California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have allowed, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2023, and before January 1, 2028, a credit against State taxes for a qualified taxpayer in an amount equal to $800 per ton of criteria air pollutant reduced beyond the baseline amount. The bill would have defined “qualified taxpayer” to mean a major source emitter, as defined, that has emissions levels of criteria air pollutants for the taxable year at least 5 percent below the requirements set by the federal Clean Air Act. The bill also would have defined “baseline amount” with respect to criteria air pollutants to mean the level of criteria air pollutants the taxpayer may emit to meet the requirements of the federal Clean Air Act. Was amended to deal with student loan debt.

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Summary

Extends the deadline for implementation of various health, safety, and environmental requirements for oil or gas production facilities or wells with a wellhead within a health protection zone.

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Summary

Extends the deadline for the period of liquidation for local air districts to disburse Carl Moyer Program funds from 4 years after date of reservation to 6 years after date of disbursement by the State.

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Summary

Would have required the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) to develop procedures, in consultation with CARB, for local jurisdictions to request technical assistance on meeting the State’s organic waste recycling requirements.

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Governor's Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 972 without my signature.

This bill requires the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) to develop procedures for local jurisdictions to request technical assistance regarding the disposal of organic material in landfills. It also requires CalRecycle to consider providing technical assistance before exercising its enforcement authority, if a local jurisdiction has submitted a technical assistance request.

While I appreciate the author's intent to assist local jurisdictions in meeting California's organic waste reduction and diversion targets established in Senate Bill 1383 (Lara, 2016), this bill is unnecessary and duplicative of existing efforts. CalRecycle currently offers a suite of technical assistance materials and comprehensive staff assistance for all jurisdictions in the state specific to Senate Bill 1383. Further, the Local Assistance and Market Development branch within CalRecycle regularly meets with local jurisdictions, including monthly Senate Bill 1383 roundtables, and conducts annual site visits to provide customized assistance consistent with each jurisdiction's needs.

For this reason, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary

Enacts the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024, which would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000,000 if approved by voters, for safe drinking water, drought, flood, and water resilience; wildfire and forest resilience, coastal resilience, extreme heat mitigation, biodiversity and nature-based climate solutions; climate-smart, sustainable, and resilient farms, ranches, and working lands; park creation and outdoor access; and clean air programs.

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Summary 

Would have required CARB to create a cargo handling equipment (CHE) program and to approve as "covered equipment" specified CHE that would reduce cumulative emissions at seaports and intermodal yards. The bill would have defined covered equipment as hydrogen-powered CHE or off-road hybridized rubber-tired gantry cranes that significantly reduces criteria pollutants, toxic air contaminants and greenhouse gases (GHG). An application to certify covered equipment would have been required to be approved by CARB if the applicant demonstrated that: 1) the total surplus emissions from covered equipment were lower cumulative emissions than the emissions resulting from compliance with the current CHE regulation pursuant to the methodology established by this bill, or 2) the equipment met European Union technical standards for zero emission. The bill would have required CARB to certify CHE as covered equipment if the applicant of CHE demonstrates to CARB that the equipment satisfies specific demonstrations regarding cumulative and immediate emission reductions of GHGs, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, as well as determine the useful life of each piece of CHE equipment. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary 

Would have authorized the expansion of the existing Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program to a single unified statewide voluntary vessel speed reduction and sustainable shipping program. The bill would have required the Ocean Protection Council (Council) and CARB to participate as advisers as well as stakeholders with coastal local air districts and other stakeholders, subject to funding availability. Participating local air districts would have been required to submit a legislative report by December 31, 2028. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Bill Summary

Would have required CARB to create a Lower Emissions Transition Program and establish eligibility guidelines and approve projects that reduce cumulative emissions from cargo handling equipment (CHE) sources at seaports in the state during the transition period to zero-emissions CHE requirements. The bill would have prohibited the approval of a project after the compliance date required by any applicable statute, regulation, or rule that requires a change in equipment to a zero-emission standard. The bill would have required CARB to establish an application fee to be deposited in the Air Pollution Control Fund. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary 

Would have prohibited CARB from requiring the San Francisco bar pilots, serving the bays of Monterey, San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun, to replace a pilot station boat before the end of the boat's useful life. CARB’s Commercial Harbor Craft regulation requires an earlier implementation date for the pilot vessels. The bill would have required the useful life to be between 25 and 35 years from the date the boat was commissioned and be determined by CARB in consultation with the Board of Pilot Commissioners and an accredited marine surveyor.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 1296 without my signature.

This bill would prohibit state regulations, namely the Commercial Harbor Craft (CHC) regulation, from requiring the San Francisco Bar Pilots to replace pilot station vessels with lower-emitting vessels, unless such a regulation authorizes its replacement at the end of the vessel's useful life, prescribed as between 25 and 35 years.

In 2020, I issued Executive Order (EO) N-79-20, which directed the California Air Resources Board (CARB), among other things, to develop strategies to transition to 100 percent zero-emission off-road vehicles, vessels, and equipment by 2035, where feasible.  Under this EO, CARB amended the CHC regulation to accelerate emission reductions while providing safe, feasible, and flexible compliance options for affected vessels, including compliance extensions of up to six additional years for pilot station vessels beyond the compliance dates of December 2024 and December 2025.

While I recognize the challenges of adopting new technologies, California must work diligently to reduce air pollution that fouls our air and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to our rapidly changing climate.  In addition, this amendment to the CHC rule would require CARB to resubmit its request for authorization to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) - a step that would delay the U.S. EPA's final decision and undo months of work.  Delays in receiving that federal authorization would deprive local communities of the substantial public health benefits associated with the regulations and compromise the State's ability to meet our federally mandated air quality standards.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary 

Would have required CARB to replace the implementation schedule of the Commercial Harbor Craft regulation with a vessel’s individual Coast Guard inspection schedule or within 30 months, whichever occurred first after any applicable compliance extensions have expired. This bill would have also required a diesel particulate filter retrofitted onto a commercial harbor craft engine to include an override or bypass safety system, designed and installed by the manufacturer. This bill would have required the override/bypass to include an electric monitoring and tracking system to track each time the system was used.  This bill would have required, within 30 days of use of the system, the owner or operator to report the use of the override/bypass system to the manufacturer and to CARB.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 1122 without my signature.

This bill would make multiple changes to the California Air Resources Board 's (CARB) Commercial Harbor Craft (CHC) regulation, including the delay of certain compliance dates and an override system for diesel particulate filter devices with a detailed monitoring, tracking, and reporting system.

In 2020, I issued Executive Order (EO) N-79-20 which directed CARB, among other things, to develop strategies to transition to 100 percent zero-emission offroad vehicles and equipment by 2035, where feasible.  Pursuant to this EO, CARB amended the CHC regulation to accelerate emission reductions while providing safe, feasible, and flexible compliance options for affected vessels.  Unfortunately, this bill undermines this balance and jeopardizes our clean air goals.

While I recognize the challenges and concerns of adopting new technologies and approaches, Californians deserve and benefit from clean air and from the avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to our rapidly changing climate.  With that, I encourage operators of the affected vessels to work towards meeting the CHC regulations, and if there are insurmountable challenges, to continue to work with CARB to explore additional and alternative compliance pathways.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

View Governor’s veto message here