Community Voices Help Shape Solano County Air Quality Summit

Jul 30, 2026

By Willa Gruver, Resilient Communities Program Manager

SuSol Program Manager Willa Gruver explores CalEnviroScreen maps with Vallejo community members

On a Wednesday evening in June, Vallejo community members gathered at the Joseph Room in the JFK Library to share their experiences and concerns about air quality — something that has a huge impact on our bodies and long-term health, but that we don’t often think about or notice.

The meeting was part of Sustainable Solano’s effort to build community capacity to tackle air quality issues as a county through education, listening sessions, youth programs, community-based green infrastructure projects, and coalition building. The event gathered community feedback to shape a countywide Air Quality Summit, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17 in Suisun City. Shaped through the efforts of an advisory committee and community meetings like this one, the Air Quality Summit will bring together experts, policymakers, and community members for interactive sessions and workshops that will build shared understanding of air quality issues across the county, provide practical tools and resources, facilitate connections and community-building, and connect interested residents with ways to get involved.

Over pizza, we explored maps from CalEnviroScreen 5.0, a free online mapping tool developed by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) that anyone can use. It combines public health, demographic and environmental data and can be used to see which communities are the most disproportionately burdened by pollution.

This map shows the estimated number of ER visits for asthma by census tract from 2022–2023.
The darkest green area of Vallejo ranks in the 99th percentile statewide, meaning that asthma-related emergency room visits are higher than in 99% of other California census tracts. Because air pollution can trigger asthma attacks, this data helps illustrate one of the many health impacts associated with poor air quality.

As we reviewed the maps, I asked participants whether the data reflected their lived experiences in Vallejo. I also wanted to hear which pollution sources concerned them most and what topics would be most valuable to cover at the Solano County Air Quality Summit in October. Participants raised concerns about historical cleanup sites, new development that could increase traffic and further burden nearby neighborhoods, and proposed industrial manufacturing activity on Mare Island. The conversation generated a long list of ideas, resources, and priorities that will help shape the event. 

We’d love to see you at the Solano County Air Quality Summit. You can learn more, stay updated on programming and register for the event here. To let us know what you’d like to see or learn about at the Summit and share what air quality issues you notice in your community, please take our survey! Your feedback will help shape our work in Solano County.

The Solano County Air Quality Summit is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Invest, formerly known as Cap-and-Trade, dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities.

Fairfield-Suisun Youth Air Protectors Reflections

Jun 1, 2026

SuSol launched our Air Quality program in 2022. A key part of that work is the Youth Air Protectors high school internship program. We worked with 11 students from Armijo High School from January through May 2026. During the internship, students learned about air quality challenges in Fairfield and Suisun City, engaged community members on air quality-related topics, and gathered community feedback to inform a countywide Air Quality Summit on Oct. 17. Here, several Youth Air Protectors share reflections on their internship experience, as well as memorable events and projects they worked on during their time in the program.

Fairfield-Suisun Youth Air Protectors Youth Air Protectors learn about walkability with SuSol Program Manager Willa Gruver in downtown Fairfield

By Devin Mahawijemuni, 11th grade

I have been doing internships and fellowships for Sustainable Solano since I was a freshman. I did the Youth Wellness internship, the Nature-Based Solutions internship, the Resilient Roots Fellowship, and most recently the Youth Air Protectors. I did these things because I really like volunteering and learning about the environment. I also like finding ways to make my community better and being an active member within it.

As my final project for Youth Air Protectors, I redesigned a section of Highway 12. This part of the highway does not currently have any shade or benches for people to sit on and isn’t safe for people to walk on due to the narrow sidewalk and lack of pedestrian infrastructure. I used the computer program SketchUp to make a design. I added trees and benches to the area and made the sidewalks safer by making them wider and adding crosswalks. My goal was to make people feel welcome when they are walking or running in this area. I wanted to make it nice to walk through, and I wanted it to be good for the environment too.

For one of our final meetings, we got to present our projects to the Suisun City Council. I had expected there to be around 15 people at the meeting, but after we arrived, we received a pleasant surprise. There were in fact around 150 people there to listen to our presentations due to a California Forever protest happening that same day. After our projects were presented, we felt very accomplished because we presented to such a large audience.

These internships, especially Youth Air Protectors, helped me in many ways. I became more confident in myself as a leader and gained experience speaking publicly and presenting projects. I got better at working with others and talking to people. I made new friends, and we had some great times together. It was nice to work with people who care about the environment like I do.

In the future I want to use what I learned from Sustainable Solano when I go to college. I really want to study Environmental Science. I want to learn more about how to help the environment and make communities better. I want to learn about ways to make sure people are safe and the environment is protected. I am excited to keep learning about issues and finding ways to make a difference.

Youth Air Protectors Landon, Leena, Devin and Melissa getting ready to present their projects to Suisun City Council

By Landon Camacho, 10th grade

Before this internship, I had never had any type of real commitment to doing anything. I never went to any clubs, I only ever really went to one sports club during my freshmen year, and I didn’t like it. I always assumed that commitments like clubs or anything after school was a waste.

But when my science teacher announced some Sustainable Solano internships, I saw this one, the Youth Air Protectors. To me, it sounded pretty easy, and I would be getting paid to do it. Truthfully, I only signed up for the pay. I never had real interest in air quality. But that all changed when the first lesson started. Learning about air quality was actually pretty fun!

I had never imagined that I would enjoy learning about air quality, learning about why it gets bad in the first place and how to help prevent that. The events we had every month were definitely a highlight. I was able to learn how to plant trees to improve air quality and make streets more walkable, get rid of weeds and garden pests naturally, and more.

During the last two months of the internship, we had to create a final project. It was about finding an area in Suisun/Fairfield that could be renovated for better walkability and air quality. Interns were to create the renovation using 3D software. I personally used Roblox to redesign an abandoned and demolished church into a sports park! I also researched the area by asking the community for input and taking pictures. At the end, I presented my project to the Suisun City Council, and finally doing so after two months of hard work felt incredible.

This internship was an experience I will never forget. I was able to improve my ability to work with a team, as well as my public speaking skills. I was even able to put this on my resume so that I could get a job at Six Flags this summer! All in all, being a Youth Air Protector has done nothing but benefit me for the better, and I will always recommend this, and any other Sustainable Solano internship to everyone.

Youth Air Protector Landon presenting to Suisun City Council

By Melissa Martinez, 12th grade

Earlier this year in January, I became a Youth Air Protector for Fairfield and Suisun. As a Youth Air Protector, I’ve been given an array of wonderful opportunities to learn about relevant local air quality issues, apply solutions, and engage with my community. Most recently, I presented my final project, a street redesign imagining what Suisun could look like as a more sustainable city. It was inspiring and refreshing to see that I was capable of creating and offering a proposal towards my city’s sustainability; I saw that change was possible and that it could come from me! While this project was the culmination of everything I’d learned, I’d like to highlight an especially insightful experience.

A pillar of this internship is action, done through monthly community engagement activities. One of these activities was planting trees and doing garden maintenance at the City Church food garden in Fairfield. We planted fruit, shade trees, and herbs while also weeding invasive species. As I was digging, planting, and weeding, I was also talking with my fellow interns and other members of the community. I realized the true depth of action and the potential it has. It felt fulfilling to actually be productive while talking to people and having a good time. I saw the complexity of action, how it can simultaneously have a tangible impact and strengthen community relationships when done with others. This is the most valuable lesson I learned, and is one that I will remember and cherish.

The internship was transformative, showing me what I was capable of doing and the possibilities of environmental solutions. As someone with experience in environmental work through the Student Conservation Association, which focused on stewardship, this internship gave me a different environmental lens to see through: air quality. Through this internship, I was able to see the interconnectedness of our environmental issues firsthand. As a senior in high school, I am looking forward to pursuing a career in sustainability at UC Davis and seeing how I will apply the lessons I have learned. It is bittersweet that this internship is coming to an end, but I’m excited to see how I will build upon this experience as I enter a new chapter of life!

Welcome circle and volunteer introductions prior to planting trees at City Church

By Leena McAllister, 11th grade

My experience with Sustainable Solano overall was a great experience. The internship provided me with knowledge through hands-on activities, projects, and lectures. My fellow interns and I got to engage with and give back to our community through volunteering at community events, such as the Rush Ranch Annual Open House.

