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CAP Luncheon: Intersection of Climate & Air Quality (September 2021)

At the Cleaner Air Partnership’s September 2021 *Virtual* Quarterly Luncheon, attendees learned about the intersection of air quality and climate change, with a focus on local Climate Action Plans and connectivity to the 2022 CARB Scoping Plan update. We had a great lineup of experts with diverse perspectives on the challenges and opportunities for local action that address both climate and air quality inequities. CAP events are an opportunity to learn about important air quality topics affecting the Sacramento region.

Thank you to the generous contributors to the Cleaner Air Partnership: Sac Metro Air District, Teichert, SMUD, Sutter Health, Union Pacific, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, El Dorado County Air Quality Management District, North State Building Industry Association, PG&E, and the Healthy Air Alliance.

Guest Speakers:

  • Rajinder Sahota, Deputy Executive Officer for Climate Change and Research, CA Air Resources Board (Presentation)
  • Michael McCormick, Founder & President, Farallon Strategies (Presentation)
  • Nailah Pope-Harden, Executive Director, ClimatePlan (Presentation)

CAP Luncheon: Connecting Climate & Air Quality

At the Cleaner Air Partnership’s September 2021 *Virtual* Quarterly Luncheon, attendees will learn about the intersection of air quality and climate change, with a focus on Climate Action Plans. These two topics are often separated based on how each is discussed, regulated, and addressed, despite being deeply connected issues. RSVP Now: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZElf-Cgqj4tHdEckdl-yifvxJtUhVLB21Vl

CAP events are an opportunity to learn about important air quality topics affecting the Sacramento region. Thank you to the generous contributors to the Cleaner Air Partnership: Sac Metro Air District, Teichert, SMUD, Sutter Health, Union Pacific, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, North State Building Industry Association, PG&E, Healthy Air Alliance, and the El Dorado County Air Quality Management District.

AP events are free to attend; registration is required for planning purposes. Email Adrian Rehn with any questions or call (707) 813-1913.

CAP Luncheon: Fire & Smoke in Sacramento (June 2021)

At the Cleaner Air Partnership’s June 2021 *Virtual* Quarterly Luncheon, attendees learned about health impacts of wildfire smoke, and what local organizations are doing to address it. The event featured guest speakers, including Pat Dwyer of the El Dorado County Fire Safety Council, who presented on rural wildfire, smoke prevention and mitigation. Patrick Guild, Chief Operating Officer at Breathe Sacramento shared information on AB 661 and urban smoke emergency planning, while Vanessa Walker, DO and Medical Director for Sutter Health’s Valley Area eICU, discussed the human-scale health impacts of wildfire smoke.

CAP events are an opportunity to learn about important air quality topics affecting the Sacramento region. Thank you to the generous contributors to the Cleaner Air Partnership: Sac Metro Air District, Teichert, SMUD, Sutter Health, Union Pacific, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, North State Building Industry Association, PG&E, Healthy Air Alliance, and the El Dorado County Air Quality Management District.

Guest Speakers:

  • Roger “Pat” Dwyer, El Dorado County Fire Safe Council (Presentation)
  • Patrick Guild, Chief Operating Officer, Breathe California Sacramento Region (Presentation)
  • Vanessa Walker, DO, Medical Director, Valley Area eICU, Sutter Health

Federal Clean Air Advocacy Materials (April 2021)

The Cleaner Air Partnership (CAP) is a unique collaboration between Breathe California Sacramento Region, the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and Valley Vision, working to ensure that the region meets clean air standards that protect health, promote economic growth, and support equity.

In late April and early May 2021, CAP invited its members and stakeholders to elevate regional air quality priorities across 14 distinct “Cap-to-Cap”-style virtual advocacy meetings with Congressional representatives, Committee and Agency staff, and others to share regional priorities around three key topics: (1.) wildfire/forest health, (2.) mobility/electrification, and (3.) emissions from heavy-duty trucks. Participants in the meetings included air quality regulators, elected officials, environmental justice advocates, industry representatives, and others. The Policy Papers developed for each issue area were workshopped at a March 2021 CAP Luncheon, and can be accessed below:

1. Forest Health & Wildfire (Spring 2021)Download
2. Mobility & Electrification (Spring 2021)Download
3. NOx Emissions from Heavy-Duty Trucks (Spring 2021)Download

