California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would allow a local air district to adopt and implement regulations to require data regarding air pollution within the district’s jurisdiction from indirect and areawide sources, including mobile sources drawn by those stationary sources, to enable the calculation of health risks from toxic air contaminants. The bill would also specify that a local air district, in carrying out its responsibilities with respect to the reduction of health risks from toxic air contaminants, may adopt and implement regulations to reduce or mitigate emissions from new and existing indirect and areawide sources of air pollution, or to encourage or require the use of measures which reduce the number or length of vehicle trips. Was not heard in the Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Would have authorized a local air district, consistent with federal law, to adopt or revise, a rule to specify that hours for usage due to the loss of normal electrical service during a deenergization event by a permitted natural-gas-powered emergency backup generator that is either federally compliant or CARB designated shall not count toward that permit’s conditions for usage.  Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Spot bill related to refinery-related community air monitoring systems and refinery fence-line monitoring systems.  Remains in the Senate Rules Committee.

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Summary

Would have required a local air district without a specified rule on emergency backup generators as of January 1, 2021, that adopted such a rule to include in the rule provisions that would have allowed the operator of a critical facility, as defined, to use a permitted emergency backup generator in exceedance of the applicable runtime and testing and maintenance limits if specified conditions are met.  The bill would have required a critical facility allowed to exceed applicable limits under the rule adopted pursuant to Senate Bill 1099 to attest to and provide evidence of having taken demonstrable steps toward implementing the use of backup power technologies that meet or exceed emission standards set by CARB.  Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Would have required a local air district to adopt a rule or revise its existing rules, consistent with federal law, to allow a health facility that has received a permit from the district to construct and operate an emergency backup generator to use that emergency backup generator during a deenergization event without having that usage count toward any time limitation on actual usage and routine testing and maintenance included as a condition for issuance of that permit.  The bill would have required, if an electrical corporation, electrical cooperative, or local publicly owned electric utility had undertaken a deenergization event during a calendar year, that the electrical corporation, electrical cooperative, or local publicly owned electric utility, by January 30 of the following calendar year, submit a report with specified information to each local air district affected by the deenergization event.  Was not heard in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee.

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Summary

Would have authorized a transactions and use tax to be placed on the ballot for approval by the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (SCAQMD) electorate, if it had been approved by a majority vote of the SCAQMD’s governing board.  The bill would have required the SCAQMD to establish an independent taxpayers’ oversight committee within six months of the effective date of the transactions and use tax levy, increase, or extension to ensure that revenues generated by the levy, increase, or extension are expended consistent with the applicable requirements of the bill.  The bill would have required that all moneys received by SCAQMD from the transactions and use tax be used to implement projects that reduce air pollution through incentives and other measures to first fully implement SCAQMD’s state implementation plan and any subsequent air quality attainment plans, as specified.  Was not heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have required a local air district hearing board to send a notice of a hearing to consider an application for an interim variance not less than 72 hours prior to the hearing to any person who requests the notice.  Was amended to deal with public peace.

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Summary

Requires, until January 1, 2024, local agencies to make the installation of an emergency backup generator to serve a macro cell tower site, as defined, that meets specified requirements, a permitted use.  The bill also requires a local agency to review an application for installation on an administrative, nondiscretionary basis. 

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Summary

Would have exempted the operation of an alternative power source, as defined, to provide power to a critical facility, as defined, from any local, regional, or State regulation regarding the operation of that source.  The bill would have authorized providers of essential public services, in lieu of compliance with applicable legal requirements, to comply with the maintenance and testing procedures set forth in the National Fire Protection Association Standard for Emergency and Standby Power System, NFPA 110, for alternative power sources designated by the essential public services providers for the support of critical facilities.  Was not heard in the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee.

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Summary

Would have added a requirement that new housing development in the coastal zone, as defined, minimize greenhouse gas emissions, in addition to the existing coastal zone requirement to minimize vehicle miles traveled and energy consumption.  Was not heard in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee.

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