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Air Quality and Public Health Event in South Sacramento (June 22, 2024)

Valley Vision, United Latinos and ClimatePlan co-hosted an educational community event on Saturday June 22nd, 2024 at Valley Hi-North Laguna Library, where more than 50 community members learned about vehicle emissions impacts to public health, and what they can do to improve air quality in South Sacramento.

Thank you to Teatro Nagual, Breathe California – Sacramento Region and Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District who contributed to the success of the event!

Interested in learning more about air quality in South Sacramento? If so, attend other air quality and public health events by signing up for updates at linktr.ee/southsacvep. 

The following are resources that were shared at the event:

June 22 Presentation _VEPDownload
  • Learn more about the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District’s Clean Cars 4 All Program, where income-qualified Sacramento residents can trade in their old vehicles and receive rebates for purchasing zero or near-zero emissions vehicles or electric bikes. *The program will re-open to new applications in August 2024*. 

These educational community events are a part of the Sacramento County Vehicle Emissions Project (VEP) funded by Sacramento County Department of Public Health and the State of California Department of Justice.

EV Blueprint Phase II

Overview:

The City of Sacramento’s EV Blueprint project is working to expand access to clean mobility options in underserved neighborhoods across the city.

Expanding access to Electric Vehicles (EVs) in underserved communities is important to address transportation, air quality, and infrastructure-related inequities. It is also an important step for meeting the state’s climate and EV goals of transitioning 100% of new cars to zero-emission vehicles by 2035, helping to reduce the impacts of air pollution in environmental justice communities. Some of the challenges communities currently face to accessing electric vehicles are upfront costs of purchasing an EV, lack of access to residential and public charging infrastructure, and lack of awareness about affordable EVs and programs.

As part of an award from the CA Energy Commission, the City is deploying three distinct types of infrastructure in communities in which the most significant barriers to EV access and adoption persist.

  • Level 2 electric vehicle chargers will be installed at 13 libraries, community centers, and parks in the City of Sacramento to provide convenient access for residents who may have challenges charging at their home or work.
  • In partnership with the Sacramento Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD), the City will expand the Our Community Car Share Program (OCCS) beginning with a hub at the Colonial Heights Library. Income-qualified residents near the hubs will be able to reserve an electric vehicle for personal use at an affordable rate. The goal is to enhance mobility for households with limited options and introduce residents to the benefits and ease of driving electric vehicles.
  • Through a collaboration with the Sacramento Public Library, an electric tricycle (eTrike) lending program was launched in August 2023 at the Colonial Heights Library. Library patrons 18 and older with a valid library card can check out an electric tricycle with cargo capacity for personal use at no charge for up to 1 week. The goal is to introduce the community to electric-assisted cycling as an alternative for short local trips. This project will bring meaningful infrastructure to the 66,000+ residents near the new charging sites and their larger communities and will address mobility needs while improving air quality in our region.

Valley Vision is the project team lead for the “Engagement and Relationship Building” component of the larger EV Blueprint Phase II project, and is supported by subcontractors Frontier Energy, ClimatePlan, and Diysl Consulting. Our role is to engage underserved communities to increase education and awareness of the EV Blueprint project and the new mobility options that are coming to their neighborhoods.

Visit the City’s project page for more information about EV Blueprint implementation and project updates.

How to check out an eTrike:

E-trikes available for check-out at:

  • Colonial Heights Library
  • Belle Cooledge Library (coming soon)
  • North Natomas Library (coming soon)
  • South Natomas Library (coming soon)

The City of Sacramento and Brent Trayce Sands at Impound Comics worked with the Sacramento Public Library’s System-wide Teen Advisory Board (S.T.A.B.) to create an innovative comic book about EVs and E-bikes that takes place in South Sacramento.

E-trike soft launch event held on May 13, 2023 at the Colonial Heights Library.
The ‘Our Community CarShare’ program launched in May 2017 to provide clean, zero-emission electric vehicles and access to mobility in underserved areas, with a focus on public housing communities.

Sacramento County Vehicle Emissions Project (VEP)

Where We Were in 2023

Led by a diverse coalition, the Sacramento County Vehicle Emissions Project (VEP) established a community-driven mobile air monitoring network in communities located in the West Arden Arcade, North Highlands, South Sacramento, Vineyard and Gardenland/Northgate neighborhoods to assess public health and environmental impacts due to vehicle emissions. 

