CARB launches innovative mobile air monitoring program to target pollution in disadvantaged communities

SACRAMENTO - The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is launching a new program to enhance air quality monitoring across the state, with a heavy focus on communities where residents live near multiple sources of pollution.

The goal of the program, known as the Statewide Mobile Monitoring Initiative (SMMI), is to get more data about the levels and sources of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that communities face. CARB has awarded a $27 million contract to Aclima, Inc., a California Public Benefit Corporation that specializes in hyperlocal air quality mapping and analysis.

Aclima and its partners will measure air pollutants using vehicles equipped with specialized air quality devices to map the air pollution along public roads, particularly in disadvantaged communities that face a disproportionate burden of economic, health and environmental challenges.

Specific monitoring locations for the SMMI will be chosen through a collaborative community engagement process that kicks off with its first virtual public meeting on Sept. 17.

"Tackling pollution and identifying effective solutions to improve the health of Californians requires a clear picture of the sources and impacts of harmful emissions and pollution," said CARB Deputy Executive Officer Edie Chang. "California has been a leader in implementing the latest innovation and technological resources to ensure that we have the data needed to back our equity- and public health-driven goals."

"As a native Californian directly impacted by air pollution, this initiative is as personal as it is profound," said Davida Herzl, CEO and co-founder of Aclima. "The SMMI will provide groundbreaking data to guide action in the face of accelerating climate change and health impacts from air pollution."

The SMMI is funded by California Climate Investments, a statewide effort that channels billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars into projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, boost the economy, and enhance public health and the environment, particularly in disadvantaged communities. At least 60% of the air monitoring conducted through this initiative will directly benefit California Climate Investments priority populations- communities that are on the front lines of the impacts of climate change. Communities that will benefit from the project include parts of the statethat have been consistently nominated for targeted planning and action under the Community Air Protection Program, underscoring the importance of equity as a guiding principle for the state. As part of the SMMI, Aclima will outfit vehicles like this one with the latest air monitoring sensors and technology. While driving local streets, the vehicles will collect and record air samples every second.

The primary goal of the SMMI is to gather detailed data on air pollutants, including toxic air contaminants and greenhouse gases. Once completed, the SMMI data will be accessible through an online public portal. This information will help identify pollution sources and guide efforts to improve air quality in communities that need it most.

Community engagement is a key pillar of the effort to ensure that residents who are most affected by the impacts of pollution have a chance to guide the project and identify where resources are needed the most - a principle that is in line with CARB's Blueprint 2.0for its Community Air Protection Program.

The project will be guided by a Project Expert Group, where 50% of the participants will be community members from the selected communities. The group will help CARB and Aclima develop engagement strategies and community air monitoring plans.

CARB invites the public to participate in its online Air Quality Concerns Survey, which will help shape this and future community air monitoring projects.

Details and registration information for the Sept. 17 meeting are available on the SMMI webpage.

More Information

California Climate Investments 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.

Aclima, Inc. is pioneering an entirely new way to diagnose the health of our air and track climate-changing pollution. Powered by a network of roving and stationary sensors, Aclima measures air pollution, greenhouse gases, and toxics at unprecedented scales -- block-by-block and with source-level resolution. Professional analytics software translates billions of scientific measurements into environmental intelligence for governments, companies, and communities. Aclima is a purpose-driven technology company catalyzing bold climate action that protects public health, reduces emissions, and delivers clean air for all, and is backed by top-tier investors, including Plum Alley, Radicle Impact, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund and Bosch.

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