Dear friend of the Sac Metro Air District: |
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Amid all the difficulties of 2020, those of us working to protect air quality and the global climate can look forward to the promise of the incoming Biden/Harris Administration and their stated day-one commitment to climate action. We welcome a federal government who is ready to bring good air quality to all communities, take on the climate crisis, and restore science and integrity to the work of important agencies such as the U.S. EPA, U.S. DOT, and others. The environmental policies and programs of these agencies can “make or break” state and local clean air actions. Thus, the “changing of the guard” is giving local actors like our air district renewed strength to accelerate and expand efforts and to do more to return the environmental protections lost over the last four years. The work ahead won’t be easy, but it is our last chance if we are to avoid plunging our communities into a polluted and uncertain world. Instead, we can look forward to a sustainable, green future of renewable energy, innovation, equity, and opportunity. We look forward to working with you and the rest of our partners in the region to take advantage of the changes in Washington, D.C., and to position the Sacramento region on a faster track to a cleaner, decarbonized environment for all.
- Alberto Ayala, Air Pollution Control Officer
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Clean Cars 4 All allows Sacramento's income-qualified residents to replace their old, polluting car with a new or used hybrid or fully electric vehicle. The program offers up to $9,500 towards purchasing an eligible car, significantly lowering the cost to buy.
Complete the eligibility quiz here.
Our website contains all you need to know about the program and items to help get familiar with electric car options and charging. A list of participating dealerships is on our website as well, so you can begin your new car search today. We encourage even those who aren’t eligible to let others know about this opportunity and share these resources. For more program information click here.
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For Courtney, a mother and professional, reliable transportation is a must! The CC4A grant she received covered almost the entire down payment of the 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid she now owns. With only 16,000 miles on it, she is looking forward to fewer trips to the mechanic and saving money on gas.
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District Awarded Funds to Monitor Air Toxics in Two Underserved Communities |
In late September 2020, the Sac Metro Air District received a $435,450 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to monitor for mobile air toxics in two environmental justice communities in the Sacramento region. This grant is part of EPA’s Community-Scale Air Toxics Ambient Monitoring Program and is specifically looking to quantifying benzene and other mobile source air toxics. Air toxics, also known as hazardous air pollutants, are linked to cancer or other serious health effects. Under the Clean Air Act, EPA currently regulates 187 listed air toxic pollutants. Through this study, the District will be able to better understand how to target and tailor our emission reduction strategies to relieve the air pollution burdens in our underserved communities. Read More.
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City of Rancho Cordova Project Lets Residents Monitor Pollution From Their Homes |
Bringing hyper-local air quality readings to residents, the City of Rancho Cordova has purchased 20 Purple Air Sensors that will be placed at the homes of volunteers residing within the city limits. These sensors allow residents to locally monitor particulate matter (PM), a type of air pollution made of tiny particles that come from nature and human-made sources such as wildfires, wood burning (smoke), construction, automobiles, and more. Localized air pollution data can help residents make informed decisions about their daily activities. In addition, the sensor data will be shared with the Sac Metro Air District, providing valuable information when preparing daily air quality forecasts, especially during wildfire events. The data collected by the air quality sensor is also sent to a publicly available site called Purple Air at PurpleAir.com. The Air District greatly applauds the City of Rancho Cordova for offering this valuable program to the community. For program information click here. |
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Our Community CarShare Continues to Bring Clean Transportation Options to Underserved Communities |
The goal of the District's Our Community CarShare Pilot Program is to lower emissions and increase electric vehicle access to disadvantaged communities by offering subsidized, zero to near zero-emissions vehicles to residents in seven affordable housing communities in Sacramento. The program has almost 600 members, over 37,000 reservations made, almost 89,000 driving hours reserved, and approximately 550,000 miles driven to date. Depending on the member's unmet transportation needs, the program offers electric vehicle (EV) car share, transit incentive cards, and volunteer rep drivers.
At each site, there are two EVs and two chargers. The residents at each site are allowed free access to the vehicles for up to three hours per day and nine hours per week. Transit incentive cards are provided to members without a driver’s license, allowing access to ride-hail and public transportation services. The program boasts 12 volunteer CarShare Representatives who provide on-site support, including rides to members who cannot drive themselves. Due to Covid-19, site visits have been replaced with bi-weekly virtual outreach and program recruitment. Upcoming sites include Washington Square in downtown Sacramento and Green Tech’s Del Paso Heights mobility hub. Visit us at AirQuality.org/Our-Community-CarShare
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Wildfire Smoke and COVID-19: The Connection |
Those recovering from COVID-19 may be at increased risk of the harmful effects of particulate matter pollution from wildfire smoke. Exposure to smoke may make you more susceptible to contracting the virus. Lighting a fire in your fireplace is like starting a mini wildfire in your home, which produces harmful smoke emissions. Avoid breathing smoke, whether it’s from a wildfire or from your fireplace, to protect your health. |
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Sacramento County added more near-zero and zero-emission trucks to their fleet in 2020 as a participant in our Carl Moyer and SECAT Incentive Programs. The county was recognized in 2018 as having one of the cleanest government fleets in the US, and they have not lost much momentum since. The Fleet management team, led by the county's Fleet Division and Parking Enterprise Chief Keith Leech, continues to be recognized as one of the top green fleets in the US for heavy-duty trucks. Read More.
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It’s the season to Check Before You Burn! From November 1 through the end of February, residents and businesses in Sacramento County and the cities of Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, Galt, Isleton, Rancho Cordova, and Sacramento must check the daily burn status before using a wood-burning fireplace or other wood-burning devices. This is due to the Sac Metro Air District’s Check Before You Burn law. No Burn days are called when weather conditions trap wood smoke near the ground. To protect public health and achieve federal air quality standards, it’s illegal to burn wood, pellets, manufactured logs, or any other solid fuel when fine particle pollution (PM2.5) is forecast to be high. This applies to indoor or outdoor fireplaces, wood stoves, fire pits, and chimineas.
To Check Before You Burn visit AirQuality.org or download the FREE Sacramento Region Air Quality App.
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