CARB Environmental Justice Blog

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is committed to prioritizing environmental justice throughout all our work. To achieve this goal, we coordinate with our divisions to incorporate an environmental justice perspective in all our programs.   We also engage with community members to provide them with the most complete information available about the air they breathe, and work with them to improve air quality in their neighborhoods.   We strive to have meaningful dialogue with the public throughout the decision-making process so that all Californians can enjoy their right to a healthy environment at school, work and home. Veronica Eady, Assistant Executive Officer for Environmental Justice, leads CARB’s EJ initiative and is building a talented team to help address the environmental concerns of our most impacted communities, especially those in disadvantaged and low-income communities. Our EJ Team is currently comprised of Ryan Atencio, Trish Johnson, Desirey...

SACRAMENTO – Furthering California’s effort to put billions of dollars of cap-and-trade auction proceeds to work improving quality of life, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) today awarded $10 million in grants to help 25 community-groups and three Native American Tribes reduce air pollution in their neighborhoods. “Through this program we are working hand in hand with local communities to identify the largest sources of pollution and then take action to solve the problem,” said CARB Executive Officer Richard Corey. “These grants will help communities across the state take action to improve health and air quality in the areas of greatest need.” Today’s grants will help communities identify areas with most harmful air emissions and then take actions to reduce exposure or address the underlying cause of the pollution. Recipients are located in communities across California that face significant challenges with air pollution including the Central Valley, Los Angeles, Bay Are...

California Climate Investments (CCI) is a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment-particularly in disadvantaged communities. CCI-funded projects are administered by 17 State agencies, and have included affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling and much more.  At least 35% of these investments are concentrated in disadvantaged and low-income communities.    On March 12 th , community members, advocates, technical assistance providers, outreach partners, local government, and State agencies gathered in Riverside to hear from communities about how the CCI programs can fund strong projects that meet community needs. Just like CCI more broadly, this day was a joint effort organized and made possible by the State ag...

As part of CARB’s implementation of AB 617 , CARB established a consultation group to serve as an additional forum to discuss the development of the Community Air Protection Program. Dr. John Balmes , a Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and member of the California Air Resources Board, chairs the group. “I am excited to be working to guide the implementation of AB 617 with the Consultation Group. AB 617 is a ground-breaking law with the goal of improving the health of communities that have been most impacted by air pollution through identification of local “hot spots” and the development of plans to reduce emissions from those hot spots. The members of the Consultation Group include community-based organizations representing disadvantaged communities, public health advocates, leaders of large air quality management districts, industry representatives, and several members from academic institutions. I look forward to working with the members o...

SACRAMENTO – The California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced the availability of $5 million in grant funding as part of a new program to support the implementation of Assembly Bill 617 (AB 617). Signed by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. last July, AB 617 establishes a new community-based framework to improve air quality and reduce exposure to toxic air pollutants in California communities most impacted by air pollution. This first of-its-kind effort involves collaborating with local residents and air districts to identify pollution sources of concern, develop solutions and track progress together. As an initial step, the Community Air Grants Program is seeking proposals up to $500,000 from local groups. Grants are designed to help community-based organizations participate in the AB 617 process and build capacity to become active partners in identifying, evaluating and ultimately reducing exposure to harmful air emissions. “Providing air quality support to local communiti...

SACRAMENTO – El Consejo de Recursos del Aire de California (CARB, siglas en inglés) anunció la disponibilidad de una subvención de $5 millones como parte del programa que apoya la implementación del Proyecto de Ley de la Asamblea 617 (AB 617). La ley AB 617, promulgada por el gobernador Edmund G. Brown Jr. el pasado julio, establece una nueva estrategia de trabajo comunitario para mejorar la calidad del aire y reducir la exposición a contaminantes tóxicos del aire en las comunidades más impactadas por la contaminación del aire en California. Este esfuerzo, el primero de su tipo, requiere de la participación de los residentes y los distritos locales de control del aire para identificar las fuentes de contaminación que más preocupan, desarrollar soluciones y juntos seguir de cerca el progreso. Para comenzar, el Programa de Subvenciones del Aire en la Comunidad, busca que los grupos locales entreguen propuestas de obras valoradas hasta un máximo de $500,000. Las subvenciones e...

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) invites you to participate in technical summits on the implementation of the Community Air Protection Program (Program). The Program was established as directed in Assembly Bill (AB) 617 (C.Garcia, Chapter 136, Statutes of 2017) and provides a new community-focused action framework to reduce air pollution exposure in disadvantaged communities most impacted by air pollution.  CARB staff has drafted a concept paper with their initial proposals for CARB’s framework elements. The concept paper consists of strategies to reduce emissions and exposure, criteria for community emissions reduction programs, criteria for community air monitoring, implementation methods and a mapping framework. The three summits will be an opportunity for communities and other stakeholders to discuss, provide feedback and comments on the concept paper. Summits The summits will be held at the locations and dates shown below.   Each locati...