What is AB 617?
Assembly Bill (AB) 617 was signed by California Governor Jerry Brown in 2017. AB 617 requires regional Air Districts and the California Air Resource Board (CARB) to address and reduce air pollution in environmental justice (EJ) communities, such as East Oakland, that are disproportionately impacted.
There are 2 major components to AB 617: (1) Best Available Retrofit Control Technology (“BARCT”), which requires each air district with high pollution levels to create rules for industrial sources to put the best technological controls on facilities for certain pollutants; and (2) Community Emissions Reduction Plan (CERP) to be created in the chosen EJ community.
The CERP process requires the Air District and CARB to select EJ communities, with community support, to create a strategic plan to reduce air pollution in that community. CERPs are a strong tool to bring government agencies to the table with community and agree on actions to reduce air pollution, especially commercial and industrial sources of pollution.
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History
Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) has been a part of East Oakland’s AB 617 process since 2022.
CBE provides support to the East Oakland AB 617 project as a “Co-Lead.” Throughout the process, CBE has provided outreach efforts, guidance, technical analyses, data and research support, as well as staffing and administrative support to the process. The AB 617 CBE East Oakland internal team consists of research, organizing, legal, and program staff.
There are roles of other key players within the AB 617 process who have immensely helped push this initiative forward: namely community members (of East Oakland’s AB 617 Community Steering Committee, “CSC,” as well as general community member attendees of CSC meetings), the Bay Area Air District (BAAD), Just Cities, and CSC Co-Chairs.
Breakdown of Roles
Sets vision, guiding values, identifies key issues, input on strategies and process to develop the CERP
Provides leadership and guidance, helps plan CSC agendas, facilitates CSC break-out and ad-hoc discussions
Air District and CBE provide guidance, technical analyses, data and research, staffing and admin support
Provides admin support for the CSC (such as moderating CSC meetings) and facilitation support within the Co-Chair meetings
Where are we now?
As of July 2026, the Right to Breathe: East Oakland Community Air Quality Justice Plan has been approved by the East Oakland Community Steering Committee (February 2026), the Bay Area Air District Board (April 2026), and gained official approval by the California Air Resources Board (June 2026).
The Right to Breathe: East Oakland Community Air Quality Justice Plan has 32 strategies and 107 actions to reduce air pollution emissions in East Oakland. The Bay Area Air District and CBE are preparing for the implementation phase of the plan.
The 32 strategies of the plan are categorized across six focus areas:
- Built Environment and Land Use
- Commercial and Industrial Sources
- Illegal Dumping, Trash and Odors
- Public Health and Community Wellness
- Transportation and Mobile Sources
- Urban Greening and Workforce Development
Please check back in with us in September 2026 for more updates on Right to Breathe: East Oakland Community Air Quality Justice Plan implementation.
To view the latest updates and for upcoming CSC meeting details, please visit the Bay Area Air District’s East Oakland AB 617 webpage.