State and Federal Area Designations
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State Area Designations
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has established State ambient air quality standards for ten pollutants. Based on area designation criteria, CARB designates areas of California as attainment, nonattainment, or unclassified. These designations are reviewed on an annual basis and updated as needed.
Federal Area Designations
The U.S. EPA established federal ambient air quality standards for six pollutants. Area designations are initially made when a new standard is promulgated and are updated on an irregular basis, depending on available air quality data.