Westmorland, Brawley, and Calipatria - North Imperial Phase 1

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Overview

The North End Phase 1 (North End) Community, which includes the cities of Westmorland, Brawley, and Calipatria, is within the jurisdiction of the Imperial County APCD and is located in the north end of Imperial County. The areas included in the North End Community of Imperial County span approximately 580 square miles. 

The community has an approximate population of 38,000 and includes about 18 schools, 14 childcare facilities, and 11 hospitals or clinics which are sensitive receptors to air pollution.

The North End Community is in a primarily desert region just south of the Salton Sea and is surrounded by agricultural land and several major highways. Because of their surroundings, the community experiences emissions from mobile sources (passenger vehicles and heavy-duty trucks), fugitive dust emissions, agricultural activities, and exposure to dust from the receding shoreline of the Salton Sea. 

Community Boundary 

Image displaying North Imperial County AB 617 community boundaries

North End Phase I Community AB617 boundary files

Community Air Monitoring

In 2023, the North End Community was selected by CARB as a monitoring community. The Community Air Monitoring Plan (CAMP) identifies areas of interest for AB 617 monitoring such as stationary and mobile sources, monitoring site locations, sampling schedules, and types of equipment and strategies. The plan is designed to obtain detailed air pollution levels throughout the community, determine areas of highest risk, quantify sources of air pollution, and position the community to develop and monitor the effectiveness of emissions reduction strategies.

CARB and the District have historically implemented air monitoring which includes regulatory monitoring, maintained by the air district, in Imperial County. The AB 617 CAMP is specifically designed with community steering committee input to measure and collect localized and elevated air pollution data. The air district may consider health statistics, air quality concerns from residents, and screening tools that combine environmental, health, and socio-economic information to calculate community-wide risk factors in the planning and implementation of community air monitoring. Community-level expertise through steering committee meetings and input from a broad range of stakeholders supports the air district’s development of this plan.

The collection of comprehensive air quality data is essential to develop emissions reduction plans and strategies. Once available, the monitoring data will be provided to CARB and can be downloaded by the public on AQView. This site also houses monitoring data from other AB 617 community air monitoring plans.  

Community Emissions Reduction Program

In 2023, at the recommendation of CARB staff, the CARB Board selected the Imperial County North End Phase I Community to develop a Community Emissions Reduction Program (CERP). The Imperial County Air Pollution Control District Board of Supervisors adopted the North End Phase I Community CERP in January 2025. After staff review and release of the Imperial County North End Phase I Community Emissions Reduction Program Staff Report and a public comment period, CARB’s Executive Officer reviewed the Staff Report and approved the CERP via an Executive Order on June 13, 2025.

Community Engagement

Community engagement is a key part of the AB 617 program. Air districts are responsible for convening a community steering committee using an open and transparent nomination process. The AB 617 program is driven by new and existing local partnerships created and fostered by the community steering committee. In this advisory role, community steering committees oversee the development and implementation of the program such as in community identification, community air monitoring, and community emissions reduction programs.