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The California Air Resources Board (CARB or Board) will conduct a public meeting at the date and time noted below to consider selecting additional communities under the Community Air Protection Program and receive an update on the Annual Assembly Bill (AB) 617 Implementation Memorandum. This item is scheduled for the following date and time:
Date: February 23, 2023
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Location: California Environmental Protection Agency
California Air Resources Board | Byron Sher Auditorium
1001 I Street Sacramento, California 95814
Remote
Option: Zoom
This public meeting may continue at 8:30 A.M., on February 24, 2023. Please consult the public agenda, which will be posted ten days before the February 23, 2023, Board Meeting, for important details, including the day on which this item will be considered and how the public can participate via Zoom if they choose to be remote.
Background
California’s air quality programs continue to significantly improve public health statewide through various measures such as regional air quality planning, advancements in technology-based solutions, and risk reduction efforts near industrial facilities. However, despite these efforts across the State, certain impacted communities, particularly low-income and communities of color, continue to experience environmental and health inequities from air and other forms of pollution. For example, 91% of the population that makes up the 10% most impacted census tracts, as ranked by the State’s “California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool” (CalEnviroScreen), are people of color.
Communities near ports, rail yards, warehouses, and freeways continue to experience a higher burden of air pollution than other areas due to emissions from mobile sources such as cars, trucks, locomotives, and ships, while many also experience pollution impacts from stationary facilities such as oil refineries, oil and gas operations, chrome platers, and metal recycling facilities. Many rural communities contend with similar impacts as well as agricultural burning, fugitive dust, and high pesticide use. Residents in these communities are also more vulnerable to the effects of cumulative exposure, as indicated by disparities in health and socio-economic indicators.
AB 617 (C. Garcia, Stats. 2017, Ch. 136) requires the Board to "adopt a statewide strategy to reduce emissions of toxic air contaminants and criteria air pollutants in communities affected by a high cumulative exposure burden.” (Health and Safety Code § 44391.2(b).) The statute also requires CARB to annually consider the selection of communities for the development and implementation of community air monitoring systems and/or community emissions reduction programs. In response to these statutory charges, CARB established the Community Air Protection Program (Program) and adopted the Program Blueprint as the statewide strategy guidance document. Seventeen communities have been selected by the CARB Board since 2018. These communities as well as air districts, other communities, and stakeholders have roles in implementing elements of the Program.
Annual consideration of communities has been a constant since an initial 10 communities were selected in 2018. At the Board Meeting on February 23, 2023, the Board will hear staff’s recommendations for selection of two additional communities into the Program. CARB staff’s recommendation is based on statutory requirements, the Board’s prior direction, community nominations received to date, lessons learned from communities in the program, and funding levels provided by the Legislature for Program implementation.
Further inquiries regarding this matter should be directed to Laura Zaremba-Schmidt, Staff Air Pollution Specialist at (951) 542-3436, or Andrea Juarez, Air Pollution Specialist at (951) 542-3222 (Spanish).
Written Comment Period & Comment Submittal
CARB staff will present the Fifth Annual Community Air Protection Program Recommendations Staff Report at the meeting. The Board will consider approving staff’s recommendations for the selection of additional communities for the deployment of air monitoring systems and/or community emissions reduction programs. The report may be accessed from CARB’s website no later than January 24, 2023. Interested members of the public may present comments orally or in writing at the meeting and may provide comments by postal mail or by electronic submittal before the meeting. To be considered by the Board, written comments not physically submitted at the meeting, must be received no later than Monday, February 13, 2023, and addressed to the following:
Clerks' Office, California Air Resources Board
1001 I Street, Sacramento, California 95814
Please note that under the California Public Records Act (Government Code section 6250 et seq.), your written and oral comments, attachments, and associated contact information (e.g., your address, phone, email, etc.) become part of the public record and can be released to the public upon request.
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