California Air Resources Board

Community Selection Process

Assembly Bill 617 (AB 617) directs the California Air resources Board (CARB) to select communities around the State with high cumulative air pollution exposure burdens and to focus additional efforts in those communities to reduce the emission of pollutants in those communities. AB 617 instructs CARB to prioritize disadvantaged communities and sensitive receptor locations in the selection process based on air quality monitoring information, public health data and other relevant information.

Community Identification Resources

Numerous data sources, tools, and approaches exist to guide the assessment and prioritization of communities. Links to data sources identified in the Community Air Protection Blueprint can be found below.  

State Information

• CalEnviroScreen 3.0
• Additional data layers available within CARB’s Environmental Justice Screening Method, including sensitive receptor and hazard proximity data that complement the CalEnviroScreen 3.0 results.
• California Emission Inventory.
• CARB Air Pollution Mapping Tool.
• Hotspots Analysis and Reporting Program Version 2 model.
• Statewide air quality monitoring network data.
• The California Healthy Places Index (HPI).

Federal Resources

• National Emission Inventory.
• Risk Screening Environmental Indicators model.
• U.S. EPA Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool.
• National Air Toxics Assessment.