Advocacy meetings were held with the following offices:

  • Senator Alex Padilla
  • Congressman John Garamendi
  • Congressman Tom McClintock
  • Congressman Ami Bera
  • Congressman Doug LaMalfa
  • Minority/Majority Senate Committee on Ag. Nutrition & Forestry, Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources
  • Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works (Majority)
  • Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works (Minority)
  • House Select Committee on Climate Crisis
  • House Natural Resources – Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands (Majority)
  • House Natural Resources – Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands (Minority)
  • USDA Forest Service, Office of Legislative Affairs
  • US Environmental Protection Agency
  • Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES)

The Cleaner Air Partnership plans to continue its clean air advocacy activities as part of the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce’s annual Cap-to-Cap Federal advocacy program.

Climate, Justice, and Jobs Summit (March 2021)

Join the effort to build an inclusive pipeline to grow green jobs in the Sacramento Region! Workforce demands are shifting across our region in response to the climate crisis, policy mandates, and economic drivers.

Presentation: Climate, Justice, and Jobs Summit (March 2021)Download
Notes and Next Steps: Climate, Justice, and Jobs Summit (April 2021)Download

The Climate, Justice, and Jobs Summit, which took place on Tuesday, March 30th, 2021 from 9:00 AM – 1:00​ PM, explored how our region’s response to this critical moment will determine the roadmap for access to high-road clean economy jobs as we move to a low carbon economy.

Spearheaded by City of Sacramento Councilmember Eric Guerra and Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District Executive Director Dr. Alberto Ayala, this event included presentations on current climate legislation, justice and inclusion, and workforce development efforts. We also heard from a panel of youth and community members working in clean economy jobs, learn about their pathway, roadblocks, and effective supports.

More info and full agenda can be found here: https://www.valleyvision.org/projects/climate-justice-and-jobs-summit/

CAP Luncheon: Federal and State Air Quality Advocacy (March 2021)

At the Cleaner Air Partnership’s March 2021 *Virtual* Quarterly Luncheon, attendees learned about CAP’s early plans for Federal and State advocacy, featuring a “lay of the land” overview of Federal priorities from Miles Keogh, Executive Director of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA), regional priorities for Federal advocacy from Erik White, Air Pollution Control Officer at the Placer County Air Pollution Control District, and a digest of State-level priorities from Alberto Ayala, Executive Director and Air Pollution Control Officer at the Sac Metro Air District.

CAP events are an opportunity to learn about important air quality topics affecting the Sacramento region. Thank you to the generous contributors to the Cleaner Air Partnership: Sac Metro Air District, Teichert, SMUD, Sutter Health, Union Pacific, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, the Healthy Air Alliance, and the El Dorado County Air Quality Management District.

Guest Speakers (PowerPoint Presentation linked here):

  • Miles Keogh, Executive Director of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA)
  • Erik White, Air Pollution Control Officer at the Placer County Air Pollution Control District (PCAPCD)
  • Alberto Ayala, Executive Director and Air Pollution Control Officer at the Sac Metro Air District (SMAQMD)

Cleaner Air Partnership Luncheon: 2021 Advocacy

Registration required – RSVP here.

At the Cleaner Air Partnership’s upcoming *Virtual* Quarterly Luncheon, you’ll have an opportunity to learn about and discuss air quality advocacy priorities at both the Federal and State levels.

CAP events are an opportunity to learn about important air quality topics affecting the Sacramento region. Thank you to the generous contributors to the Cleaner Air Partnership: Sac Metro Air District, Teichert, SMUD, Sutter Health, Union Pacific, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, El Dorado County Air Quality Management District, and the Healthy Air Alliance.

All CAP events are free to attend; registration is required for planning purposes. Email Adrian Rehn with any questions or call (707) 813-1913.

CAP Luncheon: Local Air Quality and Climate Efforts (December 2020)

At the Cleaner Air Partnership’s December 2020 *Virtual* Quarterly Luncheon, attendees learned about local efforts to reduce air pollution and carbon emissions, featuring an update on implementation of the Mayors’ Commission on Climate Change, an overview of the connection between cancer and air pollution from the Healthy Air Alliance, and an update on the Sacramento Neighborhoods Activating on Air Quality (SNAAQ) project – an air monitoring and environmental justice effort led by Valley Vision, WALKSacramento, Breathe California Sacramento Region, and Green Tech Education in North Sacramento and Oak Park.

