California Air Resources Board

Community Air Grants Draft Guidelines

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced the release for public comment of its draft guidelines for the Community Air Grants Program (Air Grants Program). The Air Grants Program is a part of CARB’s overall efforts to implement Assembly Bill 617.

AB 617 established a community-based framework to improve air quality and reduce exposure to toxic air pollutants in California communities most impacted by air pollution. As an initial step toward building the capacity of California communities to participate in the implementation of AB 617, CARB developed the Air Grants Program.

The grants will fund projects that allow eligible applicants to participate in the AB 617 process and to build their own capacities to become active partners with government to help identify, evaluate, and ultimately reduce exposure to harmful air emissions in their communities.  Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis.

This is only a draft and CARB is requesting your comments on this draft.  After the end of the comment period, CARB will release a final version of the guidelines and a subsequent email will announce the date of publication of the final guidelines.

The public comment period begins May 14, 2019 and ends at 5:00 p.m. on May 29, 2019.  Electronic comments may be submitted starting on May 14, 2019.

CARB is also hosting a workshop, at the location and date shown below, to provide information and solicit feedback on the draft guidelines.  Prior to the workshop, a presentation will be posted.

DATE:                May 24, 2019
TIME:                 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
LOCATION:       California Environmental Protection Agency
                             California Air Resources Board | Byron Sher Auditorium
                            1001 I Street Sacramento, California 95814

A webcast of this workshop wis available below. Questions and comments may be emailed to AirGrants@arb.ca.gov during the workshop.

Community Air Grants Draft Guidelines Workshop

The Air Grants Program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities.

$1.9 billion of the $3.4 billion in cumulative California Climate Investments made through 2018 are benefiting disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households.  Projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling and much more.