Some big changes are happening in the San Joaquin Valley to clean up the air, with South Central Fresno and Shafter—north of Bakersfield—targeted first.
Often, impoverished communities suffer the most from air pollution, so the state is providing funds to change that. Special air monitoring networks are being put in place, trees and shrubs are being planted next to highways to improve air quality, and zero-emission vehicles are replacing older school buses.
Jessica Olsen with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is partnering with the state to provide money to cut emissions.
“The funds to help replace air filtration in schools within the community boundaries...that will help reduce exposure to the outside air pollution in classrooms in every single school in the boundaries,” she said.
Olsen added that southwest Stockton has been selected to be in the second round of emission reduction programs, ranking in the top 5 percent of the most disadvantaged communities in the state.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly identified Jessica Olsen. It has been corrected.
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