CAP events are an opportunity to learn about important air quality topics affecting the Sacramento region. Thank you to the generous contributors to the Cleaner Air Partnership: Sac Metro Air District, Teichert, SMUD, Sutter Health, Union Pacific, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, the Healthy Air Alliance, and the El Dorado County Air Quality Management District.

Speakers (PowerPoint presentations linked):

  • Kate Meis Wright, Local Government Commission (Presentation)
  • Jennifer Venema, City of Sacramento (Presentation)
  • Jim Kennedy, Healthy Air Alliance
  • Dan Witzling, American Cancer Society Los Angeles-Central Coast (Presentation)
  • Adrian Rehn, Valley Vision (Presentation)
  • Jordan Grimaldi, WALKSacramento
  • Patrick Guild, Breathe California Sacramento Region
  • Tyrone Netters, Green Tech Education & Employment

Cleaner Air Partnership Luncheon: Rural Air Quality Issues

Community Air Protection (SNAAQ)

Project Overview

In 2017, Assembly Bill 617 was signed into law, which created the Community Air Protection Program run by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

The Community Air Protection Program empowers California’s most polluted communities to monitor their air quality and guide investments to reduce carbon emissions and improve public health in frontline neighborhoods.

Through this program, CARB has awarded a series of three Community Air Grants to a group of local nonprofit organizations – Valley Vision, Civic Thread, Breathe CA Sacramento Region, and Green Tech Education – to help the North Sacramento, Oak Park/Fruitridge, and Meadowview neighborhoods monitor their air, understand how air quality impacts health, and develop a plan to reduce exposure to air pollution. CARB has posted online announcements of the first, second, and third grants awarded to this coalition. Click here for more information and background about why these neighborhoods were selected.

As part of the Sacramento Neighborhoods Activating on Air Quality (SNAAQ) project, the coalition has worked with residents of the project neighborhoods to accomplish the following:

  • Sited and placed 19 Clarity Node-S air monitors in locations determined by community members, with live-updating data linked to a public online portal;
  • Established an all-resident Steering Committee to make key decisions and guide a consequential participatory budgeting (PB) process to spend $100,000 in grant funds on aspects of the work;
  • Sent 29,000 physical mailers to households in North Sacramento and Oak Park/Fruitridge to gather resident priorities for clean air projects;
  • Developed Community Air Action Plans for each neighborhood, coupled with appendices, that were informed by a community-based planning campaign that included intimate, neighbor-led Environmental Justice listening circles, walking tours, and other events;
  • Begun to plan for an emissions reduction pilot program with a workforce development component, set for implementation in Summer 2023, which will inform the final SNAAQ 2.0 strategy;
  • Developed and deployed an Air Quality & Environmental Justice educational curriculum directed at middle school-age students of color, which included hands-on activities such as building box fan air filters and training on how to advocate effectively;
  • Organized a virtual SNAAQ “Design Challenge” event in February 2022 which also served as a regional air quality policy symposium;
  • Conducted outreach and engagement, including four multilingual listening sessions with live translation services, in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Vietnamese (the main languages spoken in our project areas);
  • Offered monetary incentives to participating residents in accordance with community engagement best practices;
  • Maintained a publicly accessible online data portal and project website with regular updates;
  • Developed an MOU between core partners at the outset of both projects;
  • Stayed apprised of statewide AB 617 conversations and best practices from other communities;
  • Deferred to a resident advisory committee in decision-making at multiple intervals.

worked with a community is empowering residents, business owners and educational institutions in these communities to identify solutions for achieving cleaner air and to take ownership of environmental decision-making processes that affect neighborhoods. The project has involved 1) air monitoring outreach and siting; 2) education and workshops; 3) community workshops; and 4) coalition building. In February 2022, an additional Community Air Grant was awarded to continue this work, with activities having started in Summer 2022.

Click here to view or download a Fact Sheet about the project.

