Air District Board members, Community Steering Committee members, and staff toured South Sacramento-Florin on an electric school bus on Monday, June 24 as part of the ongoing partnership to revisit AB 617 community boundaries.

The Sac Metro Air District has officially requested the California Air Resources Board (CARB) consider its AB 617 community for transition into a Community Emissions Reduction Program-designated (CERP-designated) community. This significant step is backed by the South Sacramento-Florin Community Steering Committee, which voted in favor of this move at their public meeting on March 25, 2024. A decision from CARB is expected by July 25, 2024.

In preparation for transitioning to a CERP, both the Air District and the Steering Committee have been conducting extensive outreach efforts, including participating in various community events and neighborhood association meetings. The current community boundaries will be assessed during the CERP development process, and outreach will ensure that nearby communities also benefit from inclusion in the CERP designation. If you live or work in the South Sacramento-Florin community or surrounding communities, you can help determine the CERP boundaries by completing our online survey.

Additionally, a subcommittee focused on capacity building for CERP development was established in mid-2023. This subcommittee has been actively discussing the transition to a CERP, developing discussion schedules, and evaluating potential emission reduction projects to present to the full committee. Partnerships with local jurisdictions and agencies will be a critical component of implementing land use and mitigation strategies.

As the Air District continues to fulfill the intent of AB 617 and the Community Air Protection program with our current resources, a CERP designation with additional funding will significantly enhance our efforts to address community emissions reduction priorities.

More information about Community Air Protection is available at www.AirQuality.org/CAP. For questions about the CERP, please contact AB617clerk@airquality.org.

The Air District is proud to announce its partnership in a groundbreaking project led by CALSTART, which has been recommended for a $44 million grant from the California Air Resources Board and the California Energy Commission. This project, known as the California Advanced Technology Portable Off-Road Job Site Energy Resource (POWER) Hub, aims to revolutionize the use of zero-emission off-road equipment in remote and off-grid locations.

The POWER Hub project will address challenges associated with powering zero-emission machinery through innovative solutions such as mobile energy storage, stationary charging systems, and a solar-powered microgrid. This initiative is expected to bring significant health, environmental, and economic benefits to underserved communities across California, emphasizing workforce training and development.

The Air District plays a vital role in this project by engaging the community and stakeholders, supporting educational pathways, and advancing zero-emission policies. The Air District's involvement highlights the power of public-private partnerships in promoting clean air and sustainable practices.

“From idea inception, the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District has been a strong proponent of POWER Hub,” said Air District Executive Director Dr. Alberto Ayala. “This project is also a successful demonstration of the power of partnerships and how to align public and private technology and policy leaders toward the common goals of industrial decarbonization. The Sacramento region is an ecosystem poised to lead in these types of efforts in support of California’s leading climate agenda.”

The POWER Hub project is projected to reduce 6,880 metric tons of CO2 emissions and 9.3 tons of other criteria pollutants over its 10-year lifespan, with long-term goals of even greater reductions through renewable energy generation and the deployment of additional electric construction machines.

For more information, please see CALSTART’s news release at https://calstart.org/calstart-and-partners-selected-for-grant-to-fund-power-hub-project.

The City of Sacramento has announced it will explore a three-year shuttle program between Sutter Health Park and various city parking facilities. The shuttle concept is backed by strong support from the Sac Metro Air District. This initiative comes in response to the Oakland A’s temporary move to Sutter Health Park, the home of the Sacramento River Cats. With a stadium capacity of over 14,000, the increase in game attendance presents an opportunity to enhance local transportation, reduce parking congestion and air pollution, and boost the economy.

Sacramento Councilmember Eric Guerra, who proposed the idea, highlighted the benefits for local businesses and public transit. Guerra also serves on the California Air Resources Board and the Air District’s Board of Directors.

“Let’s work to create more business activity around our small businesses, utilize our city parking structures, and increase ridership with our transit agencies,” said Councilmember Guerra. “And as a board member of Sac Metro Air District and the California Air Resources Board, I understand the necessity of looking for more ways to get cars off the road while increasing transit options for the public.”

