a
complaint investigation. These include the
date and time of contact, whether contact
was in person or by telephone, whether the
complaint was confirmed, and if it was,
pertinent details about the source
involved. This information is later entered
into the District’s database, where a
permanent record is maintained.
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How does the District
respond to smoking vehicle complaints?
Using the Department of Motor Vehicle's
database, the District retrieves the
owner's registration information and mails
an advisory letter to the owner informing
him/her that a complaint has been filed
against the vehicle. All information
involved in the program remains
confidential.
The letter advises smoking vehicle
owners that their vehicle was reported to
be smoking and recommends they have it
repaired to eliminate excessive emissions.
The letter also alerts the owner to the
fact that excessively smoking vehicles
violate the State of California Motor
Vehicle Codes (Sections 27153 and 27153.5)
which carries a fine of $100 to $250, --
depending on the type of vehicle -- for
first time offenders.
After owners make the necessary repairs,
they are asked to complete the Smoking
Vehicle Compliance Form attached to the
advisory letter and return it to District.
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How about "Public
Nuisance"?
Occasionally, the
District receives complaints that may
constitute a public nuisance. The state’s
public nuisance law prohibits emissions,
which cause offensive odors or other
disturbances in the community, create a
threat to public health or cause damage to
property.
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