SACRAMENTO – The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is launching a new program to enhance air quality monitoring across the state, with a heavy focus on communities where residents live near multiple sources of pollution.

The goal of the program, known as the Statewide Mobile Monitoring Initiative (SMMI), is to get more data about the levels and sources of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that communities face. CARB has awarded a $27 million contract to Aclima, Inc., a California Public Benefit Corporation that specializes in hyperlocal air quality mapping and analysis.

Vehicles equipped with specialized air quality devices will map the air pollution along public roads, particularly in disadvantaged communities that face a disproportionate burden of economic, health and environmental challenges.

Specific monitoring locations will be chosen through a collaborative community engagement process, CARB said.

Story Date: September 20, 2024