MEASURING PM2.5 VARIATION AND ITS EFFECTS ON LIVED COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE AND HEALTH IN SAN FRANCISCO

Given the clear importance of air quality on health and the sparse amount of air quality monitoring stations around California, Brightline Defense Project (“Brightline Defense” or “Brightline”), a Bay Area based environmental justice non-profit, deployed an air quality monitoring network to better understand air quality and low-income urban resident experience of air quality in San Francisco. This project arose as part of the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB’s) response to AB617. CARB established the Community Air Protection Program
(CAPP) with the goal to reduce exposure in communities most impacted by air pollution. Based on community identified need for accurate and timely data of specific air pollutant levels at more locations than the single BAAQMD monitor was providing in San Francisco, Brightline began their localized air monitoring project. Brightline targeted disadvantaged communities who historically may not have had the resources to monitor air quality with personal low cost sensors. They deployed low cost sensors in five San Francisco neighborhoods, two categorized as disadvantaged communities, two requested by community partners, and one for co-location. They also conducted community surveys with the aim to better understand how air quality is affected by wildfires, the differences in air quality between neighborhoods and across time, and how residents of different neighborhoods feel air quality impacts their health.