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AB 617 Community Air Protection Consultation Group

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The Program’s mission, as defined by AB 617, is to develop and implement a statewide strategy, known as Blueprint 2.0, to reduce emissions of toxic air contaminants and criteria air pollutants in communities with the highest cumulative exposure. The AB 617 Consultation Group advises CARB on the development and implementation of the Blueprint for the Community Air Protection Program (Program).  

About the Consultation Group:

The Consultation Group is a Board-appointed advisory body of members that is chaired by up to two CARB Board members.  Members represent various stakeholder categories including but not limited to:  

  • Academia/Community Science  

  • Air Districts  

  • Business / Industry  

  • California Native American Tribal Governments  

  • CARB’s Scientific Review Panel on Toxic Air Contaminants  

  • Community Air Protection Program Community Steering Committees  

  • Communities Consistently Nominated for the Program  

  • Environmental Justice Organizations  

  • Local Government (or associations of local government)  

  • Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment  

The Consultation Group is subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Gov. Code § 11120 et seq.) For all meetings of a quorum (majority) of Consultation Group members, CARB will issue a notice of agenda items released 10 days in advance of the meeting. The public must be allowed to attend and given an opportunity to comment on agenda items. CARB and the Consultation Group must meet all other procedural requirements of the Bagley-Keene Open Meetings Act.   

The Consultation Group may meet up to 3 times annually, at the CalEPA Headquarters building in Sacramento or the CARB Headquarters Building in Riverside. Meeting formats may be in-person, or hybrid. Under current law all Consultation Group members may appear virtually subject to the requirements of the Bagley-Keene Open Meetings Act. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving on the Consultation Group

CARB released a request for Consultation Group member applications on September 16, 2024, seeking applicants to serve on the Consultation Group who are motivated to advise CARB about the community air protection process, reflect a diversity of views, represent the stakeholder categories called for in AB 617, and communities consistently nominated for the Program. CARB is committed to ensuring that the Consultation Group is supported and operates in an open and transparent manner. Consultation Group members and their alternates will be required to comply with CARB Advisory Committee Transparency Requirements.  

View the draft Consultation Group Draft Charter. 
Email: CommunityAir@arb.ca.gov to submit questions. 

Consultation Group Draft Charter

Consultation Group Archives

In January 2018, CARB convened the multi-stakeholder Consultation Group to fulfill the AB 617 requirement to consult with a range of stakeholders to develop a statewide strategy, known as the Program Blueprint, Consultation Group membership participation declined between 2018 and 2023 as members resigned. In March of 2024, CARB dissolved the Consultation Group and began preparations to fulfill its commitment in Blueprint 2.0 to reinvigorate the Consultation Group.  

Consultation Group (2018-2023) information- includes meeting summaries, agendas, members, and background materials from meetings of the Consultation Group between 2018 through 2023.  

Assessment Report of the Consultation Group - February 2022– This report provides summarized findings of focused interviews of Consultation Group members conducted by the Sacramento State University Consensus and Collaboration Program. The purpose of this assessment was to develop an understanding of the Consultation Group dynamics, identify the sources and nature of tensions and/or challenges within the Consultation Group, and explore possible process design solutions to assist the Consultation Group to productively move forward.  

Contact

Community Air Protection Program
Office of Community Air Protection
CommunityAir@arb.ca.gov
(916) 322-7049