From official newsletter

Introducing Air Sensor Legislation to Santa Clara County!

Sep 24, 2026, 12:32 AM • Office of Supervisor Otto Lee

Summary

Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto Lee and youth-led nonprofit ConServe International have advanced air quality protections by passing a unanimous Board resolution opposing federal interference with California's clean air standards. ConServe, founded by local high school students, focuses on installing particulate matter sensors in under-resourced schools to monitor air pollution's impact on student health and learning. The Board's resolution builds on the 2023 Roadmap to 2030 Carbon Neutrality, emphasizing cleaner transportation and infrastructure. ConServe's founders are expanding efforts regionally and statewide to raise awareness and promote similar resolutions to protect students and educators from harmful air pollution.

Key positions and references

Key positions

Oppose federal interference with California clean air standards
Support installation of particulate matter sensors in schools
Prioritize clean air through Roadmap to 2030 Carbon Neutrality
Promote regional and statewide air pollution resolutions

Agenda items and issues mentioned

Board resolution opposing federal interference with California clean air standards
Roadmap to 2030 Carbon Neutrality for County Operations
Santa Clara County Office of Education air pollution resolution
Installation of particulate matter sensors in schools

Meetings and events mentioned

Board of Supervisors meeting August 25, 2026
Fremont Union High School District Earth Day event
Santa Clara County Office of Education resolution vote August 2026

Full newsletter

Formatted for readability from newsletter text.

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Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto Lee banner image [https://app.indigov.com/pub/outreach/assets/4c774f27-c99d-458a-bb16-af0fab6fa560/VLyv3bciy9UDEcLuqTiV7.jpg]

FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION

September 23, 2026

Contact: Grace Stetson, Director of Communications - 669-309-3219 | grace.stetson@bos.sccgov.org [grace.stetson@bos.sccgov.org]

ConServe International - 408-613-3508 | conserve.intl@gmail.com [conserve.intl@gmail.com]

Introducing Air Sensor Legislation to Santa Clara County with ConServe International

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA – On Tuesday, August 25, the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution by a 5-0 vote, firmly opposing any federal government interference in undermining the state of California's authority to protect the health of residents via firmer clean air standards.

The resolution was originally brought to the District 3 office by way of ConServe International [https://go.sparkpostmail.com/f/a/bBQqAhTjNud2U1D1FXTNZQ~~/AAS2yhA~/VFrX0rYlKnvRd10lzn_uJESfd879rxmYemY6ZuofNrk-ABXGDbs_aPRI11AmozvEfH2quFynsrAdXGK_0S4WI6up1VujePOidW1EqHiT8M1Jp4mbwu8CSRJy9etgSCNl], a 501(c)(3) youth-led nonprofit dedicated toward fighting air pollution in schools and school districts across the Bay Area. Co-founders Aahaan Jain of Lynbrook High School and Kelly Liu of Valley Christian High School spearheaded the effort with the D3 office. The group originally made contact with our office by way of the Fremont Union High School District Earth Day, held in April at Mountain View's Computer History Museum.

One of the organization's primary initiatives is to install particulate matter sensors in schools, particularly those in under-resourced areas. Thus far, the group has installed sensors in three schools, and are in the process of developing a partnership with Alum Rock Union Elementary School District, which represents 22 schools.

[https://app.indigov.com/pub/outreach/assets/4c774f27-c99d-458a-bb16-af0fab6fa560/VPSWfJJ0ka0NtCXnArzo9.png]

Jain and Liu explained that the reason for this resolution is vital in the current moment:

"Currently, Congress has put forward challenging mischaracterizations surrounding the

waivers for California's clean car standards. They claim the waivers to be "rules," while further

illegitimately passing Congressional Review Act resolutions. This portrayal puts clean

transportation in California and our standards nationwide at risk."

The resolution builds on previous efforts by the Board of Supervisors to prioritize clean air. On October 3, 2023, the Board approved the Roadmap to 2030 Carbon Neutrality for County Operations, outlining important strategies to reduce emissions by investing in cleaner transportation, facilities, and infrastructure. Through this roadmap, the strategies sought to improve air quality and reduce harmful air pollution exposure for County residents.

Jain and Liu have continued to lead the charge on this issue across the region. In August, the Santa Clara County Office of Education unanimously passed a resolution the pair drafted, recognizing air pollution as a public threat to students and school employees countywide. As they shared, air pollution can affect breathing, but it can also affect attention, fatigue, and a student's ability to learn. The students found that higher particulate-matter levels were connected to:

* 5.7% increase in student absences * 13.1% increase in teacher absences * 28% increase in serious student discipline referrals

Stanford University Professor Jennifer Burney — who teaches global environmental policy and Earth system science at Stanford's Doerr School of Sustainability — leads a research team that has been working with ConServe to develop low-cost air-pollution sensors.

As Burney explained:

“They’ve built a pipeline that uses publicly available data to illustrate the air quality challenges facing communities everywhere. This is most important for young students who don’t have any agency about where they spend the majority of their day in school, and therefore what air they breathe, and also have no political power because they can’t yet vote.”

Looking forward, Jain and Liu will continue working with students and education leaders in San Mateo and Alameda counties, as well as County Offices of Education across California to pass similar air pollution resolutions. They are also working to propose a statewide air pollution resolution to increase awareness on this often overlooked issue.

ConServe's ultimate goal? To improve air quality and better protect the health of students and educators in California and beyond.

Our sincere thanks to Aahaan and Kelly for all of their work on this resolution.

Visit ConServe International's website to learn more [https://go.sparkpostmail.com/f/a/bBQqAhTjNud2U1D1FXTNZQ~~/AAS2yhA~/VFrX0rYlKnvRd10lzn_uJESfd879rxmYemY6ZuofNrk-ABXGDbs_aPRI11AmozvEfH2quFynsrAdXGK_0S4WI6up1VujePOidW1EqHiT8M1Jp4mbwu8CSRJy9etgSCNl]

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Supervisor Otto Lee serves District 3 on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors which represents Sunnyvale, Milpitas, and the northern neighborhoods of San José including Alviso and Berryessa. Supervisor Lee also serves as the President of the Board of Supervisors. He is an intellectual property attorney, Retired U.S. Navy Commander, former Sunnyvale Mayor & Councilmember, and father. Additional information is available online at SupervisorLee.org [https://go.sparkpostmail.com/f/a/Za3WDHwc2rlh0tCOpdyGaA~~/AAS2yhA~/HWP4YRtyQjgFNS4yXI96lhf-DFonXHXaLa2z5oGzMUPE3HKLgJ7jQbQ4Vh8SgwrFWjJbwdgPWHCYs0rsyoItGhqpdOTuqzcfy0BVSsmEOB907LFupCZl59_QAQxs0RkxUygXGVb03a2ilA1RmvT1HQ~~] or contact us anytime at Supervisor.Lee@bos.sccgov.org.

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Otto Lee

Board President

Santa Clara County Supervisor, District 3

70 West Hedding

10th Floor

San Jose, CA 95110 (408) 299-5030 Email Supervisor Lee [supervisor.lee@bos.sccgov.org]

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