California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have required the Ocean Protection Council (Council) by January 1, 2026, to implement a statewide voluntary vessel speed reduction and sustainable shipping program, as specified, for the California coast in order to reduce air pollution, the risk of fatal vessel strikes on whales, and harmful underwater acoustic impacts. The bill would have required the Council to coordinate with the coastal local air districts and consult with various entities, including CARB, on the program. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Allows, 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 defines “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 defines “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 not heard in the Assembly Revenue and Tax Committee.

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Summary

Adds four public members to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Board that are appointed by the Governor to serve 4-year terms. Of these four, one member must be from a California Native American tribe chosen from a list of candidates submitted by local tribal organizations with a presence within the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin, and three members must be appointed with the advice and consent of the Speaker of the Assembly. Of those three, two must have subject matter expertise in environmental justice or social justice issues and be selected from a list submitted by nonprofit organizations that have a presence within the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin, and one must be a youth member between 18 and 26 years of age and be selected from a list submitted by either a youth-serving nonprofit organization or an institution of higher education, as specified. The bill also makes changes to board member terms. Was not heard in the Assembly Local Government Committee.

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Summary

Repeals the ban on compensation for members of the Advisory Council of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) in the discharge of their duties. The bill authorizes each member of the council to receive compensation, to be determined by the BAAQMD Board for either attending a meeting of the council or attending a meeting, upon authorization of the BAAQMD Board, as a representative of the council.

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Summary

Would have required CARB to conduct an assessment of the socioeconomic impacts, as defined, of a proposed rule or regulation with an economic impact of $10 million or more that will significantly affect air quality or emissions limitations. The bill also would have authorized CARB to contract with a third party to conduct the required assessment of socioeconomic impacts. The bill would have specified minimum standards for the assessment of socioeconomic impacts, and required CARB or a third-party contractor to include in the assessment of socioeconomic impacts, specified information and various economic analyses, along with the disproportionate impact of the proposed rule or regulation on specified race and ethnicities, as well as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals and women. The bill would have prohibited CARB from approving an assessment of socioeconomic impacts that fails to meet those requirements. The bill would have had similar provisions regarding third party contractor and disproportionate impact analysis for the local air districts. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have added two environmental justice members, one appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and one appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, to the South Coast Air Quality Management Board (AQMD). The bill would have also authorized South Coast AQMD Board to create a Labor Advisory Panel composed of six representatives whose members perform work in the South Coast Air Basin. The bill would have required the Labor Advisory Panel to provide feedback and input on all district permitting, rules, regulations, and planning issues that have the potential to impact the workforce in the South Coast Air Basin. The bill would have required the South Coast AQMD Board to select the members of the Labor Advisory Panel from nominations provided by the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, the Inland Empire Labor Council, and the Orange County Labor Federation. Failed passage on the Senate Floor.

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Summary

Would have required a nonvehicular civil penalty in an amount over $10,000 for a nonvehicular violation in a disadvantaged community collected by a specified local air district, minus the cost of prosecution and district administration, investigation, attorney fees, and other reasonable district costs, to be used to mitigate the effect of air pollution in the community affected by the violation. The bill would have modestly raised the maximum amount of nonvehicular civil penalties regarding strict liability and negligence listed in statute. Moved to the Senate Inactive File.

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Summary

Would have designated, retroactive to January 1, 2020, a local air district as an independent special district for purposes of receiving State funds or funds disbursed by the State, including federal funds. Was not heard in Assembly Local Government Committee.

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Summary

Revises the amount of compensation that a member of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Board may receive for attending a meeting of the board or attending a meeting while on official business of the district to an amount not to exceed $100 per meeting and $200 per day. The bill authorizes a member of the board to receive compensation for active transportation travel to one of these meetings. The bill caps member compensation at $6,000 per year.

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Summary

Would have required each local air district to establish a uniform permit program for mobile fueling on-demand tank vehicle operations (mobile refuelers) located in its jurisdiction that requires those operations to adhere to the strictest emission control standards established by the State for the loading, storage, and transfer of gasoline from those vehicles. The bill would have had various requirements for such a uniform permit program, including a consolidated permitting process for a source requiring more than one permit and an expedited permit review and fee schedule. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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