Thursday, November 6: South Coast AQMD and Riverside County Supervisor Perez to Host Coachella Valley Dust Summit to Address Growing Dust Challenges

Air District Announces Three Part Plan Towards Mitigation

DIAMOND BAR, Calif., Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD), in partnership with Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, will host a Dust Summit to bring together air quality experts, local officials, community leaders, academia and residents for a focused discussion on dust pollution in the Coachella Valley.

The Coachella Valley has long faced challenges with dust pollution (PM10), often generated and carried by high winds across the desert. Dust pollution impacts air quality and also poses risks to public health and affects the quality of life for local communities. The Summit will hear testimonials from residents and local businesses, explore the sources and health impacts of dust, highlight current scientific studies, discuss current mitigation activities, explore future mitigation strategies, and provide opportunities for community input. Panel discussions, presentations and Q&A sessions will feature leading voices on air quality research and local dust management.

Additionally, the South Coast AQMD Governing Board approved a three-part plan to help address dust issues in Coachella Valley.

1. Scientific Research: Fund a team of dust researchers led by faculty at UC Riverside and UC San Diego/Scripps Institution of Oceanography to conduct field dust emission studies, satellite data analysis, and computer modeling to identify and prioritize the key dust sources throughout the entire Coachella Valley.
2. Targeted Strategies: With interim and final results from the study, dust control measures will be identified and evaluated to determine the most cost-effective mitigation strategies tailored to specific areas and dust types.
3. Implementation: Finally, South Coast AQMD will fund mitigation projects in key emissive areas using the identified dust control measures with a request for proposals.

The plan was approved by the South Coast AQMD Governing board in October. The first part of the plan is expected to begin in late 2025. The second two parts of the Plan will follow after completion of the first part.

Dust Summit Information:
The conference will be held on Thursday, November 6, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. The public can attend in person or via Zoom. For additional details about the Dust Summit, including agenda and updates, visit:
Coachella Valley Dust Summit

In Person:
UC Riverside Auditorium, Palm Desert Center
75080 Frank Sinatra Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92211

Virtual option :
Zoom: https://aqmd.zoomgov.com/j/1611757966 
Zoom Webinar ID: 161 175 7966 (applies to all)
English Teleconference Dial In +1 669 254 5252, Meeting ID: 161 175 7966#
Spanish Teleconference Dial In +1 669 254 5252, Meeting ID: 161 516 0458#

RSVP/MEDIA CONTACT: Connie Villanueva, [email protected], (909) 396-2409

South Coast AQMD is the regulatory agency responsible for improving air quality for large areas of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley. For news, air quality alerts, event updates and more, please visit us at www.aqmd.gov, download our award-winning app, or follow us on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram.

SOURCE SOUTH COAST AQMD