Furthering
Community
Protections
THE AIR
DISTRICT CONTINUES TO
STRENGTHEN AIR QUALITY
PROTECTIONS
AND BUILD
PARTNERSHIPS IN COMMUNITIES
MOST
IMPACTED BY AIR POLLUTION.
Wildfire Air Quality
Response
Program
The
Air District continues to enhance wildfire preparedness efforts and strengthen the program
through new projects that improve indoor air, health and equity for those most vulnerable to
wildfire smoke. In 2021, a partnership was formed with the Regional Asthma Management and
Prevention (RAMP) to help distribute home air filtration units to those who are enrolled in
the California Asthma Mitigation Project, a state program that provides in-home asthma
assessments and care for those who are low-income and diagnosed with poorly controlled
asthma. Partnerships with the American Red Cross and county Offices of Emergency Services
were also created to help support wildfire emergency response efforts by providing portable
air filtration units to evacuation and sheltering facilities and publicly accessible
congregate facilities.
A new grant program with an additional funding of $3M from the
state will be available through Assembly Bill 836, Wildfire Smoke Clean Air Centers for
Vulnerable Populations Incentive Pilot Program, initiated by Assembly Member Buffy Wicks and
the Air District in 2019 to better prepare the region for wildfire smoke. The grant program
will allow counties to apply for funding to conduct air filtration and ventilation retrofits
and purchase air filtration units and replacement air filters with the goal of establishing
a network of Cleaner Air Centers in the Bay Area. The Air District continues to seek
long-term solutions to prepare for catastrophic wildfires and smoke impacts and build
resiliency across the region with our partners.
Watch Now:
Staff Statement Video
Three
new partnerships were created
to
support wildfire emergency response
$3M
will be made available to
establish
a Cleaner Air Center
network in the Bay Area
Play
Richmond-North Richmond-San Pablo Community Path to Clean Air
In
March 2021, the Air District’s Board of Directors announced the establishment of a community
Steering Committee to help guide the development of the Community Emission Reduction Plan
for the Richmond-North Richmond-San Pablo area. This Steering Committee is made up of people
who live, work and serve communities in the plan area and represent the diversity of the
community. The committee, led by Co-Chairs Y’Anad Burrell and Alfredo Angulo Castro, will be
instrumental in helping the Air District reduce pollution exposure and address health
disparities in an area that has historically experienced a disproportionately high exposure.
Air monitoring has been conducted throughout 2021, as part of the 2020 Community Air
Monitoring Plan. Insights from these monitoring projects, including a mobile air toxics
study conducted by the Air District, are used to support the development of emissions
reduction strategies.
West Oakland
Community Action|Plan
The
Air District and the co-lead partner, West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, worked
together to continue implementation of the West Oakland Community Action Plan. Through
partnerships with community and agencies, the Steering Committee focused on securing funding
for a healthy homes initiative, urban greening, access to free transit, reducing diesel
pollution from port and freight operations, and creating health-protective policy changes to
the City of Oakland’s planning code. The Sustainable Port Collaborative formed to further
support zero-emission goals at the Port of Oakland. WOEIP is also overseeing the development
of an ad hoc Health Equity Advisory Committee of the Steering Committee to evaluate the plan
implementation progress.
The Sustainable Port Collaborative formed to
further support zero-emission goals at the Port of Oakland.
Air Monitoring in|Refinery|Fenceline|Communities
The
Air District hosted a virtual community meeting in June on shaping the future of our air
monitoring efforts in Benicia — a refinery fenceline community. The Air District, with help
from the City of Benicia, identified potential locations in Benicia for a new air monitoring
station, and community members and stakeholders had the opportunity to inform final site
selection.
17
community members from across the Bay Area make up the Community Advisory Council
Community Advisory Council
In a
groundbreaking move, on Nov. 17, 2021, the Board of Directors approved the formation of the
Air District’s inaugural Community Advisory Council, consisting of 17 community members from
across the Bay Area, including two seats reserved for youth. The Board created the CAC in
response to community input and in furtherance of an equity-forward policy agenda. The CAC,
which is a Brown Act advisory council of the Board, will choose its own areas of focus, and
provide input on key Air District policies and programs. The councilmembers not only reflect
the diversity of the Bay Area and the lived experiences in communities heavily impacted by
air pollution, but are also individuals with diverse skill sets and a range of relevant
knowledge and technical experience. The CAC held their first meeting in January 2022.
Watch Now:
Feature Video
Play
Community Equity,
Health and
Justice
Committee
The
Air District Board of Directors approved the formation of the Community Equity, Health and
Justice Committee to address environmental justice and inequities in health outcomes and
economic opportunities in Bay Area communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution.
The committee will prioritize traditionally marginalized and disinvested communities in Air
District policies and programs.
The Committee will prioritize traditionally
marginalized and disinvested communities in Air District policies and programs.
Bay Air Center
The
Air District continues to implement the Bay Air Center pilot program, a technical assistance
and resource hub that supports community members and organizations across the Bay Area who
are interested in understanding and improving air quality. The Bay Air Center is
particularly focused on providing support to communities that have historically been heavily
impacted by air pollution.
PM2.5
reductions from refineries is a top priority for the Air District
123
RV trailers received air filtration units and replacement filters
Air Filtration Units|Distributed to Pier|94 Transitional|Housing Residents
In
2020, the City of San Francisco established a transitional housing site in the Bayview
Hunters Point neighborhood to better protect public health during the COVID pandemic. The
123 RV trailers that house residents at the site are situated near several different sources
of air pollution, including concrete and materials recycling and handling facilities. To
help address particulate matter exposure of shelter residents, the Air District delivered
air filtration units and replacement filters to the United Council for Human Services to
distribute to all Pier 94 transitional housing site residents.
Regulation 2|Permitting Rules|Amendments
In
response to concerns from the public regarding ongoing permitting activities in overburdened
communities — as well as information that demonstrates variation in air quality and health
vulnerability at the community level — the Air District Board of Directors adopted
amendments to the permitting rules to prioritize environmental justice considerations and
further promote the protection of public health and the environment.
Rule 6-5 Amendments to
Reduce
Particulate Pollution
from Refineries
The
Air District Board of Directors adopted amendments to Rule 6-5: Particulate Emissions from
Refinery Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Units. Fluidized catalytic cracking units are some of
the largest individual sources of particulate matter emissions in the San Francisco Bay
Area. Reductions of particulate matter are needed to ensure progress towards attainment of
all state and national air quality standards and to achieve cleaner air and improved public
health outcomes in the region.
Watch Now:
Staff Statement Video
Play
Assessing Pollutant|Impacts|on Bay|Area Communities
In
2021, the Air District took the lead on several fronts to assess, report, and regulate fine
particulate matter (PM2.5). In a cross-agency collaboration,
the Air District conducted rulemaking to reduce PM2.5 from
fluidized catalytic cracking units (FCCU) at Bay Area petroleum refineries. To support this
amended regulation, we developed targeted emissions estimates, a modeling-based evaluation
of air pollution levels, and a novel equity analysis by race and ethnicity showing who is
most exposed to air pollution.
To support future rulemaking efforts, we developed improved estimates of particulate matter emissions from residential wood burning, nitrogen oxide emissions from natural gas combustion, and ammonia emissions from a variety of sources. Collaborating with the US EPA and CalEPA, the Air District worked to develop and apply improved methods to assess health impacts from PM2.5. The Air District also developed improved emissions reporting methods for large industrial facilities in relation to the Criteria Pollutants and Toxics Emissions Reporting statewide regulation.