California Air Resources Board

Remote Public Participation Guidelines and Information

• In-person speakers signed up to comment will be called upon first, followed by public Zoom and phone participants.
• Zoom and phone speakers will be called on in the order that they raise their hands in Zoom. Hands raised after the sign-up closure will not be called upon to speak. If you raised your hand in Zoom before the Chair has closed the speaker sign-ups, but inadvertently lowered your hand, you may raise it again and it will be readded to the end of the queue.
• To provide public comment via Zoom, you must register for the Zoom Webinar at the link posted on the Public Agenda. 
• Alternatively, you can offer verbal comments by calling in using the phone number and webinar ID posted on the Public Agenda which does not require Zoom registration.

Additional information on how to participate remotely and comment verbally on an agenda item or during open public comment is detailed below.

How to Provide Verbal Comments Remotely During the Hearing

CARB will provide two remote options for public participation, including Zoom Webinar technology and a call-in number. Please see below for how to participate with different systems. Please note that the Board will be setting a two-minute time limit on verbal comments; however, the amount of time could change at the Chair’s discretion.

Option 1: Joining the Board Meeting on a computer, tablet, or smartphone:

Please register for the Board Meeting beforehand to join the Zoom webinar using the link posted on the Public Agenda. After you register, you will receive an email notification with a link to join the webinar. Please use the link in the email you received to join the Board Meeting the day of the meeting. Do not share this link with other participants or non-participants (including on any public website or social media); this link is unique and only for you. If you are using a tablet or smart phone, please download the Zoom app. Please ensure the latest version of Zoom is installed on your device.

During the Board Meeting, if you wish to speak on a Board Item, you must utilize Zoom’s “raise hand” feature. This applies even if you registered beforehand and indicated which item you wish to speak on. The “raise hand” button can be found on the Zoom webinar window (for more information, please visit Zoom’s Help Page). At the begining of each item, the Chair will ask those interested in testifying to raise their hand.

Option 2: Joining the Board Meeting via telephone:

You can call into the Board Meeting by calling in to the number and entering the Webinar ID posted on the Public Agenda. If asked for a participation code, please dial “#.” If you join before the host, you will be notified to please wait for the host to join. If you wish to speak on an item, please dial *9 at the beginning of the item to “raise your hand” to show you wish to speak. Your phone number will be not be visible to others. When it is your turn to speak, the host will call out the last three digits of your phone number. You may need to dial *6 to unmute. When you start your testimony, please state your first and last name for the record. Please note that there may be a slight delay between the webinar and the phone audio, so it is best if you mute the webinar if you are calling in to testify by phone. Members of the public who plan to call in will not have to register beforehand.

Guidelines for Multiple Commenters Calling From the Same Location

• Prior to the sign-up closure of the item you wish to speak on, we ask that you send an e-mail to cotb@arb.ca.gov with a subject line that includes “remote group commenters” and the agenda item # you wish to speak on. Please also include the following information in the body of the e-mail:
  • The name of the user or account who’s raised their hand (in Zoom) the group is under, so we can easily identify the group leader.
  • A list of remote commenters (including first and last name) in the order they should be called upon.
  • Identify if any of the commenters in the group will need a Spanish (or other language) translators assistance.

Closed Captioning

Closed captioning (CC) will be offered at the Board Meeting. Zoom offers live, real-time closed captioning during the Board Meeting by clicking on the “cc” icon at the bottom of your Zoom screen. Live closed captioning is also available on the webcast for those who are viewing the meeting and do not wish to comment.

Interpretation

Spanish interpretation will be offered at the Board Meeting. Zoom offers simultaneous translation services during the Board Meeting by clicking on the interpretation button at the bottom of your screen and selecting Spanish. The Spanish webcast is also viewable here.

General guidelines and tips for those who wish to participate in the Zoom webinar

• Remote meetings often lack the same visual and social cues available during public, in-person meetings. Please be respectful and patient so all interested commenters can be fairly heard.
• Call into the meeting or video conference a few minutes before the scheduled start of the meeting to ensure you can resolve any technical issues before the meeting starts. You will initially be in a virtual waiting room and will remain there until the start of the meeting.
• You will be muted until it is your turn to speak. While muted, you will be able to hear the Board meeting and can continue watching via the remote meeting service if you have connected from a computer or mobile device.
• Even if you only wish to comment on one item, the Board encourages you to participate in the entire meeting via the Zoom webinar rather than the webcast. There could be brief delays associated with the normal webcast, and it may not be synchronized with the interactive Zoom meeting.
• Regardless of whether you participate via phone, computer, tablet, or mobile device, please participate from a quiet environment so that the Board can hear you when you are called to speak. If you are using the internet to connect to the meeting, try to ensure you have a good connection or strong signal.
• It is important to avoid creating acoustic feedback. If there are other devices near you that are tuned into the meeting, please make sure that the speaker volume of those devices is turned off when it is your turn to participate.
• The Board Chair will maintain order during the meeting as is customary in public meetings, and individuals who are disruptive may be removed from the remote meeting service or have their connection muted.
• If anything is unclear, please email the Clerks’ Office at cotb@arb.ca.gov.