About Us

Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency is about Clean Air
Our job is to ensure that people have clean air to breathe. We do this by encouraging individuals to make clean air choices and by enforcing federal, state and local air quality laws.

When we began our work in 1969, businesses and industries were the primary focus for air pollution control. Over the years, new equipment and improved operations have dramatically reduced air pollution from the commercial sector.

Today, most of the air pollution comes from our everyday activities. Over half comes from our vehicles, with indoor and outdoor burning and gasoline-powered yard and recreational equipment adding to the problem. Click here for more details about our air.

In our work to deliver clean air, Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency (Spokane Clean Air) is committed to using its resources wisely and efficiently. We focus our resources on efforts that are cost-effective and provide the greatest air quality benefit, while disinvesting in programs and activities that do not advance our clean air mission.

Our Funding — Our budget for Fiscal Year 2007 (July 1, 2006-June 30, 2007) was approximately $1.8 million.  Our funding comes from a variety of sources, most of it local.

Spokane County and its cities and towns contribute to the work we do on behalf of their citizens through an annual assessment based on a formula outlined in the state's Clean Air Act. 

Permit and registration fees from businesses is another funding source, and we receive state and federal grants.

Air Monitoring — A network of seven air quality monitoring stations are located throughout Spokane County. To better assess air quality in outlying areas of the county, three new locations are being added to the network in early 2008 in Airway Heights, Deer Park, and Spokane Valley. The air monitoring information obtained helps in:

• Predicting daily air quality conditions and significant events (e.g. air stagnations)
• Calling Burn Bans
• Describing, measuring, and reporting air quality in our communities
• Operating a "Clean Air Network" to notify businesses and individual subscribers via email of air quality changes and clean air actions.

Business Registration, Facility Inspections & Compliance Assistance — Achieving emissions reductions from industrial and commercial operations

• Annual registration of approximately 650 commercial and industrial operations.
• Conducting periodic inspections of facilities.
• Issuing federally required permits.
• Providing compliance assistance, including on-site visits, technical workshops, and resource materials.

Complaint Response & Enforcement — Agency field staff respond to hundreds of complaints from citizens concerned about air quality. The most common complaints are related to smoke, dust and odors.

Education & Outreach — The vast majority of air pollution comes from individual behaviors, which is why we provide a host of education and outreach programs in our community. Public awareness of air pollution problems and solutions is key to achieving long term behavior change that will result in clean, healthful air. 

We partner in educational programs and incentives to encourage people to make cleaner choices whenever feasible, such as:

• driving less and using commute options (bus, carpool, bicycle, walk, etc.)
• reducing vehicle idling at schools, drive-throughs and railroad crossings
• upgrading to a cleaner, more efficient wood, pellet or gas heating device
• chipping, mulching and/or composting natural yard debris instead of burning it
• keeping vehicles properly maintained, including the correct tire pressure