Model City Clean Air Award
During their 16th annual Clean Air Awards, the Air Quality Management District awarded the City of Riverside the 2004 award for model community achievement. Riverside has been proactive and innovative in significantly improving the air quality in its region through an 11-point program that includes:

     •  Promotion of alternative fuel vehicles for public and private use
     •  Opening a compressed natural gas fast-fill fueling station to the public
     •  Incorporating an element into its general plan that addresses air quality
         issues as they relate to land use, transportation demands and jobs-housing
         balance

2004 Innovation Award for Municipal Cooperation
Sister Cities International promotes peace through mutual respect, understanding, & cooperation - one individual, one community at a time. In 2004, Sister Cities awarded the City of Riverside with an award for creatively sharing its resources with sister city, Ensenada, Mexico. Since 1976, the City of Riverside and Ensenada, Mexico fostered a strong and cooperative sister city relationship. The program started with a donation of surplus property 20 years ago and evolved into more meaningful partnerships between Riverside municipal departments and public service agencies with their sister city counterparts. The Riverside Public Safety departments have a long-standing policy that surplus items will go to Ensenada. When the Riverside Fire Department transfers a fire engine or other equipment to their counterparts in Ensenada, it is customary for the sister city fire departments to participate in training exercises. In 2003, equipment given to Ensenada included a rescue squad vehicle and fire truck for the fire department, 100 used uniforms for the police department and 500 new Spanish-language children's books for the public library.