Project Areas

North Sacramento: Bordered by Main Avenue in the North, Rio Linda Blvd and rail lines in the East, the American River in the South, and rail lines in the West.
Oak Park: Bordered by R Street in the North, Stockton Blvd in the East, Fruitridge Road in the South, and Franklin Blvd and Alhambra Blvd in the West.

Updates

Four community listening sessions were held by Civic Thread in January 2021, which allowed residents to share their concerns about air quality in North Sacramento and Oak Park. Live translation was available in the languages specified. Click here to access the media toolkit for the sessions with flyers, social media posts, and more in all four languages.

  1. Wednesday, Jan.13, 6:00 – 7:30 PM
  2. Wednesday, Jan. 20, 6:00 7:30 PM
  3. Tuesday, Jan. 26, 6:00 – 7:30 PM
  4. Thursday, Jan. 28, 6:00 – 7:30 PM

Survey: Civic Thread also developed a survey to inform locations for air monitors and to allow residents to express their interest in serving on a Neighborhood Coalition which will review community feedback and decide on the final locations of the monitors (20 Clarity Node-S air monitors split between the project neighborhoods). Monitoring will take place for one year and inform a Community Air Action Plan for each neighborhood, which will set the stage for investments to reduce emissions and improve public health.

Equipment deployment: Neighborhood Coalition members for each project area have been determined from the applications that were submitted, and were offered incentives/stipends for their participation. Across two meetings on April 20th and May 17th, 2021, residents serving on each Coalition determined locations for the 20 air monitors (shown on this map), with a 21st being co-located with regulatory monitors at 1309 T Street. Valley Vision has identified site hosts, secured permissions, and deployed the equipment as viewable on the map below.

The deployment of equipment attracted local media attention, linked below:

Breakthrough Sacramento students using food coloring and other household items to learn about how their daily activities contribute to air pollution.

Educational curriculum: Starting in March 2021, the SNAAQ project team, PAC, and Neighborhood Coalitions developed educational curriculum designed to increase awareness of air quality and empower advocacy among underserved youth. The curriculum also includes hands-on activities where students build their own air filters out of a box fan, HEPA air filter, and masking tape, and use food coloring to learn about indoor air quality. This curriculum was deployed in July 2021 in partnership with Breakthrough Sacramento with materials and support provided by SMUD. Click here to access the full Environmental Justice and Air Quality curriculum, and reach out to Katie Smet with any questions or comments.

Air Quality Design Challenge: On February 26, 2022, SNAAQ held a successful 4-hour virtual event for residents of North Sacramento and Oak Park to learn about block-by-block air quality conditions and design solutions to improve air quality, with generous support from SMUD. Participants received $100 stipends for their participation, with residents receiving an additional $50 for lunch. Attendees selected one of three working sessions on (1) Equipment, (2) Engagement, and (3) Data Analysis to share their priorities for action in each of these areas. Input informed the development of the Community Air Action Plans for each neighborhood.

Community Air Action Plans

The main product of the SNAAQ project is a one-page Action Plan for each project area that encompasses feedback gathered throughout the process. These products were shaped by residents through the Community-Based Planning process led by Civic Thread, which included intimate listening circles led by Neighborhood Coalition members, self-guided Environmental Justice Tours, virtual community block parties, and more.

The SNAAQ project team sought to ensure all education and outreach efforts were as accessible as possible by providing live and written translations in primary languages spoken in both project areas; partnering with trusted community-based organizations; and using the PAC’s expertise of their neighborhoods to build a diverse stakeholder contact list. Recognizing technological barriers that many community members face, laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots were provided to those in need to be able to participate in the project’s virtual events. Stipends and incentives were also provided to community members who participated throughout the project in an effort to recognize their time and expertise.

The Action Plans are intended to be simple and easy-to-understand – each is backed by an Appendix which summarizes resident input into the final set of priorities, solutions, and recommended actions.

North Sacramento Project Area

Oak Park Project Area

Air Monitoring Map & Survey

The survey closed at 11:59 PM on Monday, January 15th, 2024. Those who completed the survey have a chance to win one of five $100 gift cards, depending on your neighborhood. Winners of this random selection will be notified by Saturday, January 20th. If you do not receive a communication from us in this timeframe, unfortunately you were not selected for a gift card.

