The Assembly Bill 617 (AB 617) program continues to work toward the improvement of air quality and public health in environmental justice communities. The community-based program develops and implements Community Emissions Reduction Plans (CERPs) and Community Air Monitoring Plans (CAMPs) with input from local stakeholders and members of the Community Steering Committees (CSCs). Currently, six communities have been designated as AB 617 Communities in South Coast AQMD:

1. East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, West Commerce;
2. Eastern Coachella Valley;
3. San Bernardino, Muscoy;
4. South Los Angeles;
5. Southeast Los Angeles; and
6. Wilmington, Carson, West Long Beach.

Except for South Los Angeles, all communities in the program are in the implementation phase of the program and meet quarterly, to implement their CAMP’s and CERP’s.

On June 3, 2022, the South Los Angeles CERP was adopted by the South Coast AQMD Governing Board. It was developed with three local community co-lead organizations -- Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles; Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education; and Watts Clean Air and Energy Committee – and community members.

The South Los Angeles CERP includes community-identified air quality priorities based on local sources of air pollution. The CSC worked with staff and the community co-leads to develop a set of actions to be implemented by South Coast AQMD and CARB, in collaboration with government agencies, organizations, businesses, and other local entities. The CERP has been submitted for formal approval at the August 25, 2022, CARB Board meeting.

For more information on the AB 617 program or meeting schedules, visit: http://www.aqmd.gov/AB617.