Special Monitoring Projects

Sacramento Traffic-related Toxic Pollution Study 

This study analyzes data collected between 2020-2024 and focuses on monitoring air pollution in Sacramento communities to address community concerns regarding traffic-related pollution. The effort expanded and extended existing air quality monitoring to include year-long, high-resolution measurements of air toxics, black carbon, and particulate matter across several community sites to better understand local-scale pollution variability. The data helped to quantify risk, assess source contributions, and enhance the community-scale emissions inventory. This study was made possible with funding from the Air Toxics Monitoring Grant provided by the U.S. EPA. ​​

The final report can be found here: Final Report​.

Community Air Quality Mobile Monitoring in the City of Sacramento​​

Community air monitoring was conducted within the City of Sacramento communities from February 2023 to April 2023 using a van equipped with research-grade air monitoring instruments. This initiative aimed to help identify potential local air quality concerns, support existing monitoring efforts, further community education, and serve as a resource for partner agencies and community organizations. This project is one element of a three-part Air Quality Monitoring Pilot Project​ in partnership with the City of Sacramento. 

A summary of the monitoring results is presented in a StoryMap.

​The full report and supplemental materials can be found here:

Final report

Appendix 1. Quality Assurance Report

Appendix 2. Table A-2

Raw and Enhanced Data​​​

​​Sacramento Toxics ​from Wood Smoke Study

The Sac Metro Air District conducted a Toxics from Wood Smoke Study in Sacramento County communities from December 2016 - January 2017. The study was made possible with funding from a Community Scale Air Toxics Ambient Monitoring grant award provided by U.S. EPA. ​

The study focused on four research questions: 

1. What are the concentrations of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) in various communities in Sacramento? 

2. To what degree does wood smoke contribute to toxics in these communities? 

3. Are disadvantaged communities disproportionately impacted by toxics from wood smoke? 

4. Are there changes that can be made to the Sac Metro Air District's air quality outreach program to reduce toxics from wood smoke? 

Results and conclusions from this study are presented in a final report​.