Stef Tonkin moved to Jacumba about two years ago and connected to neighbors through the local community center.
But nowadays, she spends her time indoors.
She first spoke with KPBS in January when she raised concerns about dust produced by construction of a nearby solar project affecting her health. Tonkin has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
“The amount of dust — it was noticeable prior to them ever breaking ground, but it was dealable,” she said in January. “I have been hospitalized several times recently because of having flare-ups with my COPD.”
Three months later, she says her health hasn’t gotten better.
“We're having to keep our doors closed and our windows closed because the construction going on next door in the field is so bad,” Tonkin said.
On April 20, the leaders of the Jacumba Community Sponsor Group emailed a formal complaint to San Diego County citing health concerns raised by Tonkin and other residents.
“Since grading began on Nov. 5, 2025, Jacumba residents have experienced sustained, severe dust intrusion — coating homes inside and out, contributing to new respiratory diagnoses, and, in the case of one resident with COPD living approximately 1,000 feet from the site, multiple hospitalizations,” the group wrote. “(Developer) BayWa r.e.'s own Fugitive Dust Control Plan identifies our community as "sensitive receptors" requiring heightened protection. That standard is not being met.”
The sponsor group is asking the San Diego County to conduct a compliance audit and independent, unannounced inspections of the construction site.
The solar project has been controversial from the start. Residents say it will damage the character of Jacumba.
The demand for more accountability and monitoring of the construction site, follows allegations from the community that the developer, BayWa r.e. Americas, has not followed a dust mitigation requirement listed in the Environmental Impact Report to pause construction on days when wind gusts exceed 25 mph.
Jeff Osborne, who is the sponsor group chair and co-owns the Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel, asked what steps are taken to reduce dust during high winds.
“It says that you are supposed to prohibit construction grading on days when the wind gusts exceed 25 miles per hour,” Osborne said. “Have you guys stopped project grading because of the wind thus far?”
“Not that I’ve seen,” said a representative from the developer.
Osborne replied back: “I have a weather station right here in town and since Nov. 1, there's been 16 days with gusts over 25 miles an hour.”
In the sponsor group’s emailed complaint, Osborne lists 28 days where a publicly available weather station in Jacumba documented wind gusts that exceeded 25 mph.
In the months since the January meeting, the county confirmed the contractor stopped work on several days when the wind exceeded 25 mph and “they continuously water the site when they are working as a preventive measure for dust control.”
County spokesperson Donna Durckel told KPBS they already conduct unannounced inspections on a regular basis to ensure the construction crews are following the dust mitigation requirements. She declined an interview about the sponsor group’s complaint.
Cody Ledwig, director of construction at BayWa r.e. Americas, told KPBS in an email that the company takes dust concerns seriously.
“This is a large project in a dry, exposed location and dust is a real challenge. We run up to five water trucks on-site at once, follow an approved dust control plan, and pause grading when wind conditions are too high. We have an on-site anemometer so staff can monitor conditions in real time. Our most recent feedback is that residents are seeing the effort we're putting in and complaints have come down significantly," said Ledwig.
But Katrina Olsen, a board member of the Jacumba Community Sponsor Group, said the community is still being impacted.
“We're just getting inundated by dust on a constant basis,” Olsen said. “And, people are getting sick.”
Tonkin said she has asked a housing advocate to help her find temporary living accommodations to escape the dust.
“I don't want to give up my place here, because I can't afford to live anywhere else,” Tonkin said. “She's trying to find me somewhere, even if it's just for a few weeks, to be away from here … I'm sure I'm not the only one that's trying to find something.”
A sign next to the construction site directs residents to call (562) 442-0729 if they see excess dust coming from the project.
