Warehouse fire in Tracy, CA, triggers Air Alert and Health Caution by SJVAPCD

The San Joaquin Valley Air District has issued an Air Alert and Health Caution today due to a structure fire at a warehouse in Tracy, California. According to news reports, the fire began yesterday around 1 PM and destroyed a massive medical supply facility owned by Medline. The fire then spread across the street to a Fed Ex warehouse storage yard and threatened other facilities nearby, including Home Depot, Amazon, and numerous other warehouses.

Here is a summary of the key details and safety recommendations from the press release:

Smoke Production and Movement

• Current Status: Smoke from the fire is moving southward along the western portion of the San Joaquin Valley.
• Overnight Forecast: Expect smoke to move eastward into the northern and central parts of the valley.
• Affected Areas: Surface smoke impacts are possible across San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and the valley portion of Kern counties. The heaviest impacts will be in areas closest to the fire.

Health Risks & Precautionary Measures

If you can smell smoke or see ash, you are likely being affected by fine particulate matter pollution. To protect yourself, the District recommends:

• Staying indoors as much as possible with windows and doors closed.
• Using indoor air filtration systems to keep the air clean.
• Sensitive Individuals: Children, older adults, and people with heart or lung conditions should take extra precautions and follow guidance from their medical professionals.

How to Stay Informed

• Air Monitoring: Additional temporary air quality monitors have been set up in coordination with the San Joaquin County OES. Real-time data can be tracked at AirNow.gov.
• Live Feed: A live camera near the fire location is available to view here.
• Local Updates: The latest incident updates are being posted on the San Joaquin County Emergency Services page.
• Mobile Tracking: Residents can download the Valley Air app to track local air quality across up to 10 saved locations.

FBI and EPA raid GKN Aerospace, Orange County D.A. begins criminal investigation related to May hazardous chemical storage tank incident

Most of you are aware of the hazardous chemical emergency incident in Garden Grove, CA last month. A failed valve on a storage tank that contained methyl methacrylate monomer caused the tank to overheat uncontrollably. Fears of a toxic explosion and spill led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of nearby residents.

GKN Aerospace, Garden Grove, CA 

Photo Credit: DigitalIceAge

As we noted in an earlier article, amid all of the news reporting, including print, radio, and TV, no one seemed to be addressing the question as to whether the company, GKN Aerospace, was complying with hazardous waste storage regulations before the incident happened.  This despite the fact that it had been previously fined almost $1 million dollars in January by the South Coast AQMD for alleged violations of its regulations.

Well, that has all changed. Today, with a search warrant issued by a federal judge on June 4, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) raided GKN's Garden Grove facility. The warrant authorizes federal agents to sweep multiple buildings and chemical tanks, seize chemical samples, employee training logs, internal safety complaints, maintenance records, and company communication.

The focus of the federal probe is on whether GKN violated the provisions of Title 42, United States Code, Chapter 85, Section 7412, which deals with hazardous air pollution.

In addition, the Orange County District Attorney's office is conducting its own criminal investigation of GKN. A strict preservation letter was issued to the company directing GKN not to modify or destroy any on-site evidence.

There are also about a dozen pending negligence lawsuits from local residents and businesses against GKN and its parent company, Melrose Industries. 

Crude oil slicks have appeared offshore Santa Barbara - are they due to natural seeps or the re-opening of a controversial pipeline?

Recent news reports of crude oil slicks appearing off of the Santa Barbara coast have alarmed many people. One such slick, nearing 200 feet long, has appeared near Butterfly Beach, offshore the wealthy community of Montecito. Other reports of numerous slicks further north have also been made. 

Butterfly Beach in Montecito, CA

Photo Credit: Niranjan Arminius

According to local and state government officials (the California Office of Spill Prevention and Response and Santa Barbara County), the oil contamination appears to be related to natural seeps. Further, there have been no reported releases from any crude oil wells or drilling rig operations in the area.

The presence of crude oil seeps in the area has been well documented. Early American Indians in the area were said to use crude to waterproof their canoes. The presence of such seeps was one reason significant offshore crude oil development occurred in the area.

However, earlier this year, over the objection of state and local officials, a nearby crude oil pipeline that had been shutdown following a disastrous crude oil spill in 2015 began processing crude oil once again on March 14, 2026. The source of the oil is production from existing offshore crude oil platforms.

Again, officials have concluded that the multiple reports of crude in the ocean appear to be due to natural seeps. But, is this just a coincidence or somehow related to the re-opening of the pipeline. We haven't seen anyone in authority speak to that yet.

What do you think?

CARB adopts changes to Cap-and-Invest Program to benefit consumers and business

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) updated its Cap-and-Invest Program (formerly known as Cap-and-Trade) last week. CARB asserts that the changes ensure that California maintains its path toward meeting its 2030 and 2045 climate targets while also supporting affordability for Californians, long-term investment in clean energy in the state, and helping industry by providing compliance support.

Photo Credit: CARB

The changes were made in response to economic impacts, volatile market conditions, global events, and federal disruption of incentives. As a result, CARB says these changes will maintain "environmental ambition" as well as easing financial pressures and helping to avoid additional costs for consumers.

Said CARB Chair Lauren Sanchez, 

“At a moment when climate policy is under attack and global economic upheaval is creating real uncertainty, this rulemaking is critically important for California. California has both an opportunity and a responsibility to lead with consistency. By moving forward today, we are responding to real affordability concerns while sending a clear and unwavering signal to the world that we remain committed to long-term investment in clean energy, good jobs, and healthier communities.”

Here are some key points from the adopted changes:

• Establishes more stringent allowance budgets to align with the 2030 and 2045 climate targets​: Guarantees the removal of 118 million allowances from allowance budgets, resulting in an 11% cap decline year-over-year for this decade and an average of 7% from 2031 to 2045.
• Dedicates 80% of allowances to directly benefit Californians: Provides $10 billion for electricity bill credits and maintains an estimated $8 billion for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
• Stronger support for California businesses and jobs: Doubles the Manufacturing Decarbonization Incentive Fund to $4 billion to support investment in California and help make up for the loss of federal incentives. Eligible entities include manufacturers – food processors, cement plants, and refiners, who make large investment upgrades that reduce emissions at their facilities and reduce future compliance costs.
• $800 million in added compliance support for industry: Enhances near-term stability, supports California businesses and jobs, and ensures no additional cost passthrough at the pump for consumers.

For more information on this program: Cap-and-Invest Program