Government Roles and Contacts
- Our Work
- Programs
- Indoor Air Quality
- Air Cleaners & Ozone Products
- CARB's Statewide Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Network
- California Climate Investments
- Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program
- Community Air Protection Program
- Exposure
- FARMER Program
- HFC Reduction Measures
- Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting
- Outdoor Air Quality Standards
- People at Risk
- Advanced Clean Trucks
- Research Planning
- Vapor Recovery
- Zero-Emission Forklifts Summary Fact Sheet
- Zero-Emission Powertrain Certification
- AB 32 COI Fee Regulation
- Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE)
- Innovative Technology Regulation
- Community Air Protection Program Training
- Inspection and Maintenance Program
- AB 2588 Air Toxics "Hot Spots"
- AB 32 Climate Change Scoping Plan
- AB 617 Budget
- ATCM to Limit Vehicle Idling
- Abrasive Blasting Program
- Access Clean California
- Accessible Clean Transportation Options SB 350
- Adult Education & Vocational School Zero-Emission Vehicle Technology Training Project
- Advanced Clean Cars Program
- Advanced Clean Fleets
- Advanced Technology Demonstration and Pilot Projects
- Aftermarket, Performance, and Add-on Parts
- Agricultural Burning
- Air Quality Training
- Air Resources Board Equipment Registration (ARBER) System
- Air Toxics Listening Session Series
- Air Toxics Program
- Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Leak
- Alternative Diesel Fuels
- Alternative Fuels
- Ambient Air Monitoring - Regulatory
- Asbestos NESHAP Program
- Building Decarbonization
- CARB’s Certified Regulatory Program, Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
- California E-bike Incentive Project
- California Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory Program
- California Racing Vehicles
- California Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP)
- California State Implementation Plans
- California Tropical Forest Standard
- California's Methane Research Program
- Cap-and-Trade Program
- Carbon Capture & Sequestration
- Carbon Neutrality
- Cargo Handling Equipment
- Cargo Tank Vapor Recovery
- Clean Cars 4 All
- Clean Miles Standard
- Clean Mobility Options Voucher Pilot Program (CMO)
- Clean Mobility in Schools
- Clean Power Plan
- Clean Truck & Bus Vouchers (HVIP)
- Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP)
- Climate Heat Impact Response Program (CHIRP)
- Coatings
- Commercial Harbor Craft
- Community Air Protection Incentives
- Community Outreach and Enforcement
- Compliance Offset Program
- Composite Wood Enforcement
- Composite Wood Products Program
- Consumer Products Enforcement
- Consumer Products Program
- Criteria and Toxics Reporting
- Dairy and Livestock Working Group
- Diesel Enforcement
- Diesel Fuel
- Distributed Generation
- Drayage Trucks at Seaports & Railyards
- Driving Clean Assistance Program
- Electricity Transmission and Distribution GHG Emissions
- Enforcement Division Employment
- Enforcement Policy & Reports
- Enhanced Fleet Modernization Program (EFMP)
- Environmental Tobacco Smoke
- Equipment and Process Precertification Program (Stationary Sources Only)
- F-gas Reduction Incentive Program
- Federal Clean Air Act- Title V Operating Permits
- Fleet Rule for Public Agencies and Utilities
- Fuels Enforcment Program
- Fuels Multimedia Evaluation
- Fuels Program
- Gasoline
- Greenhouse Gas Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles
- HD Hybrid Electric Vehicle Certification Procedures
- HVIP Public School Bus Set-Aside
- Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards
- Heavy-Duty Diesel Inspection & Periodic Smoke Inspection Program
- Heavy-Duty Greenhouse Gas Certification Program
- Heavy-Duty Low NOx
- Idle Reduction Technologies
- In-Use Off-Road Diesel-Fueled Fleets Regulation
- In-Use Off-Road Mobile Agricultural Equipment
- Incident Air Monitoring
- Independent Contractor Program
- Indoor Air Cleaner Enforcement
- Innovative Clean Transit
- Innovative Small e-Fleet Pilot Program
- Introduction to Community Air Quality
- Landfill Methane Regulation
- Landfills: CA State Plan
- Large Spark-Ignition (LSI) Engine Fleet Requirements Regulation
- Local Actions for Climate Change
- Low Carbon Fuel Standard
- MSEI
- Medium- and Heavy-Duty Fleet Zero-Emission Vehicle Purchasing Support
- Meetings & Workshops
- Methane Research Projects
- Natural Gas Transmission and Distribution
- Natural and Working Lands
- Net-Zero Emissions Strategy for the Cement Sector
- New Source Review Permitting Programs
- OBD - On-Board Diagnostic Program
- Ocean-Going Vessels At Berth Regulation
- Off-Highway Recreational Vehicles
- Off-Road Compression-Ignition Certification Program
- Oil and Natural Gas Production, Processing, and Storage
- On-Road Heavy-Duty Certification Program
- On-Road Motorcycles
- Optional Reduced NOx Standards
- Outboard Marine Tanks
- Outdoor Residential Waste Burning
- Overpressure
- Phase Out of Perchloroethlyene from the Dry Cleaning Process
- Phased Advanced Clean Equipment (PACE) Regulation
- Planning and Capacity Building
- Portable Equipment Registration Program (PERP)
- Portable Fuel Containers - Gas Cans
- Pre-Approved Aero Devices
- Prescribed Burning
- Protect California Air Act of 2003 - Senate Bill 288
- Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Events
- Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Events
- Quality Assurance
- Reducing Rail Emissions in California
- Refrigerant Management Program
- Renewables Portfolio Standard
- Residential Woodsmoke Reduction
- Rural School Bus Pilot Project
- SB 1075 Report: Hydrogen Development, Deployment, and Use
- SB 350 Electricity Sector Greenhouse Gas Planning Targets
- San Diego Program Review
- San Joaquin Valley Emission Reduction Credit Program Review
- School Buses
- Semiconductor
- Short-Lived Climate Pollutants
- Small Off-Road Engines (SORE)
- Solid Waste Collection Vehicle Regulation
- Spark-Ignition Marine Watercraft
- State and Federal Area Designations
- Stationary Fuel Cell Net Energy Metering
- Stationary
- Study of Neighborhood Air near Petroleum Sources
- Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs)
- Sustainable Communities Program
- Sustainable Freight Transport
- Sustainable Transportation Equity Project (STEP)
- TTGHG Regulation
- Technology Clearinghouse
- Tier 5
- Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas (TTGHG) Aero Device Approval Program
- Transport Refrigeration Unit
- Truck & Bus Regulation
- Truck Loan Assistance Program
- Truck and Bus Surveillance Program
- TruckStop Resources
- Variance Oversight Program
- Volkswagen ZEV Investment Commitment
- Wildfire Smoke Clean Air Center Grant
- Wildfires
- ZEV Fleet Rules
- Zero-Emission Aircraft Ground Operations
- Zero-Emission Airport Ground Support Equipment
- Zero-Emission Airport Shuttle
- Zero-Emission Landscaping Equipment
- Zero-Emission Truck Loan Pilot Project
- Expedited BARCT Schedules
- Methane Hotspots (AB 1496)
- Soil Emissions from California Lands
- Strategy Development
- Criteria Pollutant and Toxics Emissions Reporting
- Research Collaborations
- Technical Assistance
- CA Phase 2 GHG Trailer Certification
- Community Air Grants
- Greenhouse Gas Inventory
- Community Air Protection Program
- SB 1206
- Small Containers of Automotive Refrigerant
- Low Carbon Transportation Incentives and Air Quality Improvement Program
- Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust for California
- Lower-Emission School Bus Program
- Topics
- Programs
Contact
There are many types of air pollutants and emissions sources in California with varying environmental and health impacts. Stationary sources (like oil refineries and power plants), mobile sources (like cars, trucks and locomotives), and area-wide sources (like dust and agricultural burning) all contribute to community-scale air quality challenges. The most appropriate emissions reduction strategies will depend on the particular characteristics of the emissions source and air pollutants. To address these complex issues, federal, state, and local governments work together to develop targets and strategies to reduce the impacts of air pollution in California.
Governmental agencies rely on public engagement to help design and implement their programs. The information provided below gives an overview of the activities and authority of air quality agencies, land use decision-makers, and transportation agencies. All of the identified entities have public forums and processes where the public can get involved.
Agency Overview
United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA)
The U.S. EPA sets National Ambient Air Quality Standards for certain pollutants considered harmful to public health and the environment. To reduce air pollution nationwide, U.S. EPA adopts and enforces emissions standards for certain stationary, mobile, and area sources. U.S. EPA has ten regional offices that develop, propose, and implement approved regional programs. California is part of U.S. EPA's Region 9 Pacific Southwest office. Learn how air pollution can harm your health and the environment and what the U.S. EPA is doing to protect the air we breathe.
California Air Resources Board (CARB)
Like U.S. EPA, CARB sets California Ambient Air Quality Standards to protect the public from the harmful effects of air pollution. To address California’s unique air quality challenges, CARB sets the State’s own emissions limits from air pollution sources (which may be stricter than federal limits), creates policies to fight climate change, and develops actions to reduce the public's exposure to toxic air contaminants from a variety of sources. CARB maintains an extensive public outreach program in an effort to support an understanding of and compliance with our air quality regulatory program. Please explore the resources provided by our public outreach program or sign up with any of our email lists if you want to stay up to date on CARB activities.
- About CARB
- CARB's Public Outreach Program
- Additional Community Engagement Resources
- Subscribe for CARB updates
Local Air Districts
California's 35 local air districts are responsible for regional air quality planning in their respective areas. Each district maintains its own individual permitting program to reduce emissions from stationary and area-wide sources, with the stringency of each program varying based on the area's designation for State and National Ambient Air Quality Standards (attainment status). Contact your local air district to learn more about ongoing activities:
- Air District Map
- Air District Contact information
- California Air Pollution Control Officers Association (CAPCOA)
Getting involved at the local level is important to support healthy development that reduces exposure to air pollution. Engaging with the city council, county board of supervisors, or other advisory bodies is a great way to become involved in the land use decision-making process.
Engaging with transportation agencies will help support transportation planning and project identification that improves air quality and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Legislative and Rulemaking Processes in California
Legislative Process
The California legislature passes laws concerning air quality, climate change, and public health. In many cases, these laws direct agencies like CARB or the local air districts to take certain actions, including developing rules and regulations. For more information on how to get involved in the legislative process, see the following resources:
- California State Assembly
- California State Senate
- Find your Legislator
- Legislative Process
- Legislative Deadlines
- Glossary of Legislative Terms
- California Legislative Information database: Use this database to to search current and past bills, track the status and changes to a bill currently going through the legislative process, as well as search California law.
State Rulemaking Process
CARB adopts regulations to enforce or administer legislation with the goal of protecting public health and the environment. Key to rulemaking is a comprehensive public participation process that provides opportunities for meaningful engagement during development of the regulation. For more information, CARB regulatory text, and rulemaking records see the following resources:
- California Rulemaking Process
- Formal CARB Regulatory Text
- CARB Rulemaking Process
- CARB Rulemaking Activity
District Rulemaking Process
Local air districts adopt rules to protect public health and the environment. Information about rulemaking can be found on each air district's webpage. For current local air district rule text, and information on the rulemaking process use the following resource: