Air quality is important to the health of our residents and visitors. It is also important to our economy as the clear air and beautiful vistas draw visitors from all over the world. For years, those clear skies were compromised at the beginning of Fall with “scalping season”.

This annual “event” involved thousands of gardeners, golf course workers and others scalping soon-to-be dormant Bermuda grass to give the winter Rye grass a jump start on growth. While scalping promoted beautiful Rye grass growth, the scalping threw tons of dirt, pollen and dry Bermuda grass specks into the air causing havoc with allergies, which can be a serious health risk for people with breathing related problems, and degraded visibility.

In 2008, CVAG approved and promoted an Ordinance that has since been adopted by 8 of the 9 cities to encourage more air quality sensitive practices and requires landscapers take the course. Annually, more than 600 landscapers completed the English and Spanish language courses taught by College of the Desert (COD) instructors. Scalping is on the way out, good watering and timely mowing is in. To make instruction easier for landscapers and, in fact anybody who has 30 minutes to learn, an on-line course has been created.

Click here to preview or feel free to even take the course, yourself. See if you can “pass” and you too can print out your own certificate demonstrating your knowledge and commitment to protect our lungs and improve our beautiful mountain views next Fall. Know a Landscaper? Ask if they have completed the course. After all, clean air is everyone’s responsibility!

On Friday, February 11, 2011, at 10:00 a.m., the City of Palm Desert will hold a dedication of the Portola Bridge honoring former Palm Desert City Councilmember Richard S. Kelly.

As a Councilmember, Dick Kelly worked diligently on all things transportation and was instrumental in the passage of the original Measure A, as well as the extension of Measure A in 2002.  Dick Kelly served on CVAG's Transportation Committee for all 27 years that he served on the Palm Desert City Council.

This event will take place on the Portola Bridge in Palm Desert, with parking encouraged on Portola Avenue, just south of Hovely Lane.  For more information on the event, please contact Frankie Riddle, Director of Special Programs, at the City of Palm Desert (760-346-0611).

Click here for program.

Planning for the 2011 Coachella Valley Energy Summit on Thursday, May 12, 2011 is now underway as a collaborative partnership between CVAG and the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP). The Energy Summit will bring together local, regional, and national leaders in government, energy, and the private sector to explore and discuss how our region can advance energy efficiency, renewable energy, greenhouse gas reduction, and green job growth in the Coachella Valley and beyond. The Energy Summit will emphasize interaction and dialogue among participants and speakers. We expect attendance to include leaders in government, education, and the commercial sector who are working to advance energy and sustainability goals; entrepreneurs and investors considering business creation in the clean energy sector are also encouraged to attend. On Friday, May 13, CVEP will host a business development tour to highlight renewable energy and other clean technology opportunities in the Coachella Valley region. A major sponsorship commitment has already been made by Southern California Edison and other sponsors are being sought. Actor and environmentalist Ed Begley Jr. has committed as a keynote speaker.

The Energy Summit will focus on leadership in energy and sustainability by Coachella Valley communities and progress made

since the 2009 Energy Summit. For example, in 2010 Coachella Valley jurisdictions saved over 1.2 million kilowatt hours of electricity through the Desert Cities Energy Partnership. The Partnership is also promoting energy efficiency in natural gas use. In 2011, CVAG and the Desert Cities Energy Partnership will launch a Green Government Initiative with funding from Southern California Edison to help cities become more energy efficient and reduce greenhouse gases. Look for more information about the Energy Summit in the near future.

Former

Council 

 Member

 Dick

Kelly