In 2023, the VEP coalition, through community engagement and outreach efforts, provided residents in the neighborhoods with air quality information including the public health impacts of vehicle emissions exposure, in addition to gathering health data surveys. The project was initially funded by the Department of Justice until December 2023, but the Sacramento County Department of Public Health and the VEP coalition successfully advocated for an extension through September 30, 2024, in order to collect more air quality data and effectively share health survey findings with residents in the project areas. 

Learn about neighborhood specific health data in the community health report findings below:

Learn about county-wide health data in the report here. 

Read the full Vehicle Emissions Project summary here. 

Where We Are in 2024

In 2024, community-centered educational events and other engagement activities are currently in the planning process. These education and outreach activities will focus on sharing back community health data and air monitoring data collected in 2023, as well as equip community members with resources in protecting and advocating for their health and improving air quality. 

Valley Vision, United Latinos and ClimatePlan are leading the community educational events in the South Sacramento and North Vineyard neighborhoods. For more information about educational community events in your neighborhood, please contact Kathy Saechou at kathy.saechou@valleyvision.org.

Cap-to-Cap Air Quality Team Issue Papers (2024)

Valley Vision has a long history of participating in the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s Capitol-to-Capitol program, which serves as our region’s premier Federal advocacy opportunity each year. This year’s “Cap-to-Cap” was the largest on record, with 425 leaders participating. The meat of the program is fast-paced advocacy meetings with our legislative delegation as well as committee and agency staff.

The Cleaner Air Partnership, which Valley Vision staffs, staffs two of the thirteen policy-focused “teams” focused on (1) air quality and (2) wildfire. This year, our teams elevated funding for a comprehensive suite of air quality strategies as part of the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program, climate projects of regional significance, and technical but extremely important policy fixes like letting air districts “write off” smoke from preventative prescribed fire instead of getting dinged by U.S. EPA.

Please see below for the Issue Papers our team carried this year, as well as accompanying professionally designed “leave behinds” corresponding to each paper:

CAP Wildfire and Biomass Bus Tour (April 2024)

On April 8th, 2024, Valley Vision and Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) co-hosted a full day bus tour in Placer County where participants experienced firsthand wildfire impacts and explored strategies for improving regional resilience.

Video Recap (produced by Austin Twietmeyer, Placer County Water Agency):

Cleaner Air Partnership (CAP) events are an opportunity to learn about important air quality topics affecting the Sacramento region. Thank you to the generous contributors to the Cleaner Air Partnership: Sacramento Metropolitan Air District, Teichert, CEMEX, SMUD, Sutter Health, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, El Dorado County Air Quality Management District, PG&E, and Nikola Motors.

Many thanks to Placer County Water Agency, the Placer County Air Pollution Control District, and the Placer Resource Conservation District for sponsoring and co-organizing this event!

Resources shared by speakers during the bus tour are provided below:

Air Quality and Public Health in South Sacramento: Community Event (RSVP Today!)

We need your help to improve public health and air quality in South Sacramento!

Join residents and community-based groups on Saturday June 22nd, from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM at Valley Hi-North Laguna Library to learn about important vehicle emissions impacts to public health and air quality in South Sacramento. RSVP here: healthy-air-sacramento-county.eventbrite.com.

Sacramento residents face many health challenges due to poor air quality and some communities are more impacted than others by vehicle emission exposure due, in part, to their proximity to major roads and freeways. This community-led event is one of many efforts across Sacramento County to address and take action on public health impacts from vehicle emissions.

This event is a part of the Sacramento County Vehicle Emissions Project funded by the California Department of Justice. The effort is led by a diverse coalition conducting mobile air monitoring and assessing health impacts in the West Arden Arcade, North Highlands, South Sacramento, North Vineyard and Gardenland-Northgate areas.

There will be free food, prizes and live entertainment! Please RSVP today for food and event planning purposes!

If you have language needs or require other accommodations, please email Kathy Saechou by end of day June 16th, 2024 at kathy.saechou@valleyvision.org.

CAP Luncheon: Capital Region Climate Priorities Plan (March 2024)

At the Cleaner Air Partnership’s March 2024 Quarterly Luncheon, attendees learned about the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program and opportunities to address regional air quality issues.

CAP events are an opportunity to learn about important air quality topics affecting the Sacramento region. Thank you to the generous contributors to the Cleaner Air Partnership: Sac Metro Air District, Teichert, CEMEX, SMUD, Sutter Health, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, El Dorado County Air Quality Management District, PG&E, and Nikola Motors.

A huge thank you to the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District!

Capital-Region-Climate-Priorities-Plan: Slides-2024Download

CAP Technical Advisory: Portable Equipment Regulation in the Capital Region (February 2024)

At the February 14th, 2024 CAPTAC meeting, participants learned about the Portable Equipment Registration Program (PERP) at the state and local level. 

Thank you to the generous contributors to the Cleaner Air Partnership: Sac Metro Air District, Teichert, SMUD, Sutter Health, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, PG&E, El Dorado County Air Quality Management District, CEMEX and Nikola.

Subject Matter Experts:

  • Kelly Weatherford – California Air Resources Board 
  • Karla Sanders – Feather River Air Quality Management District
  • Angela Thompson – Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District 
  • Emmanuel Orozco – Placer County Air Pollution Control District
  • Paul Hensleigh – Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District

Presentation Slides:

CAPTAC Portable Equipment Regulation 2.14.24Download

Cleaner Air Partnership Quarterly Luncheon – March 8, 2024

Join the Cleaner Air Partnership on Friday, March 8th from 12:00 to 1:30 PM at the Oak Park Community Center to learn about opportunities to fund climate action and address regional pollution issues.

Get Tickets Here: www.eventbrite.com/e/cleaner-air-partnership-quarterly-luncheon-march-8-2024-tickets-838357488817

CAP events are an opportunity to learn about important air quality topics affecting the 6-county Sacramento region. Thank you to the generous contributors to the Cleaner Air Partnership: Sac Metro Air District, Teichert, SMUD, Sutter Health, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, PG&E, the El Dorado County Air Quality Management District, CEMEX, and Nikola.

All CAP events are free to attend; registration is required for food and space planning purposes. If you have any questions, email Adrian Rehn at adrian.rehn@valleyvision.org.

CAP Luncheon: Wildfire and Biomass Bus Tour

Join us on Monday, April 8th from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM for a bus tour focused on forest management in Placer County, co-hosted by the Cleaner Air Partnership (CAP), Placer County Water Agency, and Placer County Resource Conservation District. The tour will help inform an advocacy strategy for the April 2024 Capitol-to-Capitol Federal advocacy program, but is open to all stakeholders.

Tour stops will consist of:
– Megafire impacts (River Fire Burn Scar – Colfax)
– Fuels reduction project (Placer Resource Conservation District – Auburn Dam overlook)
– Biomass utilization facility (Sierra Pacific Industries – Lincoln)

Please complete this interest form if you are interested in attending and are available for the entire timespan of the tour, as seats are in high demand. We will review responses and follow up soon with more information – slots are limited to less than 50 participants because of bus size. *Completion of this form does not count as registration or RSVP.*

These events are an opportunity to learn about important air quality topics affecting the Sacramento region. Thank you to the generous contributors to the Cleaner Air Partnership: Sac Metro Air District, Teichert, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, SMUD, Sutter Health, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®, Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, El Dorado County Air Quality Management District, PG&E, CEMEX, Clarity, and Nikola Motors.

All CAP events are free to attend; registration is required for food and space planning purposes. Email Laurel Smith with any questions at laurel.smith@valleyvision.org.

CAP Technical Advisory Committee: Portable Equipment Regulations in the Capital Region (Virtual)

*Please register HERE* to receive a Zoom meeting link. Thank you!

Join us at the next Cleaner Air Partnership Technical Advisory Committee (CAPTAC) meeting, where attendees will learn about the Portable Equipment Registration Program (PERP) and how compliance needs vary across the region for portable generators, wood chippers, large air compressors, and more.

CAP events are an opportunity to learn about important air quality topics affecting the 6-county Sacramento region. Thank you to the generous contributors to the Cleaner Air Partnership: Sac Metro Air District, Teichert, SMUD, Sutter Health, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®, Cemex, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, PG&E, El Dorado County Air Quality Management District, and Nikola.

All CAP events are free to attend. We are looking forward to your presence at our next event! Email Kathy Saechou with any questions at kathy.saechou@valleyvision.org.

CAP Technical Advisory: Biomass Utilization in the Region (September 2023)

At the Cleaner Air Partnership’s September 2023 Technical Advisory Committee meeting, participants discussed opportunities and challenges surrounding biomass utilization in the 6-county Sacramento region.

Thank you to the generous contributors to the Cleaner Air Partnership: Sac Metro Air District, Teichert, SMUD, Sutter Health, Sacramento Association of REALTORS®, Placer County Air Pollution Control District, Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, PG&E, El Dorado County Air Quality Management District, CEMEX, Clarity and Nikola.

Subject Matter Experts:

  • Kerri Timmer – Placer County
  • Paul Hensleigh – Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District
  • Chuck Smith – Stonebridge Sustainability Solutions, Inc.
  • Martin Twer – The Watershed Center

Additional Resources and Links: