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Advance Environmental Justice

Under Goal 2, we will advance environmental justice by supporting, partnering with, and uplifting communities overburdened by pollution, so that we may work together to identify and reduce disparities in air pollution exposure.

Overview


Under Goal 2, we will advance environmental justice by supporting, partnering with, and uplifting communities overburdened by pollution, so that we may work together to identify and reduce disparities in air pollution exposure.

So that communities can collect their own air pollution data, we will help to build their data collection skills and knowledge. We will also provide the tools they need to access and better understand existing air pollution data. We will improve our air quality complaint process to ensure it is effective and transparent. We will directly engage with communities about compliance and enforcement activities, including recent incidents or other air pollution violations, our enforcement response, the extent of public harm, and legal actions we may take.

We will work with communities to identify air pollution disparities and to develop a more complete understanding of air pollution in their neighborhoods. We will use this information to develop more effective strategies to reduce pollution from the sources that most impact them.

We will develop a community-led process where communities participate in decisions on how to spend money that illegal air polluters pay in penalties so that projects benefit communities. We will work to change laws that prevent the Air District and others from advancing environmental justice and will advance and prioritize our compliance with civil rights laws, and better address cumulative impacts.

Build Partnerships and Community Capacity
Identify Disparities
Reduce Disparities

Build Partnerships and Community Capacity

This objective has 6 strategies.

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We will develop partnerships with communities so they can directly participate in the solutions to the air quality problems that impact them. Read more.

Commitments

To achieve this strategy, we’ve created and will be tracking the following commitments:

Expand community partnership models to other communities impacted by air pollution.
Work with community to develop and define community partnership.
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We will build community capacity to collect air pollution data and ensure the Air District better utilizes those data to reduce the pollution that harms communities most. Read more.

Commitments

To achieve this strategy, we’ve created and will be tracking the following commitments:

Provide community members with air quality data collection tools.
Provide training on use of tools and in standard data collection procedures.
Work with communities to collect air pollution data.
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We will give communities the tools and data they need to access and understand air pollution data so they can be better informed of any potential air pollution problems. Read more.

Commitments

To achieve this strategy, we’ve created and will be tracking the following commitments:

Work with community members to better describe available data and understand how they want to access data.
Customize our approach to sharing data to meet specific needs of individual communities.
Prepare an inventory of available data, including monitoring, permitting, enforcement, and complaint data.
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We will provide communities with better health information, so they know the potential health implications of air pollution and are better able to participate in decision-making. Read more.

Commitments

To achieve this strategy, we’ve created and will be tracking the following commitments:

Expand our efforts to collect, analyze and provide health data to communities.
Use Health Impact Assessment methodologies to determine the potential effects of a proposed policy, program, or project on community health.
Work with health care providers to gain access to better data and with community members to collect neighborhood level data.
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We will improve the complaint process to ensure it is effective and transparent. Read more.

Commitments

To achieve this strategy, we’ve created and will be tracking the following commitments:

Explore new ways to provide complaint information to the public.
Improve the transparency of complaint outcomes and follow up with community members on what the problem was and how it was resolved.
Ensure responsiveness, including during nights, weekends, and holidays.
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We will meet with communities about air pollution problems in their neighborhoods, their concerns, how we are addressing them, and what more they need from us, so we are more responsive to communities. Read more.

Commitments

To achieve this strategy, we’ve created and will be tracking the following commitments:

Develop a structured program to meet regularly with community members to talk about air pollution in their neighborhoods, including compliance and enforcement activities, recent incidents or other air pollution violations, our enforcement response, the extent of public harm, and legal actions we may take.
Share information about air monitoring activities and data in their neighborhoods.

Identify Disparities

This objective has 1 strategy.

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A aerial view of a port

We will work with communities overburdened by air pollution to develop a more complete understanding of air pollution in their neighborhoods. Read more.

Commitments

To achieve this strategy, we’ve created and will be tracking the following commitments:

Build relationships and partnerships with communities to understand their experience and knowledge about what air pollution they are experiencing and where it might come from.
Use community experience and knowledge to inform additional air monitoring.
Use modeling programs to get a more complete picture of local air pollution.
Partner with community to identify their additional monitoring needs.
Report back on the air pollution data we collect.

Reduce Disparities

This objective has 4 strategies.

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Running people

We will manage funds to benefit communities in partnership with those communities, including the money that the Air District collects in penalties from air pollution violations that affect communities. Read more.

Commitments

To achieve this strategy, we’ve created and will be tracking the following commitments:

Establish team to administer the portion of penalty funds distributed to affected communities and the broader region, in consultation with the communities and region.
For the Community Benefit Fund, develop a community-led process, in collaboration with the CAC and local community-based organizations, in which communities participate in decisions on how to spend funds.
A aerial view of a port

We will strive to change laws that prevent the Air District from advancing environmental justice. Read more.

Commitments

To achieve this strategy, we’ve created and will be tracking the following commitments:

Work to change state law limiting the amount of penalties we can collect for violations of our air pollution regulations and permits.
Work with state legislature on ideas and advocacy for changes to laws that can benefit overburdened communities
Bring state and federal representatives into the conversation on the local impacts of air pollution.
Share how the Air District and communities are partnering together to improve local air quality.
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We will advance and prioritize compliance with civil rights laws, including the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related California laws. Read more.

Commitments

To achieve this strategy, we’ve created and will be tracking the following commitments:

Review how we issue permits to ensure we are following civil rights laws and regulations.
Implement the Air District’s Plan for Language Services to Limited English Proficient Populations to ensure compliance with civil rights laws.
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We will develop our understanding of the cumulative effects of air pollution, and other stressors, and use this information to focus regulatory efforts in areas experiencing the most serious air pollution and related cumulative public health impacts. Read more.

Commitments

To achieve this strategy, we’ve created and will be tracking the following commitments:

Develop and share methods to better understand where cumulative impacts exist and how they should be considered in decision making.
Consider cumulative impacts in our programs, including permitting, regulations, and compliance.
Provide tools and guidance to local governments to address cumulative impacts