The fight for clean air in Stockton - Part 1: Identifying top polluters and impacts on public health

Stockton residents live with a significant air pollution burden and one of the highest childhood asthma rates in the state. Since January 2021, community organizations in Stockton and students and faculty from several universities have been collaborating in the fight for clean air. With input from community leaders, the student teams highlighted here have analyzed air permits, identified and mapped top emitters, pollutants, and changes in emissions, studied and mapped health impacts, and compiled resources on how residents can protect themselves and their families (see examples at the bottom of this post).

Watch the recording of the April 14 event, Fighting for Clean Air: Community-Academic Partnerships for Clean Air in Stockton, including presentations by Stockton residents, and students at Stanford and Santa Clara universities. The presentations documented as persistent problems the disproportionate presence of large air pollution emitters near Stockton neighborhoods with lower income and a greater percentage of the residents identifying as people of color, and the continued operation of many industrial facilities despite expired emission permits.