“As our region returns to vibrancy with a growing list of cultural and recreational initiatives, it's crucial for us to recognize the need to manage the carbon footprint associated with transportation. Vehicle use is the largest source of air and climate pollution, so we commend the City of Sacramento leaders, for their vision of efficiency in transporting fans to and from the ballpark. The Sac Metro Air District is committed to promoting the use of zero-emission electric shuttles,” said Air District Executive Director and Air Pollution Control Officer Dr. Alberto Ayala.

The plan to explore the shuttle was covered by KCRA 3 and ABC 10 in recent news. For more information about the plan, please see Councilmember Guerra’s May 30 news release.

Long-time volunteers Dr. Stephen Weyers and John A. German were recognized at a recent Air District Board of Directors meeting for their years of service to the Hearing Board. The Hearing Board is the body authorized to hear and decide petitions seeking exceptions to certain Air District rules, regulations, and permit requirements.

Dr. Weyers, a retired California Medical Board professional, served the Hearing Board for more than 43 years, participating in over 349 hearings. For much of that time he served as the board chair and, in addition to his regular duties, he presided over more than 60 emergency variance hearings.

German, owner of an engineering firm, served the Hearing Board for more than 28 years and heard 198 petitions. German was a dedicated public servant who also served on the boards of Southgate Parks and Recreation, the Franklin Business Association, and the Valley Hi Rotary Club. Sadly, German passed away before he could be recognized, but his family was present to accept the award on his behalf.

The Hearing Board is comprised of one medical professional, one professional engineer, one attorney, and two members of the public. When vacancies become available, information is posted on the Air District’s Hearing Board webpage.

Candidates are evaluated based on their qualifications to serve as representatives for their profession, field of endeavor, or the community. Hearing Board members serve a three-year term and must commit to meeting monthly, on an as-needed basis. While the total number of meetings may vary from year to year, in 2022, there were three Hearing Board meetings. Hearing Board members receive a stipend of $75 per meeting day.

To learn more about the Air District’s Hearing Board, please visit https://www.airquality.org/about-us/hearing-board or email vmuller@airquality.org.

At this year's Capitol-to-Capitol (Cap-to-Cap) program hosted by the Sac Metro Chamber, the Air District played a pivotal role in advocating for a collaborative, multi-regional approach to addressing clean air and climate challenges. Emphasizing the nexus between public health, economic growth, and environmental sustainability, a large delegation of regional leaders focused on several key clean air and climate priorities.

Advocacy efforts focused on:

Several resources were shared with lawmakers during the conference:

With a record attendance of 425 leaders, this year's Cap-to-Cap was a testament to the collective commitment towards cleaner air, sustainable practices, and proactive climate action. The Air District's advocacy efforts underscored a strong dedication to driving positive change and fostering collaboration across regions to achieve meaningful progress in environmental stewardship.

This year marks a significant milestone for the Sacramento region Spare The Air campaign. The Sac Metro Air District and the air districts of the Sacramento region are celebrating the beginning of the program’s 30th season, which began May 1. Through October 31, when the Air Quality Index (AQI) for ground-level ozone pollution is forecast to meet or exceed 126, a Spare The Air alert will be issued.

Since its start, Spare The Air has played a vital role in promoting air quality awareness and encouraging residents and businesses to make actionable changes to reduce air pollution in the Sacramento region. While air quality has dramatically improved throughout the Sacramento region, there is still more we need to do to further reduce pollution levels and meet state and federal air pollution reduction goals.

The focus of the 30th season of the Spare The Air campaign continues to be encouraging the following actions:

Over the past three decades, Spare The Air has fostered partnerships with meteorologists, public information officers, teachers, local city and county officials, and sports teams to help reduce ground-level ozone and share public health awareness messages.

The Spare The Air mascot, Scooter, has attended over 350 community events, engaging with residents and businesses. More than 382,000 printed materials, 51,000 premium items, and 48 partner newsletters were distributed just over the past decade. The campaign has also reached general and multicultural audiences through social media, digital and out-of-home advertisements, print publications, and school assembly programming.

Check out the new mobile-responsive Spare The Air website at www.SpareTheAir.com.

Air District leadership and staff regularly speak on panels, forums, and at meetings on a variety of air quality and climate issues as experts in their fields. Here is a roundup of recent speaking engagements featuring Air District participants.