One of my favorite volunteer events that we participated in was the tree planting event that took place at a local church in Fairfield. Personally, it was my first time planting trees, and it was both enjoyable and a great opportunity to gain hands-on knowledge and skills that I can apply to future volunteering or career choices.

One of my favorite projects was the final project in which each intern got to propose a design solution that could improve air quality in either Suisun City or Fairfield. Through these projects we went through each step of brainstorming, interviewing other community members, researching our topic, and gathering evidence to inform and support our redesign proposals. Some of the places that the interns chose were street intersections, local parks, and areas with a lack of shade. My project focused on improving community access to walkable green space in Suisun City by adding a public restroom to Samuel Goepp Park.

Through this internship, I became aware of how the things we do every day affect the air quality, and how daily actions can make a real difference in improving the air. This internship overall opened up new opportunities, perspectives, and insights into the world around me.

Youth Air Protectors and Sustainable Solano staff at Rush Ranch

By Joshua Ibrahim, 12th grade

Going into this internship by Sustainable Solano, I thought that it would just be a group of interns learning about the air but it was so much more. It was the gateway to building new friendships and learning about ways to improve air quality, it was truly eye-opening!

Through this internship, I have built knowledge that will stick with me throughout my life, ranging from walkability, reasons for poor air quality, the importance of plants and trees, etc. It was obtained in different ways as well, sometimes we would listen to a presentation by Willa Gruver (our program manager), and others we would be walking around Fairfield and learning why certain areas are better for the environment than others through direct observation. One time we had a “Permaculture 101” class in Armijo’s very own garden, which also opened my eyes. It was extremely insightful and just a great time sitting on the wooden seats with the interns and the people helping out. I had a great time and it was probably my favorite class.

I would say that my favorite part of the internship was when we spent our Saturday at the church planting trees. On this day I feel like I got to really bond with the other interns and genuinely make a true friendship because we were together all day. We were also doing hands-on activities such as weeding so that gave us more time to talk to each other. That was a fun day that helped the air quality in the community and helped me make new friendships.

Something that really stood out to me (in terms of learning) is identifying good vs. bad walkability. It is something I hadn’t thought about before, so learning about it was truly enlightening. The walkability of our urban environments plays a much bigger role in air quality than we think, and it is something I never even gave thought to.This new piece of knowledge played a key role in my decision to redesign North Texas Street to improve the local air quality.

I ended up choosing North Texas Street because it’s a place that I noticed had walkability issues after touring Fairfield with the group and learning about the link between walkability and air quality. It was also a street that I see many students use to commute to and from school so I took it upon myself to find some possible solutions. Presenting this project to Fairfield City Council was an experience that completely took me out of my comfort zone, but I wasn’t nervous because the lessons learned from Sustainable Solano made me confident in my knowledge and abilities. Overall, the lessons I learned in these last few months have fundamentally changed my understanding of how my daily life is connected to the air quality. I will use this awareness to foster an environment that will benefit from better air quality.

Sustainable Solano board member Dr. Bonnie Hamilton and Youth Air Protectors Joshua, Ian, and Bryson after presenting their projects to Fairfield City Council

To see the rest of the Youth Air Protectors’ redesign projects, please join us at the Solano County Air Quality Summit on Oct. 17 at the Joseph Nelson Center in Suisun City. This event will bring together experts, policymakers, nonprofits and community members to explore the future of air quality in Solano County. Register here to reserve your spot!

Reflections from an SSC Fellow

May 25, 2026

By Manpreet Singh, Public Education Coordinator Fellow

Manpreet joined SuSol in February as our Public Education Coordinator Fellow through the Sustainability Service Corps. Here, she shares about her experience. It has been such a positive experience for the organization that we are honored to be a host site again this year for the September 2026-July 2027 Fellowship. 

Are you interested in bringing change while growing as a sustainability leader? Learn more and apply here: https://www.sustainabilityservicecorps.org/fellowships

Manpreet works alongside community members at the Prosperity Park resilient garden installation in Suisun City

When I joined Sustainable Solano as a Sustainability Services Corp (SSC) Fellow, I hadn’t fully anticipated how deeply fulfilling this work would be, both personally and professionally. 

