California Air Resources Board

Air Quality and Monitoring

Accurately measuring air quality is the foundation of California’s efforts to reduce air pollution. For more than 50 years California has maintained one of the most extensive air monitoring networks in the world, collecting data on a wide range of pollutants. The information we get from this network makes it possible to track our progress in cleaning the air, and identify the most effective actions needed to meet health-based air standards.

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Cap-and-Trade

The Cap-and-Trade Program is a key element of California’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It complements other measures to ensure that California cost-effectively meets its goals for greenhouse gas emissions reductions. 

To date, CARB has issued over 202 million Cap-and-Trade forest offset credits pursuant to the U.S. Forest Projects Protocol. Of that, 89.1 million credits were issued to tribal entities and Alaska Native Corporations for improved forest management.         

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FAQ Cap-and-Trade Program

Offset Project Listing Requirements for Native American Tribes

Wildfires

Extreme fires are a growing threat to public health and safety, homes, air quality and climate goals, and our forests. California is seeing fires that burn larger and hotter on average than ever before. One quarter of our state – more than 25 million acres – is now classified as under very high or extreme fire threat. More than 25 percent of the state’s population lives in these high fire-risk areas. Due to the historical forced relocation of tribes from their ancestral homelands to more rural and fire prone areas, Native Americans are six times more likely than other groups to be impacted by wildfires. However, smoke from extreme fires can occur with little warning and travel long distances negatively impacting public health and degrading quality of life.

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AB 617 Community Air Grants Cycle 5 – Tribal Awardees. 

Below is a brief summary of the grants awarded to California Native American Tribes as part of the fifth cycle of the AB 617 Community Air Grants program:

• The Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area (Santa Clara County) will deploy 50 indoor and 50 outdoor PM2.5 sensors, as well as 50 indoor CO₂ monitors across 400 homes, directly impacting approximately 800 community members.
• The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians (Coachella Valley) will work in partnership with the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, to develop a Tribal Air Quality Monitoring Program for data collection and reporting.
• The Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians (San Diego County) will partner with the Pala Band of Mission Indians to install air pollution sensors and conduct technical training for Tribal staff to increase local air monitoring capacity.
• The Owens Valley Indian Water Commission (Owens Valley, Inyo County) will establish a community-scale air quality monitoring network across the Owens Valley and collect air samples to evaluate health risks from exposure to air pollutants. Owens Valley Indian Water Commission will develop a community webpage to share data collected with Owens Valley Tribes (collectively Bishop Paiute Tribe, Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe, and Big Pine Paiute Tribe)
• The Quechan Indian Tribe (Winterhaven, Imperial County) is included as a project partner in the Greenaction CAG project. Four new particulate matter stationary air monitors will be installed on the Quechan Tribe’s reservation to identify air pollution hotspots.  

Below is a summary of grants awarded to tribes in the previous grant cycle (Cycle 4): 

• The Morongo Band of Mission Indians (Tribe) was awarded $274,253 for a technical project to enhance and extend its Community Air Quality Monitoring Network and perform additional air quality sampling for air toxics impacting the Reservation.
• The Pala Band of Mission Indians (Tribe) was awarded $284,553 for a Targeted Local Community Emissions Reduction Plan.
• The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians was awarded $300,000 for a Technical project to improve air quality from frequent wildfires and surrounding agricultural operations.
• The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians (Tribe) was awarded $192,487 for a Targeted – Local Community Emissions Reduction Plan project.

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SBX1-2 Transportation Fuels Transition Plan 

Senate Bill (SB) X1- 2 (Skinner, Statutes of 2023, 1st Ex. Sess.) directs CARB and the California Energy Commission (CEC) to put together a Transportation Fuels Transition Plan by the end of 2024. This plan will follow a Transportation Fuels Assessment conducted by CEC and will outline actions needed for the state to transition away from petroleum fuels in a way that is equitable, affordable, reliable, and consistent with CARB’s 2022 Scoping Plan. As they draft and finalize the plan, CARB and CEC are engaging with a broad range of stakeholders, other agencies, and Tribes to gather robust feedback. As part of this engagement, CARB and CEC held a public workgroup on May 3 in which CARB staff presented an outline of the plan and held a session for public feedback. CARB will continue to hold daytime workshops and evening community meetings throughout year to provide opportunities for engagement.  

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Cal Fleet Advisor  

CARB has heard from many tribes statewide that access to and funding support for zero-emission vehicles is an important priority. Cal Fleet Advisor is a no-cost, one-on-one service, that has helped over 300 companies in California with their transition to zero-emission trucks, buses, and vans. Fleets can get information about zero-emissions vehicles, learn how they can save money, and find the best options for their fleet. Enrolling is easy, simply go to the Cal Fleet Advisor website and fill out the form, an advisor will be in contact within 1-2 business days.

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CCI Project Profiles

To honor Native American Day, read about four California Climate Investments projects that highlight the work of Tribes across the state. These project profiles showcase examples of work undertaken by Tribes to preserve natural and cultural landscapes, create healthy and resilient places, and improve transportation access for Tribal members.  

Since 2022, the California Environmental Protection Agency has included lands under the control of federally recognized Tribes in its designation of disadvantaged communities. California Climate Investments programs are focused on providing multifold benefits to the state’s most disadvantaged communities and low-income communities and households, collectively referred to as priority populations. California Climate Investments is proud to highlight a handful of the intrepid projects being developed or led by Tribes. 

Click the name of each program below to read the full project profile or check out our Project Profiles Map to learn about additional projects underway across the state.