SACRAMENTO -- The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has unveiled the Community Health Air Pollution Information System (CHAPIS). This web based tool, freely accessible through the World Wide Web, illustrates the locations of various sources of air pollution on maps of California, and gives itemized accounting of the sources' air emissions.

"This is a powerful tool that expands public access to air pollution data," said ARB Chairman, Alan Lloyd. "By providing geographic illustrations and itemized inventories of the emissions from multiple sources, CHAPIS presents data in a way that will help the public better understand California's air pollution problem and how it may impact their community."

CHAPIS is an interactive map that displays emission source information over the internet. This will make it easier to access, understand, and use air pollution emissions data complied by ARB and local air districts. CHAPIS illustrates the location of sources, improving our understanding of the potential cumulative impacts of air pollution. The program allows one to zoom into a neighborhood using interactive maps and view spatial relationships and emission levels. The combined contribution of cars, trucks, industrial and commercial facilities, consumer products, and other air pollution sources is mapped. Tools are provided, including query calculators that summarize statistics for an area of interest and measuring tools that calculate distances between sources and receptors.

This new tool is part of ARB's ongoing effort to make air pollution information more accessible to the public. CHAPIS provides information that illustrates the distribution of sources and their relative emissions contribution, which provides important insight from an environmental justice perspective. By providing greater access to data with tools and information, CHAPIS helps California residents understand air pollution and its sources. For more information, click here.

The Air Resources Board is a department of the California Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain health based air quality standards.

The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy cost, see our website at http://www.arb.ca.gov.