During my graduate program at Boston University, I became passionate about addressing the intersection of climate change and social vulnerabilities. As I was navigating career goals and potential pathways for public service, I was driven to take climate action that addresses environmental injustices, empowers communities to speak up and take action, and plant the seeds for systemic change for regenerative, just and resilient communities.  

I was drawn to join the AmeriCorps Fellow Program as a 2026 SSC Fellow due to their mission to support community-based climate change solutions. As Sustainable Solano’s Public Education Coordinator Fellow,I not only get to actualize the organization’s mission to build an ecologically regenerative, economically and socially just world through programs that empower communities to take climate action, but I also get to serve my community in Solano County where I was born and raised. 

Although it’s only been a few months, I’ve had the opportunity to support a range of work that resonates with my core values and goals — particularly focusing on community-led localized action and addressing urgent and current issues impacting Solano County. Some key projects that I’ve supported include

  1. Drafting the Rio Vista Community Air Quality Action Plan, a strategic document that centers community voices at the forefront of city decisions that affect air quality and resiliency.
  2. Collaborating with community members and local government representatives to assess sea level risks in Solano County, raise awareness of sea level rise and how it can impact environmental justice and frontline communities throughout Solano County, and ensure that community input is heard and implemented in the development of a Regional Shoreline Action Plan as part of the Bayshore Resiliency Project
  3.  Developing the vision for a new program focused on a just transition in Benicia and Vallejo to set the stage for the shift away from a fossil fuel-based economy to a regenerative economy through youth and community empowerment, education, and workforce development.
Manpreet (center) conducts community asset mapping for flood resilience along with Vallejo Environmental Leadership Fellowship interns at the Vallejo Farmers Market
Setting up for tabling at Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District’s 75th anniversary event

Reflecting on my work over the past months, the moments I found most fulfilling were when I was engaging with people and the environment. I’m supporting community-engaged adaptation planning that puts community members’ voices at the forefront of addressing critical issues — a mission that I am passionate about pursuing.

At tabling events, workshops and garden installations, I’m not just sharing my knowledge, but I’m also listening and learning from community member’s lived experiences. Additionally, supporting classes for high schoolers in the Youth Air Protectors and Vallejo Environmental Leadership Fellows programs gives me the opportunity to connect with youth leaders and help shape the next generation of sustainability leaders. Actively engaging with residents and government leaders has provided me with pathways to pursue deeper connections within my community and help me hone my role as someone who can help my community grow.

A key goal of my going into this fellowship was to grow both professionally and personally. This means strengthening my policy analysis skills, communication skills, and confidence so that I can be the leader that I want to be. Sustainable Solano and SSC are actively making efforts to help me grow by shaping opportunities that align with my goals and providing mentorship that acts as the cornerstone of my career development.

At Sustainable Solano, I’m part of a team dedicated to empowering residents to take action at home and within their communities to address critical climate and environmental issues. This role has proven to be much more than just a job; it’s providing unexpected opportunities to make a real difference and grow. I‘m driven to leverage my experience as an SSC Fellow to champion community-driven policy in my public service career and ensure that community voices are central to policy development.

I encourage anyone interested in taking climate action through building systemic change and collaboration with communities to apply to serve as an SSC Fellow with Sustainable Solano.

Please feel free to reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn if you want to learn more or have any questions!

A Toxic Facility in Your Neighborhood? It Could Happen with Changes to State Law

Apr 2, 2026

By Bonnie Hamilton, M.D.

Bonnie Hamilton is a SuSol board member, a pediatrician, member of Climate Health Now and Physicians for Social Responsibility, and facilitates a Solano Climate Policy Action Team through the Bay Area Chapter of the Climate Reality Project. She spoke, along with Gabriel Tolson, an environmental policy associate with the Planning & Conservation League, about the changes to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in an online community conversation April 22. You can watch the video of that presentation below, and read her original blog.

Imagine waking up to find a manufacturing facility being built in your community, one that may release arsenic, lead, PFAS, hexavalent chromium, and other toxic chemicals into your air and water. If you live near industrial-zoned land anywhere in California, this can now happen without your receiving notice of the project’s construction or its associated health risks.

That’s because last year the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 131, which was signed into law by the governor. SB 131 was introduced and passed in conjunction with AB 130, a bill that was intended to make building affordable housing faster and easier. AB 130 exempts housing projects that already fit into a city’s housing plan from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) — California’s foundational environmental law.

