CA / county FIPS 06083 / county research

Santa Barbara County, California: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Santa Barbara County is 126.6 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Stomach deaths at 1.3 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 1,770 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (567), Small hazardous waste generator (559), Rail grade crossing (166). 4 correctional facilities operate in the county. EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 30 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 34.7418, -120.0356.

How this county ranks in California

View on the heat map Scan an address in this county

Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Santa Barbara County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	36	23.8	1.51xSignificant	33.7 to 38.5	2019-2023
Stomach	Deaths	3.6	2.7	1.33xSignificant	2.9 to 4.4	2020-2024
Melanoma of the skin	Deaths	2.5	2	1.25x	1.9 to 3.2	2020-2024
Thyroid	Deaths	0.6	0.5	1.2x	0.3 to 1	2020-2024
Childhood cancer (under 15)	New cases	19.1	16.4	1.16x	15.1 to 23.7	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	16.7	14.5	1.15xSignificant	15.1 to 18.5	2019-2023
Stomach	New cases	7.6	6.6	1.15x	6.5 to 8.8	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	New cases	9.6	8.7	1.1x	8.4 to 10.9	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	20.1	18.5	1.09x	18.4 to 22	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	486.9	453.4	1.07xSignificant	478.2 to 495.8	2019-2023
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	6.7	6.6	1.02x	5.8 to 7.8	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	Deaths	4.4	4.4	1x	3.6 to 5.3	2020-2024
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	Deaths	4.8	4.8	1x	4 to 5.7	2020-2024
Brain & nervous system	New cases	6.1	6.2	0.98x	5.1 to 7.2	2019-2023
Esophagus	New cases	4.5	4.6	0.98x	3.7 to 5.4	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	18.1	18.7	0.97x	16.5 to 19.8	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	13.4	13.9	0.96x	12 to 14.9	2019-2023
Pancreas	Deaths	10.8	11.3	0.96x	9.6 to 12.1	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	5.4	5.7	0.95x	4.5 to 6.4	2020-2024
Thyroid	New cases	12.3	13	0.95x	10.9 to 14	2019-2023
Esophagus	Deaths	3.5	3.7	0.95x	2.8 to 4.3	2020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	16.6	17.9	0.93x	15 to 18.4	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	Deaths	3.1	3.4	0.91x	2.5 to 3.9	2020-2024
All cancer	Deaths	126.6	143.2	0.88x	122.4 to 131	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	35.2	51.8	0.68x	33 to 37.5	2019-2023
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	20.2	30.2	0.67x	18.6 to 22	2020-2024
Bladder	Deaths	2.6	4.1	0.63x	2 to 3.2	2020-2024

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Santa Barbara County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	6,122.9	9,842.6	-38%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	80.6	75.3	+7%	years
Child mortality	41.9	59.8	-30%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	4.4	6.2	-29%	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	66.4	96.9	-31%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	25.7	28.6	-10%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 30 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde19 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.91 per million
Acetaldehyde1.63 per million
Pahpom1.18 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 164 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 52, peak 87.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

1,770 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

NPDES wastewater discharge permit567
Small hazardous waste generator559
Rail grade crossing166
Industrial wastewater discharge135
Large hazardous waste generator134
Hazardous waste transporter85
Air permit holder (minor source)33
Major air pollution source26
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)12
EPA air quality monitor11
TRI reporting facility11
Commercial airport5
Large greenhouse gas emitter5
Public airport4
Correctional facility (prison or jail)4
Brownfield property3
Heliport2
Biomass power plant2
Gas power plant2
Solar power plant2
Battery storage plant1
Superfund (NPL) site1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

Casmalia Resources, Casmalia
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 30. NPL Site.
EPA site ID CAD020748125 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Us Dod Usaf Vandenberg Afb, Vandenberg Afb
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Toluene, Lead, Xylene (mixed isomers), Ethylbenzene and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 6,963 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 93437SDDSF747NE (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.4
Fcc Lompoc, Lompoc
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Lead. Reports carcinogens. 2,838 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 9343WSPNTN391KL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.2
Nusil Technology Llc, Carpinteria
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Xylene (mixed isomers), Ethylbenzene. Reports carcinogens. 1,811 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 93013MCGHN1150M (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7
Greka Refining Company, Santa Maria
Large hazardous waste generator. Penalties $2,518,600.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000481817 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
The Pictsweet Co - Santa Maria Ca Plant, Santa Maria
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia. 63,248 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 93454LPCFD732SH (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 6.7
Greka Refining Company, Santa Maria
Large greenhouse gas emitter. Penalties $2,518,600.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000481817 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Calportland - Santa Maria Plant, Santa Maria
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110012694110 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Alfco - Division Of Home Care Ind. Inc., Carpinteria
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110019006467 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Cat Canyon, Santa Maria
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064262122 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Lompoc Sanitary Landfill, Lompoc
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064431690 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
University Of California Santa Barbara (Ucsb), Santa Barbara
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110064433411 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara
EPA air quality monitor.
Record ID 060830011 (U.S. EPA AirData)
Severity 6.4
The Pictsweet Company - Santa Maria, Ca Facility, Santa Maria
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000481826 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Calportland - Santa Maria Plant, Santa Maria
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110012694110 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
El Estero Wwtp, Santa Barbara
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $3,000.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000730638 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.8
Greka Refining Company, Santa Maria
Small hazardous waste generator. Penalties $2,518,600.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000481817 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Greka Refining Company, Santa Maria
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $2,518,600.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000481817 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Calportland - Santa Maria Plant, Santa Maria
Large greenhouse gas emitter.
EPA FRS registry ID 110012694110 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.5
Lompoc Wastewater Plant, Lompoc
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009547222 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.3
Vandenberg Afb, Lompoc
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110010627919 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.2
United States Penitentiary, Lompoc
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110002411872 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.1
Okonite Co Inc, Santa Maria
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper, Zinc compounds, Antimony compounds, Lead compounds. 521 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 93455KNTCM2900S (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.1
Greka Refining Company, Santa Maria
Air permit holder (minor source). Penalties $2,518,600.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000481817 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Greka Refining Company, Santa Maria
Hazardous waste transporter. Penalties $2,518,600.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000481817 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

United States Penitentiary, Lompoc
EPA FRS registry ID
110002411872
Wastewater permit
None on record
EPA detailed facility report
Northern Branch Jail Project -Utilities, Santa Maria
EPA FRS registry ID
x058c51a125b5209ea490942bdc0831c5
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report
Northern Branch Jail Project, Santa Maria
EPA FRS registry ID
x21d03176dba8886e475fb4009f7a2ed2
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report
0t6304 Sb 101 Gaviota Curve Correction, Goleta
EPA FRS registry ID
x5ea587554df0aed28cabdce63fbc1b8a
Wastewater permit
Yes
EPA detailed facility report

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Santa Barbara County

California state cancer registry
Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Santa Barbara County, and their findings.
California vital statistics office
Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.
California health department, environmental epidemiology
Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.
California environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office
Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.
California drinking water program
Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.
Department of corrections or county sheriff
Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

Scan an address in Santa Barbara County View on the heat map All California counties