California Air Resources Board

CARB has developed a program to better characterize air quality in communities near oil and gas operations. The Study of Neighborhood Air near Petroleum Sources (SNAPS) includes limited-term, intensive air quality monitoring with a particular focus on production facilities. This program can also provide valuable information to support the Community Air Protection Program (CAPP), formed pursuant to AB 617.

Under SNAPS, candidate communities for monitoring are identified based on their proximity to oil and gas wells, and from public suggestions. CARB staff will locate stationary trailers equipped with state-of-the art monitoring technologies in communities for approximately six months to determine air quality. The trailers are capable of measuring toxic air contaminants (TACs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM), metals, and criteria pollutants. An analysis of available air pollution measurements, local characteristics, public input, and potential partnerships in each candidate community will help to prioritize trailer deployment. Staff will analyze the air quality measurements obtained through stationary and mobile monitoring to characterize exposures to measured pollutants. The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) will evaluate potential short- and long-term health risks of the detected chemical concentrations. Real-time air monitoring data will be posted online and CARB will publish a complete analysis of results in separate reports for each site.

We encourage community members to be involved and provide input to the SNAPS program. Opportunities to participate will be provided locally in each selected community prior to, during, and following air monitoring.