California Air Resources Board

Summary

Spot bill related to the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District's air quality improvement strategy to reduce public exposure to air pollution and toxic air contaminants and to achieve and maintain State and federal ambient air quality standards by the earliest practicable date. Amended to deal with logistics use, including warehouses.

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Summary

Would have required that all State agencies that fund restoration efforts on Natural and Working Lands to prioritize restoration projects that have a permanent, enforceable mechanism to ensure that the project area will be managed in a way that ensures continuity of the State’s investment. Also, the bill would have required the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), on or before April 1, 2023, to submit a report to the Legislature that details how CAL FIRE will increasingly implement prescribed burn projects to burn at least 50,000 acres annually by January 1, 2025, and how the State will increasingly use, develop, implement, facilitate, and support prescribed burn, cultural fire, and achieve the extent of beneficial fire outcomes consistent with historic fire frequencies and maintaining desirable fuel loads. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have authorized CARB to regulate indirect sources, as defined in Section 7410 of Title 42 of the United States Code. Additionally, the bill would have required local governments, before approving a warehouse development project, to take certain actions to identify and address the potential environmental impacts of the project and to ensure public participation by residents affected by the project on the consideration of the project. Was not heard in the Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Would require the Secretary of Natural Resources Agency to work with local stakeholders to develop a long-term strategy for the Salton Sea, which must assess the environmental impacts and economic viability of the Salton Sea. Was not heard in Senate Natural Resources and Water.

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Summary

Would prohibit, among other things, a homeowner’s association from imposing a monetary penalty or seeking other enforcement action in relation to a member’s landscaping on a separate interest during a declared state of emergency or on days when air quality is unhealthy, as defined. Was not heard in the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee.

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Summary

Requires CARB, by July 1, 2022, consistent with federal law, to adopt cost-effective and technologically feasible regulations to prohibit engine exhaust and evaporative emissions from new small off-road engines, as defined by CARB. Such regulations must apply to engines produced on or after January 1, 2024, or as soon as CARB determines is feasible, whichever is later. The bill requires CARB to identify and, to the extent feasible, make available funding for commercial rebate or similar incentive funding as part of any updates to existing applicable funding program guidelines for local air districts to implement, to support the transition to zero-emission small off-road equipment operations.

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Summary

Would require an owner or operator of a natural gas plant to develop, install, operate, and maintain, in accordance with guidance developed by the appropriate local air district, a fence-line monitoring system to measure and record methane concentrations at or adjacent to a natural gas plant. The bill would require the local air district and the owner or operator of a natural gas plant to collect real-time data from these fence-line monitoring systems, provide that data to the public, and maintain records of that data. The bill would require an owner or operator of a natural gas plant to report methane concentrations readings that exceed background levels to the local air district and requires the local air district to report those readings to Members of the Legislature representing the district in which the natural gas plant is located. The bill would require the owner or operator of a natural gas plant to be responsible for the costs associated with the fence-line monitoring system. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Would require CARB, not later than January 1, 2024, to provide a report relating to indoor air quality to the Legislature, as specified. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Provides that it is the intent of the Legislature that CARB, in consultation with the local air districts, review established guidance and policies related to prescribed fire with the goal of maximizing acreage and opportunities to implement prescribed fire in order to reduce the air pollution associated with high-severity wildfire. The bill also makes various changes to State law to enhance wildland fire prevention efforts, including, among other things, incorporating and facilitating cultural burning practices, and requiring the identification of moderate and high fire hazard severity zones in local responsibility areas, as specified.

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Summary

Requires the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to develop a plan, as specified, with recommendations and guidelines for counties to use in the case of a significant air quality event caused by wildfires or other sources. The bill requires CDPH to consult with specified stakeholders, including CARB, in developing the air quality health plan. Additionally, the bill requires a county, in advance of its next emergency plan update, to use the CDPH air quality health plan to develop a county-specific plan that addresses all recommendations and guidelines of CDPH’s air quality health plan, as specified.

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