California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have required CARB, by January 1, 2027, to conduct an analysis of credits identified in the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District’s (District) ledger of available emission reduction credits (ERCs) to determine if any credits were issued in violation of State, local, or district laws, rules, regulations, or procedures in place at the time of original issuance. The bill would have required CARB to submit a report to the Legislature summarizing the analysis results. The bill would have required the District to aggregate and make publicly available on its website specified information regarding permits issued during a specified 17-year span that would require or would have required the use of one or more ERCs. Was not heard on Assembly Concurrence.

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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

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

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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

Increases the compensation of members of local air district boards, as provided, and allows the boards to further increase compensation at an open regular meeting of the board, as specified.

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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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Summary 

Imposes an additional annual $4 charge on each motor vehicle registered in the state and requires Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to collect the charge and deposit revenues from the charge in the Air Quality Improvement Fee Fund, which the bill would create. The bill would continuously appropriate the revenues in the fund to the DMV for distribution upon request to air pollution control districts and air quality management districts based upon the amount of the charges collected from motor vehicles registered within each air district, thereby creating an appropriation. The bill would require these revenues to be used for the reduction of air pollution from motor vehicles and for related planning, monitoring, enforcement, and technical studies, as specified, or for the attainment or maintenance of state or federal ambient air quality standards or the reduction of toxic air contaminant emissions from motor vehicles. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary 

Would have required the air districts, in adopting a Community Emission Reduction Program, to consult with other relevant State agencies and would have required those agencies to implement and enforce measures assigned to them by CARB and the districts, as a part of the Community Emission Reduction Program, unless the agency found those measures infeasible at a public meeting of its governing body. The bill would have specified that Community Air Grants include, to the extent the Legislature appropriated funds specifically for this purpose, the option to provide the AB 617 community steering committees an allocation of funds to serve as a budget for administrative items, including, but not limited to, translation services, meeting venues, meeting coordination, training, and stipends, as authorized by the air district, for members of the committee. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Requires the owner or operator of a wastewater treatment facility, on or before January 1, 2027, to install, operate, and maintain a fence-line monitoring system that is approved by the appropriate air quality management district. The bill requires that the wastewater treatment-related fence-line monitoring system include equipment capable of measuring pollutants of concern, including hydrogen sulfide, emitted to the atmosphere from wastewater treatment processes.

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