California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have required the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to adopt regulations by January 2022 to develop a loan, grant, and incentive payment program to improve California’s statewide recycling and composting infrastructure.  This bill would have created the California Recycling and Composting Infrastructure Fund in the State Treasury to support the regulations.  Remains in the Senate Rules Committee.

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Summary

Would have created the Sea Level Rise Revolving Loan Program (Program) within the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank) to provide low-interest loans to local jurisdictions for the purchase of coastal properties in their jurisdictions identified as vulnerable coastal property.  This bill would have also required the California Coastal Commission to determine criteria and guidelines for the identification of vulnerable coastal properties eligible for participation in the program by January 2022.  The bill would have authorized specified cities and counties to apply for, and be awarded, a low‑interest loan under the Program if the city or county develops and submits to the bank a vulnerable coastal property plan.  Remains in the Senate Rules Committee.

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Summary

Would have enacted the California Climate Technology and Infrastructure Financing Act to require the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank), in consultation with CARB, to administer the Climate Catalyst Revolving Fund (Catalyst Fund), to provide financial assistance to eligible projects.  The bill would have required IBank to administer the continuously appropriated Catalyst Fund for climate catalyst projects for any improvement, technology, service, or measure that avoids greenhouse gas emissions.  CARB would have had a consultation role to help IBank establish project eligibility and program guidelines, and CARB’s Chair would have served as a member of the advisory body for the development of a three-year funding guidance document.  Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have established the Electrical Infrastructure Revolving Loan Program (Program), to be developed and implemented by the California Energy Commission (CEC).  The Program would have provided loans to electrical corporations to fund activities that minimize the risk of catastrophic wildfires due to electrical lines and equipment or that reduce the need for public safety power shutoffs.  This bill would have required the High-Speed Rail Authority to transfer any unencumbered moneys appropriated from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to CEC as a loan to be deposited in the Electrical Infrastructure Revolving Loan Fund (Fund), which the bill would have established in the State Treasury.  The bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature, would have required CEC to expend the moneys from the Fund for purposes of the Program.  Was not heard in the Senate Transportation Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the Advisory Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory Panel (Panel) to assist government agencies to incorporate the conservation of natural resources and ecosystem services practices into agricultural programs.  The bill would have required the California Department of Food and Agriculture, with advice from the Panel, to establish and administer the California Environmental Farming Incentive Program (Program), subject to an appropriation by the Legislature.  The bill would have required the Program to support on-farm practices seeking to optimize environmental benefits while supporting the economic viability of California agriculture.  The bill would have also required the Program to provide incentives to farmers or ranchers who want to pursue adopting management practices that contribute to wildlife habitat and result in on-farm activities that provide multiple conservation benefits.  Was not heard in the Senate Agriculture Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the California Transportation Commission to establish a two-year competitive grant program for short-line railroad projects using funds from the Trade Corridors Improvement Fund program savings.  Eligible project types would have included rail reconstruction, maintenance, upgrade, and replacement, as well as projects that did not exceed $8 million.  Of interest to CARB due to freight funding for short rail locomotives.  Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

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Summary

Spot bill related to the Environmental Farming Program.  Remains in the Senate Rules Committee.  

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Summary

Would have made various changes to the Green Chemistry program, also known as the Safer Consumer Products program.  This bill would have allowed the Department of Toxics Substance Control (DTSC) to forego the alternatives analysis process and move directly to a regulatory response for a chemical of concern if there were publicly available studies identifying safer alternative chemicals.  The bill would have also established civil penalties for a product manufacturer that does not comply with a DTSC request for product ingredients or use, required the DTSC to include in the Priority Product Workplan a timeline and plan for identifying safer alternatives for chemicals of concern, and eliminated the Toxics Information Clearinghouse.  Of interest to CARB due to the connection with hazardous air pollutants and toxic air contaminants.  Remains in the Assembly Rules Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to create two additional traffic lanes on northbound and southbound Interstate Route 5 and State Route 99 that would not have a maximum speed limit.  Funding for the additional traffic lanes would have been from a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund appropriation.  Amended to require Caltrans to develop a report to the Legislature on the advantages and feasibility of implementing a German Autobahn-like system in California.   

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Summary

Would have made statutory changes to the fiscal year 2020-21 budget package to implement actions related to transportation.  Of interest to CARB, the budget trailer bill would have appropriated $1.7 million from the Air Pollution Control Fund to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to develop an interface system for the DMV’s vehicle registration system to communicate with CARB’s compliance database.  The budget trailer bill also would have required the State Controller to allocate Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP) funding for the 2020–21 and 2021–22 fiscal years to recipient transit agencies based on transit operator ratios.  LCTOP receives a continuous appropriation from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.  Was not heard in the Assembly Budget Committee.

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