Disadvantaged communities in California are targeted for investment of proceeds from the state’s Cap-and-Invest Program. These investments are aimed at improving public health, quality of life and economic opportunities in California’s most burdened communities, and at the same time, reducing pollution that causes climate change. The investments are authorized by the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill 32, Nunez, 2016). 

In 2012, Senate Bill 535 (De León, Chapter 830, Statutes of 2012) established initial requirements for minimum funding levels to “Disadvantaged Communities” (DACs). The legislation also gives CalEPA the responsibility for identifying those communities, stating that CalEPA’s designation of disadvantaged communities must be based on “geographic, socioeconomic, public health, and environmental hazard criteria.” 

In 2016, Assembly Bill 1550 (Gomez, Chapter 369, Statutes of 2016) directed CalEPA to identify DACs and also established the currently applicable minimum funding levels: 

• At least 25 percent of funds must be allocated toward DACs 
• At least 5 percent must be allocated toward projects within low-income communities or benefiting low-income households 
• At least 5 percent must be allocated toward projects within and benefiting low-income communities, or low-income households, that are outside of a CalEPA-defined DAC but within ½ mile of a disadvantaged community 

CalEnviroScreen 5.0 

Developed by CalEPA’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), the CalEnviroScreen mapping tool identifies California communities with the highest pollution burdens and vulnerabilities. CalEPA uses CalEnviroScreen to identify DACs, and to better understand and address environmental concerns in California communities. On July 1, 2026, OEHHA released a final version of CalEnviroScreen Version 5.0. For the first time, CalEnviroScreen was updated using a co-design process with eight community-based organizations. CalEnviroScreen Version 5.0 also includes more recent data, updated census tract geography, improved methodology, and additional indicators. CalEnviroScreen 5.0 can be accessed here.   

The public comment period for the 2026 DAC designation closed at 5:00 p.m. on August 14, 2026. The written comments that were received are below:

• 01 – The Climate Corps Initiative.pdf
• 02 – Ellen Cooper.pdf
• 03 – Sarah Goldsmith.pdf
• 04-Jolina-Styers.pdf
• 05-City-of-Soledad.pdf
• 06-Rebecca-Skinner.pdf
• 07-1000-Grandmothers-for-Future-Generation.pdf
• 08-Ventura-County-APCD.pdf
• 09-County-of-SLO.pdf
• 10-Viviana-Hilario.pdf
• 11-Joshua-De-La-Rosa.pdf
• 12-Healthy-Communities-Work-Group.pdf
• 13-One-Cool-Earth.pdf
• 14-South-of-Market-Community-Action-Network.pdf
• 15-Canal-Alliance.pdf
• 16-Literacy-for-Environmental-Justice.pdf
• 17-Asian-Pacific-Islander-Council-of-San-Francisco.pdf
• 18-Arriba-South-Coast.pdf
• 19-UNIDOS-Network-Inc.pdf
• 20-Upstream Evidence
• 21-Chinatown-Community-Development-Center.pdf
• 22-County-of-Marin.pdf
• 23-West-Oakland-Environmental-Indicators-Project.pdf
• 24-City-of-San-Rafael.pdf
• 25-San-Francisco-Mayor-Daniel-Lurie.pdf
• 26-several-SF-Departments.pdf
• 27-Bay-Area-Legislative-Caucus.pdf
• 28-Housing-Trust-Tahoe-and-Tahoe-Housing-Hub.pdf
• 28.a-Community-Health-Report_Placer-County.pdf
• 29-Land-Together.pdf
• 30-Center-on-Race-Poverty-the-Environment.pdf
• 31-CCSROC-La-Voz-Latina-THC-Programs.pdf
• 32-Brightline.pdf
• 33-California-Environmental-Justice-Alliance.pdf
• 34-San-Mateo-County-Board-of-Supervisors.pdf
• 35-Leadership-Counsel-for-Justice-Accountability.pdf
• 36-Acterra-Action-for-a-Healthy-Planet.pdf
• 37-City-and-County-Association-of-Governments-of-San-Mateo-County.pdf
• 38-Victoriaelenavasquez.pdf
• 39-Peninsula-Accountability-for-Contamination-Team.pdf
• 40-Bayview-Hunters-Point-and-SE-SF-AB-617-Steering-Committee.pdf
• 41-The-Greenlining-Institute.pdf

For general questions, please reach out to DACinquiries@calepa.ca.gov.  

Workshop information 

CalEPA hosted two virtual public workshops to receive input and feedback: 

Thursday, July 9, 2026, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Friday, July 17, 2026, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Workshop materials
CalEPA Presentation – Preliminary 2026 DAC Designation Overview

Disadvantaged Communities Designation Public Workshop recording

There was one invite-only virtual Tribal Workshop on the Disadvantaged Communities Designation. For general questions about tribal engagement, please reach out to TribalAffairs@calepa.ca.gov.