Westmorland, Brawley, and Calipatria - North Imperial Phase 1

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Overview

The proposed North End Phase 1 Community, which includes the cities of Westmorland, Brawley, and Calipatria, is within the jurisdiction of the Imperial County APCD and is located in the north end of Imperial County. The areas likely to be included in the proposed North End Phase 1 Community of Imperial County span approximately 580 square miles. A majority of the community area is agricultural land use, accounting for over 90 percent of the proposed community area.

This community has an approximate population of 38,000 and includes about 18 schools, 14 childcare facilities, and 11 hospitals or clinics which are sensitive receptors to air pollution.13 35 The proposed community area covers Westmorland, Calipatria, and Brawley and is located southeast of the Salton Sea. The City of Brawley is located in the Colorado Desert and Lower Colorado River Valley Region 26 miles north from the US-Mexico border and about 15 miles southeast from the Salton Sea. Westmorland is bisected by Highway 86, a four-lane expressway connecting Coachella Valley and Interstate 10. Westmorland is 31 miles north of the US-Mexico border and 6 miles south of the Salton Sea. Calipatria is 8 miles southeast of the Salton Sea and 30 miles from the US-Mexico Border.

The Imperial County APCD nomination letter outlines priority air quality concerns associated with transportation corridors, major goods movements, industry, and the Salton Sea. Agricultural burning and equipment use, off roading, fugitive dust from unpaved roads and heavy-duty truck traffic and idling are some issues highlighted in the nomination.

Most of the census tracts that make up this proposed community are considered disadvantaged per SB 53536 and low-income per AB 1550, the overall CES score of the census tracts that make up the North Phase 1 Community is at the 91st percentile. Table 5 also shows exceedingly high CES scores at the 99th and 92nd percentiles, for asthma and cardiovascular disease respectively. Residents also face significant health challenges for asthma, cardiovascular disease. Residents also face significant economic challenges as reflected by the poverty and unemployment scores of 98th and 100th percentile, respectively.

Community Advocacy and District Partnership

Comite Civico Del Valle, Inc. (CCV) has served the communities of Imperial Valley for over three decades and is also engaged in various other California communities through collaborative efforts with environmental justice organizations and in partnership with researchers, academia, and government agencies. CCV endeavors to improve the lives of disadvantaged communities; informing, educating, and engaging the community’s civic participation and was founded on the principle that “Informed People Build Health Communities.”

The Imperial County APCD partners with CCV in serving the Imperial Valley through the AB 617 program. They have successfully worked together to develop and implement a CAMP and CERP for the Calexico, El Centro, Heber Community also located in the Imperial County APCD jurisdiction.