Where O Where have my street sweepers gone?

Has anybody besides me noticed that every time a car drive by in the development, a cloud of dust flies past immediately thereafter seemingly caught up in the draft of the motion?? Have you noticed the brush marks in the dust at curbside, particularly around corners and areas outlining where cars are parked when the street sweepers have to bypass them. Have you noticed the increased trash around the curbs? (pretty sure it's not from landscaping leftovers-but that's another story) Have you noticed the increased amount of trash in the pre-cut/formed areas nears entrance intersections and other areas that are supposed to let the sprinkler water overflow pass unobstructed to the city drains? Have you noticed these areas filling up with blow sand and many types of other trash then turning to sludge, reeking to no end and now holding water for possible mosquito growth, etc... What's happened to our clean city streets? Why has the City cut down to street sweeping every other week rather than every week as outlined in the City's Street Sweeping Program which can be found on the City's website under the Street Sweeping Schedule You can also see the Map for the program by clicking in that highlighted area of the page. or if you're not good with websites, read below: STREET SWEEPING PROGRAM The City of La Quinta is located within the jurisdiction of the Coachella Valley and is thereby impacted by the particulate matter (PM) control measures delineated in the Coachella Valley State Implementation Plan (SIP). The City of La Quinta has adopted an Ordinance, control measures and operating practices that require street sweeping as an air pollution reduction control measure specifically targeting Fugitive Dust Control PM10. PM10 is a pollutant that poses a significant health risk. PM10 is emitted from motor vehicles and other sources, one of which is “blow sand” deposited on roads and arterial highways. As vehicles travel over the roads, the sand is subsequently ground into fine particulates and blown back or “re-entrained” into the atmosphere. Frequent street sweeping is an effective strategy for reducing re-entrained road dust and mitigating airborne PM10. PM10 refers to particles with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 microns or smaller. For comparison, the diameter of a human hair is about 50 to 100 microns. Exposure to PM10 aggravates a number of respiratory illnesses and may even cause early death in people with existing heart and lung disease. PM10 includes the subgroup of finer particles with aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 microns and smaller (PM2.5). These finer particles pose an increased health risk because they can deposit deep in the lung and contain substances that are particularly harmful to human health. PM is a mixture of substances that include elements such as carbon and metals; compounds such as nitrates, organic compounds, and sulfates; and complex mixtures such as diesel exhaust and soil. These substances may occur as solid particles or liquid droplets. Some particles are emitted directly into the atmosphere. Others, referred to as secondary particles, result from gases that are transformed into particles through physical and chemical processes in the atmosphere. The City of La Quinta and its private contractor use PM10-efficient street sweepers that are certified by the SCAQMD and meet testing and performance standards set forth in SCAQMD Rule 1186. Each street identified on the Street Sweeping Schedule Map are swept a minimum of once per week, resulting in a minimum of 316 linear curb miles swept per month. The City of La Quinta uses alternative fuel vehicles (see photo below) that are powered by Compressed Natural Gas or "CNG" to perform its street sweeping operations. CNG Street Sweeper The City of La Quinta receives AB2766 Subvention Funds each year. The AB2766 Subvention Fund was adopted in 1990 and provides a revenue source to reduce emissions from motor vehicles. AB2766 Subvention Funds come from the annual DMV registration surcharge of $6 per vehicle, 40% or $4 goes to cities/counties annually. Funds are distributed to 160 participating local governments. The AB2766 funds are used to implement projects that reduce mobile source emissions. The MSRC is the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee, established under state law (AB 2766) whose sole mission is to fund projects that reduce air pollution from motor vehicles within the South Coast Air Quality Managment District (SCAQMD). The SCAQMD is a geographic region defined in state regulations to include all of Orange County and portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. While the MSRC is not part of the SCAQMD, it has a unique relationship with the air district. The SCAQMD is one of eight member agencies of the MSRC, and by statute (AB 2766), the SCAQMD Governing Board is required to review and approve the MSRC’s annual Work Program in its entirety. The MSRC staff are located at the SCAQMD headquarters in Diamond Bar, and the monthly MSRC and MSRC-TAC meetings are held at the SCAQMD. Since the MSRC is a multi-agency committee, the SCAQMD also acts on the MSRC’s behalf as its contracting and legal agent. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) administers the AB2766 Subvention Fund Program. Please visit AQMD’s website at http://www.aqmd.gov/trans/ab2766.html for more information about the AB2766 Subvention Fund. Click here to download the City of La Quinta's Street Sweeping Information Flyer. (probably won't work in this blog-just call) For more information on the City of La Quinta Street Sweeping Program, contact James Lindsey, Maintenance Services Division Manager, at (760) 777-7052 or email jlindsey@la-quinta.org Ask questions and remember to "Keep the Faith"