SB 131, however, goes much further, allowing projects to move forward without environmental review in a number of circumstances, including exempting nearly every category of industrial manufacturing from review.

For more than 50 years, CEQA has been California’s strongest environmental justice and conservation law. CEQA required that developers disclose and mitigate public health and environmental impacts of proposed projects such as new factories, freeways, and refineries. CEQA has given residents a voice in land use decisions, empowering local communities, most notably communities that are marginalized. While SB 131 helps rectify delays in the creation of housing, which CEQA has been criticized for, its final form had significant unintended consequences of exempting “advanced manufacturing” from CEQA.

Until last year, CEQA required public agencies to review and publicly disclose the environmental and public health damage a proposed manufacturing facility may cause. The law also required public agencies to adopt feasible ways to prevent harm, and — unique among California’s laws — required disclosure and reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Now, if a project qualifies for this new “advanced manufacturing” exemption, none of these protections apply.

The “advanced” label does not mean these industrial projects are clean. This exemption covers more than 75 categories of heavy industry, including strip mining, pesticide manufacturing, waste incineration, plastic and metal fabrication, defense and aerospace manufacturing, and many others. Pollution from these facilities can cause cancer and birth defects, aggravate other health problems like asthma, and can travel miles through the air or groundwater, contaminating communities for generations. The exemption can be used even by facilities that are located near homes, schools and daycare centers.

The exemption is also a major threat to our open space lands. This raises particular concern in Solano County, where the county’s open space protection through the Orderly Growth Initiative is set to expire in 2028 and will need to be renewed as part of the county’s General Plan update.

This could have a direct impact on California Forever’s proposed project in eastern Solano, which would sit within the sensitive Bay-Delta watershed, adjacent to the Suisun Marsh, and could significantly impact surrounding ecosystems and strain local resources. Projects on private land can qualify for this exemption and threaten habitat and endangered species without CEQA review. There is a real risk that the developers could claim this exemption applies to substantial portions of the massive project.

State Sen. Catherine Blakespear has authored Senate Bill 954, which would restore key protections and residents’ right to know about the risks industrial projects could pose to their families, communities, and the environment. Community members interested in seeing CEQA protections restored are encouraged to attend the community conversation, learn more and reach out to their legislators.

Resources

For more information on CEQA, visit CEQAWorks.org

Read the text of SB 131 and SB 954

Find your legislator here.

Dixon Youth Air Protectors Reflect on Program

Mar 2, 2026

SuSol launched our Air Quality program in 2022. The program is centered around Youth Air Protectors — high school students and young adults who learn about air quality challenges that affect their cities and seek ways to educate the community about those challenges and possible solutions while working on hands-on projects. In 2025, we were fortunate to receive funding from the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District to bring the Youth Air Protectors program to Dixon. Here are reflections from two students in the program, which will conclude by May.

Dixon Youth Air Protectors speak with community members about air quality, community priorities and locations for new bike racks at a community event in January 2026.

By Layla Booth, Dixon Youth Air Protector

My internship this year has been an eye-opening journey into the world of environmental health, specifically regarding the air we breathe every single day. One of the most impactful parts of my experience was getting directly involved with you, the community. Through conducting surveys and interviewing neighbors about their opinions on our local air quality, I discovered that while many are concerned about pollution, there is a powerful shared desire for a healthier environment. I also had the opportunity to host public events to promote clean air awareness, which showed me that when we come together, we can turn complex environmental issues into manageable, community-driven solutions.

Advocacy was another major pillar of my work. I had the privilege of speaking at a city council meeting to highlight how crucial walkability and bikeability are to our community’s future. By pushing for better infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, we aren’t just making our streets safer — we are directly reducing the number of cars on the road and lowering the emissions that cloud our air. I also spent time attending public meetings to learn about sustainable practices like local gardening, even getting my hands dirty helping with the garden at our public library. These experiences taught me that air quality isn’t just about what comes out of a tailpipe; it’s about how we design our cities and nurture our local ecosystems.

