SACRAMENTO, CA – On Tuesday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the launch of California’s Statewide Mobile Monitoring Initiative (SMMI), a first-of-its-kind program that will provide localized air pollution data to help improve air quality across the state.
Over the past 50 years, California’s clean air initiatives have saved an estimated $250 billion in health-related costs and reduced diesel-related cancer rates by nearly 80 percent, according to a press release from the Governor’s Office.
Despite federal rollbacks under the Trump administration on pollution protection programs, California is pushing forward with efforts like the SMMI to safeguard public health and continue the state’s environmental progress.
The initiative will deploy sensor-equipped vehicles to collect air quality data block-by-block in 64 communities across California. The goal is to use the data to develop targeted solutions that improve public health and air quality, the press release said.
“While the federal government threatens to take us back to the days of smoggy skies and clogged lungs, California continues to lead the way,” Governor Newsom said in the release. “We’re deploying first-of-their-kind vehicles to monitor pollution levels at a block-by-block level, delivering critical air quality information to communities across the state.”
Set to begin in June, the program will focus on communities that have historically faced environmental inequities. Led by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the initiative will use vehicles from Aclima, a climate-focused technology company. Research support will come from the University of California, Berkeley; UC Riverside; and Aerodyne Research, according to the release.
The SMMI is part of the broader California Climate Investments initiative, which allocates billions of Cap-and-Invest dollars to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, bolster the economy, and enhance public health—particularly in disadvantaged communities.
More than 60 percent of mobile monitoring efforts will target priority populations, including low-income communities disproportionately impacted by pollution. The 64 communities were nominated through CARB’s Community Air Protection Program.
“By meeting communities where they are and listening to their concerns, we’re building an air quality monitoring system that integrates the lived experiences of the people most impacted by air pollution,” said CARB Executive Director Dr. Steven Cliff.
He added, “The Statewide Mobile Monitoring Initiative represents an unprecedented opportunity to gather the detailed information we need to better protect public health in neighborhoods that have historically borne the brunt of environmental injustice.”
Monitoring will continue through June 2026, with collected data to be made publicly available. The findings will support regulatory development, academic research, and funding applications such as the Community Air Grants Program.
Guided by more than 40 community-based organizations across California, the program seeks to elevate local voices and ensure community input shapes monitoring efforts from the outset.
California continues to set national clean energy records. Last year, the state operated on 100 percent clean electricity for 51 days. Since the start of Newsom’s administration, battery storage capacity has grown by more than 15,000 megawatts—a 1,900 percent increase, according to the Governor’s Office.
