Pinole Awarded $5 Million to Improve Air Quality and Health for Households in Pollution Corridor

The City of Pinole is proud to announce that the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) has awarded approximately $5 million to support a new decarbonization program designed to improve air quality and health outcomes for 189 households in a Pinole corridor disproportionately impacted by pollution.
This grant is part of BAAQMD’s Bay REPAIR Program – Reinvesting Penalties for Air Improvement and Resilience – which directs $124 million in air‑violation fines and penalties back into affected communities to fund projects that reduce pollution, improve health, and build long‑term resilience.
Supervisor John Gioia stated, “The Air District’s $5 million grant to the City of Pinole and Rebuilding Together will enable 189 homes to receive energy improvements and decarbonization upgrades and support a local workforce training program. By investing Chevron fines into these projects, Pinole residents will save on their energy bills and be supporting efforts to clean our air.”
The City is partnering with Rebuilding Together East Bay Network and GRID Alternatives to deliver a comprehensive, menu‑style decarbonization program for 145 single‑family homes and 44 townhomes/condominiums located in a REPAIR‑eligible corridor burdened by high diesel particulate levels (70–73rd percentile), traffic pollution (85–88th percentile), and elevated asthma rates (67–89th percentile).
This integrated, equity‑centered model prioritizes low‑income and pollution‑impacted households and serves as a replicable, neighborhood‑scale decarbonization blueprint for other small cities.
“The project advances Pinole’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan goals by reducing air pollution to improve health outcomes,” said Mayor Anthony Tave. “Thanks to its no‑cost participation pathways, the City of Pinole is building real economic resilience at a time we need it most.”
The program will deploy up to 150 kW of solar power, 450 kWh of battery storage, 30 EV chargers, 90 heat pump water heaters, 90 heat pump HVAC systems, 90 electric
panel upgrades, and 30 reroofs. The City’s decarbonization efforts will also be supported by 25 local workforce trainees and are set to begin in early 2027.
Complementing these recent investments in building decarbonization, the City of Pinole also continues to advance its sustainability goals through transportation electrification and cleaner municipal operations. Through BAAQMD’s competitive Charge! Program, the City received $245,500 to install 72 publicly accessible Level II electric vehicle charging ports. In addition, Pinole Public Works secured funding from BAAQMD to purchase an electric lawn mower, helping reduce equipment-related emissions and furthering the City’s commitment to cleaner air and a more sustainable future.