As I wrap up this internship, I want everyone to know that improving air quality is something we all have a hand in. You can help today by choosing to walk or bike for short trips, supporting local gardening initiatives that help filter our air and staying engaged with city council decisions regarding our environment. Our collective voice matters — whether it’s through a community survey or a public meeting, your input helps shape a cleaner, more breathable future. Thank you for sharing your stories with me. Let’s continue to work together to keep our community’s air clear and healthy.

Dixon Youth Air Protectors work alongside community members to plant at the community garden

By Sophia Ferri, Dixon Youth Air Protector

In my time in this internship during the fall semester, I’ve learned a lot about air quality and generally everything surrounding it. I interacted with my peers in order to plan and survey the community on problems and their opinions. I had a lot of fun, actually; it was very interactive and educational at the same time. I’m doing the internship again in the spring semester and highly recommend it to students. Even if they’re not interested in the environment, there are still extremely intriguing topics discussed each meeting. The most fun I had was when we went to a community garden and planted with other community members. It was a fun way to reach out to others outside of the classroom we meet at. In general, this internship has furthered my understanding that air quality is such an important aspect to many people and everyday life.

Throughout my time in this internship, I was introduced to various resources that are available to anyone! Websites or maps that show air quality indexes or general environmental concerns in communities. I think that’s just really cool that we have that available to anyone. At one point in the internship, we created an air filter from vents and a fan! I learned how air filters work, which I didn’t previously know and now I do! I got to experience seeing my community up close as in many instances I had to research and survey common areas for people and other spots that need improvement. Whether that’s through bike racks, crosswalks, or more.

Overall I have really enjoyed my time in the internship. I got a lot closer with my peers and built friendships that’ll last a lifetime from this internship. It gave me something to look forward to every week.

Layla and Sophia build a DIY air purifer

We’re planning a countywide Air Quality Summit this fall that will bring together community members, citizen air quality organizations and experts to share knowledge. We want to hear about your interests when it comes to air quality. Take a short survey here!

Roots in the Ground: Tree Planting

Jan 28, 2026

By Maleah J. Brown, Rio Vista Youth Air Protector

Maleah, one of our Rio Vista Youth Air Protectors this fall, wrote this blog about the tree planting project the YAP did in partnership with the City of Rio Vista. Interested in planting more community trees? Our Fairfield/Suisun City Youth Air Protectors invite the public to plant trees Feb. 21 at City Church in Fairfield. Learn more and register here.

Planting a tree seems like such a small act, until you hold it and place it in the ground. When you walk away, knowing it’ll be in the same spot it was left in, that small act seems much bigger. At the tree planting in Rio Vista last November, the sense of community was touching. The small group we started with grew as it came time to start planting.

When I arrived early in the morning at Airport Road, I was greeted by my fellow Youth Air Protectors. We discussed how the event was going to go, as we sipped our coffee and ate our bagels. When participants ranging from residents, elected city officials, and even the fire department started arriving, we tied our hair back and grabbed our gloves.

Maleah, left, works with others to plant trees

We went through a brief instructional meeting on how to properly install the trees to insure longevity. From there we took a course of action and split into groups, 3-4 people a tree. People put their ideas together to help make the process smoother, like dedicating a group to installing all the tree support posts. I joined a group including two of my peers and someone who I’d never met. This experience not only helped me connect with my peers, but also helped me branch out and make new connections in the community. We worked together, shoveling soil, spreading compost, and placing trees in the ground. The smell of nature and the warm rays of the sun made the experience calming. In the end, my group succeeded in planting around four trees. Once we were all done, I helped distribute the extra compost soil on all the trees. We were finished after around three to four hours of planting.

I returned to the scene around eight weeks later to check on the conditions of the trees, as well as to plant some native wildflower seeds. The leaves have fallen off since I last saw them, which is unsurprising due to the currently cold weather conditions, but the trees seem to be stable and thriving. They were standing tall where they had been placed, and were bright and healthy. Soon, they will have new plants to share their soil with. The beautiful flowers will enhance the view of the road, as well as providing a food source and home for native pollinators. As I left, driving past the trees I had helped stamp into their new spot in my community, I knew this small act was bigger than I could have hoped.

The Rio Vista Youth Air Protectors program is funded through the California Air Resources Board and is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Invest, formerly known as Cap-and-Trade, dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment — particularly in disadvantaged communities.