AB 617 requires CARB, with input from air districts including Sac Metro Air District, to identify the communities throughout the state with the highest air pollution burden in which to deploy new community air monitoring. Community air monitoring is intended to measure localized community exposure to criteria air pollutants and toxic air contaminants. For the first year of implementation, air districts with identified communities will be required to deploy monitoring systems by July 1, 2019. All data collected from community monitoring is required to be shared with the state and public.
The District already has a robust air monitoring network with multiple sites across the county to assess regional air quality and to demonstrate compliance with federal and state health standards for criteria pollutants. To complement our existing regulatory network, we are also exploring additional monitoring approaches and emerging technologies based potentially on a mobile monitoring laboratory and low-cost sensors to give us a much greater local understanding in the determination of ambient concentration of pollution. Community air monitoring will also be used to produce data to support decision-making and track progress of community emission reduction programs.
Staff is undergoing its assessment to determine whether any communities in Sacramento County will be recommended for community air monitoring. Please see the section on Upcoming Meetings and Workshops on our central
Community Air Protection Program page for additional information on the public outreach efforts for community selection.
