California Air Resources Board

Summary 

This bill requires the Governor's Office of Planning and Research, in consultation with CARB, CEC, and CPUC, to prepare an assessment of barriers limiting the deployment of clean energy projects that support the strategies identified in the Scoping Plan and advance the State's climate change goals. The bill requests California Council on Science and Technology to regularly assess the infrastructure project types, scale, and pace necessary to achieve the quantities of renewable energy and distribution networks to achieve the State's energy, climate, and air quality goals.

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Summary 

Requires CARB to include greenhouse gas emissions from wildland and forest fires in the Scoping Plan. Failed passage in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and was granted reconsideration.  

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Summary 

Requires CARB to initiate a regulatory process, consistent with statutory requirements for the Cap-and-Trade program, to evaluate potential updates to the market-based compliance mechanism, and regulatory changes shall take effect no later than January 1, 2025. The bill specifies the topics the evaluation shall focus on relating to allowance supply and recommendations by the IEMAC and EJAC. The bill requires CARB, beginning January 1, 2028, in consultation with the IEMAC and EJAC, on a triennial basis to conduct an evaluation of the Cap-and-Trade program focusing on the topics specified in the evaluation. The bill requires the Chair of CARB to appear before the JLCCCP to present the results of the evaluation and any proposed revisions to the Cap-and-Trade regulation and authorizes CARB to revise those regulations afterward to more effectively meet the goals of SB 32 and the most recent Scoping Plan.  Moved to the inactive file.

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Summary 

Would have required CARB, no later than June 30, 2026, to evaluate and, if feasible and to the extent data is available, revise regulations to incorporate the use of methane remote sensing data to reduce methane emissions from municipal solid waste landfills pursuant to the Short-lived Climate Pollution Strategy. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary 

Increases the priority population minimum investment amounts from the California Climate Investments from 25% to 50% for disadvantaged communities and from 5% to 15% for low-income communities. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary 

Updates AB 1757 (C. Garcia, Chapter 341, Statutes of 2022) by removing language that made natural and working lands emissions reduction projects and actions that receive state funding ineligible to generate credits under a market-based compliance mechanism and instead requires CARB to ensure that all greenhouse gas emissions reductions and removals used for any market-based compliance mechanism are in addition to any reductions and removals that would otherwise occur.

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Summary 

Would have suspended the California High-Speed Rail Authority appropriation for 2024–25 and 2025–26 fiscal years and transferred the money to the General Fund, to be available upon appropriation to augment funding for water conveyance, water storage infrastructure, and flood prevention and required a $2.4 billion loan from pre-2023–2024 FY Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund monies to the General Fund for the same purpose, among other things. Was not heard in the Assembly Committee on Transportation.

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Summary 

Would have required State agencies administering competitive Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grant programs that involve housing, urban forestry, urban greening, or planning to provide at least a three-month application period and would have required the California Department of Finance to report on additional elements in the California Climate Investments Annual Report, including information on applications that did not receive funding. This bill also would have allowed applicants from the counties of Imperial and San Diego to include daytime population numbers in grant applications. This bill was similar to AB 943 (E. Garcia, 2022), AB 2812 (E. Garcia, 2019), AB 1945 (E. Garcia, 2018). Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary 

Would have authorized the California Coastal Commission to require an applicant with a project that impacts coastal wetland, subtidal, intertidal, or marine habitats or ecosystems to build or contribute to a blue carbon demonstration project, as defined, and would have required the California Coastal Commission to consult with CARB and other specified entities in developing a blue carbon demonstration project program. Each blue carbon demonstration project would have to be designed, monitored, and have sufficient data collected to demonstrate the carbon uptake and sequestration achieved and results would have to be presented to the California Coastal Commission in a public hearing. This bill was similar to AB 2593 (Boerner, 2022). Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Provides that it is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that provides that the policy of the State is to ensure that companies that contract with the State are not contributing to tropical deforestation, either directly or through their supply chains. Remains atthe Assembly Desk.

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