Live data from the Clarity Node-S air quality monitors are viewable from the portal above. Click on a specific monitor to view current Air Quality Index (AQI) information and levels of PM 2.5 (fine particulate matter). Click here to learn more about AQI and PM 2.5.

Analysis of air monitoring data has resulted in three products, made accessible to the public via the links below:

Project Advisory Committee

The SNAAQ project team is guided by a Project Advisory Committee (PAC) to inform project implementation. The main responsibilities of the PAC are to help design an effective community engagement process, to attend regular meetings, and to encourage community participation in this project.

Project Advisory Committee Responsibilities:

  1. Attend PAC meetings to be held every 2 months (remote via Zoom due to public health directives).
  2. Attend public SNAAQ meetings and workshops to the best of your ability.
  3. Provide guidance to the SNAAQ partners on implementation to ensure adherence to the awarded proposal and the AB 617 Community Air Monitoring Blueprint (as appropriate).
  4. Provide technical expertise (as appropriate) to both the project team and Neighborhood Coalitions as they determine siting of monitors and actions to reduce pollution burden.
  5. Connect project team and Neighborhood Coalitions with residents and community leaders who can participate in the project.

Committee Structure:

  • Air monitoring expert – District (Sac Metro Air District)
  • Air monitoring expert – Independent (UC Davis Air Quality Research Center)
  • Public health expert (Environmental Council of Sacramento – ECOS)
  • City of Sacramento representative (Office of Mayor Darrell Steinberg)
  • Youth representative (2)*
  • Environmental justice group representative (Red, Black, and Green EJ Coalition)*
  • Environmental justice group representative (United Latinos)*
  • North Sacramento resident (2)*
  • Oak Park resident (2)*
  • North Sacramento business representative (North Sacramento Community Development Corporation)
  • Oak Park business representative (Capsity Oak Park)

* = eligible for direct stipend of $75 per meeting attended

Sacramento Neighborhoods Activating on Air Quality (SNAAQ) is part of California Climate Investments, 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.

Email Adrian Rehn or call (707) 813-1913 with any questions.

Cleaner Air Partnership *Virtual* Luncheon Q2 2020

Registration required through Zoom: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2LE6Ri6MR3m6wZbZhW9Fyg


Please join the Cleaner Air Partnership for our upcoming *Virtual* Quarterly Luncheon! These events are an opportunity to learn about important air quality topics affecting the Sacramento region.


We will learn how businesses are affected by the fast-changing air quality, transportation, and land use ecosystem, including an update on regional advocacy efforts.







Thank you to the generous contributors to the Cleaner Air Partnership: Sac Metro Air District, Teichert, SMUD, Sutter Health, Union Pacific, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, and the Healthy Air Alliance.


Email Adrian Rehn with any questions or call (916) 325-1630.





UC Davis Transportation Plan of Tomorrow

UC Davis has a long history of leadership on transportation. Early world-class investments in campus bike facilities and the citywide Unitrans bus system have led to impressive rates of bicycling and transit use, particularly among undergraduates.

Today, only one in four members of the UC Davis community drive alone to campus – a remarkably low rate. Many institutions would be satisfied with that figure. To their credit, however, UC Davis leaders look at the 25 percent drive-alone mode share and see an opportunity. To seize this opportunity, UC Davis is committed to designing new strategies that improve the travel experience for the campus community that fit with the campus culture, while also striving to reduce daily congestion, impacted parking, vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions.

UC Davis is undergoing a transportation planning process called Transportation Tomorrow to understand the needs of the community and the possibilities for positive change within the system. The Transportation Tomorrow plan will serve as a roadmap for how UC Davis structures their transportation programming, policy, and infrastructure.

  • Healthy for People: Transportation Tomorrow will promote walking, bicycling, and transit over single occupancy travel; use of these modes correlates with physical health, mental health, and financial health for individuals.
  • Healthy for the Environment: Transportation Tomorrow will reduce harmful emissions and greenhouse gasses, and contribute to productive uses of prime campus real estate aligned with the institution’s learning and research goals.
  • Healthy for the Institution: Transportation Tomorrow will reduce capital expenses and debt service related to parking to reduce fiscal risk and prepare the institution to respond to potentially different transportation patterns in the future.

Planning started in January 2017 and the plan is currently being implemented.