The California Air Resources Board (CARB or Board) invites community members and interested stakeholders to participate in a virtual community meeting to hear an overview of SB 596 (Becker) and CARB’s efforts to the decarbonize cement sector. In September 2021, Governor Newsom signed SB 596, which requires CARB to develop a comprehensive strategy for cement used in California to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2045. To achieve this goal, California’s cement plants are expected to implement projects to reduce GHG emissions associated with the manufacturing processes. As part of the development of the strategy, SB 596 requires CARB to identify actions to reduce adverse air quality impacts and support economic and workforce development in communities neighboring cement plants.

CARB staff will be holding a virtual community meeting on Zoom. Staff will provide an overview presentation on SB 596 and will then make themselves available for questions and comments from the attendees. The goal of the meeting is to hear from community members about the relationship between existing cements plants and local communities and how potential changes to decarbonize these facilities may impact their communities.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB or Board) will hold a community meeting for Senate Bill (SB) 596 at the time and place noted below:

Date:                 October 11, 2023

Time:                 6:00 p.m.

Location:           Remote Only

Register Here  (https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SAbJ47HmSTuAtJZkY2tQjg?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery#/registration)

For special accommodations or language needs please contact cement@arb.ca.gov (mailto:cement@arb.ca.gov) by October 4th.

Relevant materials will be available on CARB’s SB 596 meetings and workshops webpage (//ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/net-zero-emissions-strategy-cement-sector/net-zero-emissions-strategy-cement?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery) prior to the workshop.

Background

More cement is used throughout the world each year than any other manufactured material, and cement also has one of the highest GHG-intensities of any manufactured material. Society will continue to rely heavily on cement and concrete, so reducing the GHG-intensity of cement is crucial to achieving industrial decarbonization. GHG emissions from cement manufacturing are about seven percent of global GHG emissions. In 2019, the seven cement manufacturing plants in California produced over 9 million metric tons of cement and emitted 7.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, representing 8.8 percent of industrial sector GHG emissions in California.

More Information (//ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/net-zero-emissions-strategy-cement-sector)