California Air Resources Board

The California Air Resources Board (CARB or Board) staff invite folks in Orange County to participate in our first listening session co-hosted with California Action Campaign.  

The listening sessions are part of the public engagement work CARB is doing to inform the development of zero greenhouse gas emission standards for space and water heaters. These standards seek to reduce greenhouse gas and smog-forming nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from new space and water heaters sold in the state to help meet California’s climate goals and federal air quality standards.  

Register to attend the Zoom Webinar.  

This event is the first in a series of listening sessions that CARB is holding with co-hosts in various regions across the state. At each listening session, CARB staff wish to proactively share information, hear public thoughts, and identify potential solutions. Some key issues CARB staff are examining, and wish to hear from the public about, include:   

• Needs in rural areas, especially those experiencing temperature extremes.  
• Potential housing impacts from a transition to zero-emission space and water heating, and ways to minimize risks to tenants of increased rental cost or displacement.  
• Energy cost implications and strategies for maintaining energy affordability.  
• Access to knowledgeable contractors and high-quality jobs.  

Background  

Zero-emission space and water heater standards are part of California’s climate and air quality strategies as laid out in the 2022 Scoping Plan adopted in December 2022 and the 2022 State Strategy for the State Implementation Plan adopted in September 2022. Nonresidential and residential buildings are responsible for approximately 10 percent of GHG emissions and 5 percent of statewide NOx emissions in California. Zero-emission space and water heaters sold in California after the regulation would be in effect would reduce building-related GHG and NOx emissions to help the State meet its climate goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045 or earlier and assist California with meeting State and federal air quality standards and improving public health. CARB staff anticipate taking a proposed regulation to the Board for consideration in 2025. 

Special Accommodation Request 

Consistent with California Government Code Section 7296.2, special accommodation or language needs may be provided for any of the following: 

• An interpreter to be available at the meeting; 
• Documents made available in an alternate format or another language; 
• A disability-related reasonable accommodation. 

To request these special accommodations or language needs, please contact buildingdecarb@arb.ca.gov or (279) 208-7378 as soon as possible, but no later than five business days before the scheduled meeting. TTY/TDD/Speech to Speech users may dial 711 for the California Relay Service.