California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have allowed a local air district to adopt and implement regulations to require data regarding air pollution within the air district’s jurisdiction from indirect and areawide sources, including mobile sources drawn by those sources, to enable the calculation of health risks from toxic air contaminants. The bill would have also specified that a local air district, in carrying out its responsibilities with respect to the reduction of health risks from toxic air contaminants, may adopt and implement regulations to reduce or mitigate emissions from new and existing indirect and areawide sources of air pollution, or to encourage or require the use of measures which reduce the number or length of vehicle trips. Was not heard in the Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, before December 31, 2022, and before December 31 of each year thereafter, to identify priority fuel reduction projects. The bill would have also exempted the identified priority fuel reduction projects from specified legal requirements. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Would have, among other things, continuously appropriated, from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, $480 million to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and $20 million to the California Conservation Corps for fire prevention activities, and indefinitely extend existing law that allows the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to exempt certain forest management activities from obtaining approval from CAL FIRE for a timber harvesting plan. Forest management activities that would have been eligible for exemption include cutting or removing trees on property to reduce flammable materials and maintain a fuelbreak on each side of a habitable structure. The bill would have also extended the distance of the fuelbreak from 300 feet to 500 feet. Finally, the bill would have exempted certain forest health and fuel reduction activities from the California Environmental Quality Act. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Would have promoted medium-duty, heavy-duty, and off-road zero-emission infrastructure and electric and hydrogen refueling policies to support the State’s 2030 zero-emission vehicle and greenhouse gas reductions goals. The bill would have also established an electric rate structure, inclusive of electric charging and hydrogen refueling to incentivize zero-emission vehicles and freight equipment across the State. Additionally, the bill would have established the Safe and Clean Truck Infrastructure Program to deploy strategies to support truck drivers, such as safe areas to park and zero-emission refueling stations. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

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Summary

Would have required CARB to identify and make recommendations for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gas and black carbon emissions from wildfires in each update to the Scoping Plan after January 1, 2022. The bill also would have provided the intent to make a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund appropriation for wildfire mitigation and prevention. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Would have, among other things, suspended the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund appropriation to the High‑Speed Rail Authority for the 2023–24 and 2024–25 fiscal years and would have transferred those amounts to the General Fund to augment funding for K–12 education and to support full-time in-person instruction for all students. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

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Summary

Would have memorialized the Legislature’s declaration that the State is currently suffering a supply chain crisis and would have urged the State’s public agencies, departments, and local governments to provide all due and proper assistance to carriers, cargo owners, public seaports, terminals, workers, and facilities to facilitate the essential service of delivering goods to Californians. Remains in the Senate Rules Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), in consultation with CARB and the California Energy Commission, under a separate proceeding, to authorize gas corporations to file applications for investments in programs to accelerate zero-emission vehicle transportation, including the use of hydrogen when it is used as a transportation fuel in fuel cell electric vehicles. CPUC would have been prohibited from approving any program or investment that would have resulted in either cost shifts in customer rates or a net increase in emissions from the energy sector, as determined by CARB. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have established the California Electric Vehicle Authority (Authority) as a separate entity within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. The bill would have required the Authority to coordinate activities among State agencies to advance electric vehicle and zero-emission charging infrastructure deployment as well as ensure related equity, workforce development, economic development, and other needs are addressed. The Authority would have developed new funding and financing programs, as separately authorized by the Legislature, including, but not limited to, incentives, rebates, tax credits, loan guarantees, reverse auctions, seed funds, pooled insurance funds, and matching grants. The Authority would have sunset January 1, 2029. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the California Energy Commission to develop and implement a grant program for local governments to develop “community energy resilience plans” and expedite permit review of distributed energy resources by local governments. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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