AB 617 Background

In 2017, Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 617 (C. Garcia, Chapter 136, Statutes of 2017) to develop a new community focused program to more effectively reduce exposure to air pollution and preserve public health. This bill directs the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and all local air districts, including the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (Sac Metro Air District or District), to take measures to protect communities disproportionally impacted by air pollution. With input from communities and air districts throughout California, CARB developed a Community Air Protection Blueprint to implement AB 617.

There are five central components to the new AB 617 mandate:

• Community-level air monitoring

• A state strategy and community specific emission reduction plans

• Accelerated review of retrofit pollution control technologies on industrial facilities subject to Cap-and-Trade

• Enhanced emission reporting requirements

• Increased penalty provisions for polluters

Additionally, CARB may direct additional grant funding to communities determined to have the highest air pollution burden.

​Sac Metro Air District’s Implementation

For its part, the Sac Metro Air District has launched a new program to broaden its existing air quality efforts, plan for and improve awareness and community-level engagement on actions to reduce air pollution exposure and improve health in our communities. Additional information on funding for implementation of the Community Air Protection program is available here.

The District submitted its preliminary recommendations to CARB on April 30, 2018. The District submitted its final community identification recommendations on July 31, 2018. 

On  September 27, 2018, CARB made its final selection for its first year implementation. The South Sacramento-Florin community was chosen as one of the 10 statewide communities to receive additional air monitoring and community engagement efforts under the AB 617 Community Air Protection Program.

With the selection of the South Sacramento-Florin community, the Sac Metro Air District's AB 617 work continues. District staff are working closely with CARB, local stakeholder groups, regional legislators and members of the community to discuss strategy and implementation of the Community Air Protection Program in Sacramento. Below are links to specific discussions of on-going District efforts related to this program.

• Community Air Monitoring   
• Emission Reduction Plans and Retrofit Pollution Control
• Investments in Cleaner, Low-Carbon Mobile Sources

On March 1, 2019, the District released a Compliance Assistance Advisory that provides Sacramento County business owners and operators information about the potential impacts and opportunities the legislation may have on buisnesses. If you have any questions regarding the Community Air Protection Program or any of the topics discussed in this advisory, please call the Sacramento Air District at 279-207-1122 or 800-880-9025.