California Air Resources Board

Summary

Authorizes the regents of the University of California, subject to availability of funds, to establish the California-China Climate Institute, as specified, and in partnership with the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development at Tsinghua University and other entities and institutions in China and California. The bill requires the institute to foster collaboration to inform and shape climate policy, and advance the goals of the Paris Agreement, advance joint policy research on major climate issues, support high-level dialogue on specific climate issues, and provide training to specified entities to advance climate and environmental policies.

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Summary

Requires the California Transportation Commission (CTC), in coordination with CARB, California Public Utilities Commission, California Energy Commission, and the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, to develop a Clean Freight Corridor Efficiency Assessment (Assessment) and incorporate the recommendations into their respective funding programs for freight infrastructure and technology. The bill also codifies existing CTC guidelines for eligible projects for the Trade Corridor Enhancement Program to include the Assessment's findings and requires the findings and recommendations to be included in the California Transportation Plan and the California Freight Mobility Plan. 

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Summary

Would eliminate the 25 percent Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund continuous appropriation to the High-Speed Rail Authority on June 30, 2022 and instead annually transfers the amount to the Salton Sea Restoration Fund beginning 2022–23 fiscal year. Was not heard in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee. 

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Summary

Would prohibit the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection from requiring applicants for a grant that receives funding from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to consider the greenhouse gas emissions impacts of vegetation management projects pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act. Was not heard in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. 

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Summary

Would have required the Strategic Growth Council (SGC), in consultation with the Department of Conservation and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), to develop and implement the Resilient Merced County Incentive Pilot Program (pilot program) to assist the County of Merced to use a scenario planning tool to estimate and account for the countywide greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction and carbon sequestration potential of different land management, restoration, and conservation activities.  The bill would have also required SGC to implement the pilot program as a component of the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation and consistent with the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program. Additionally, the bill would have required SGC, in collaboration with DOC and CARB, to estimate and monitor the GHG reductions, carbon sequestration, and benefits associated with the County of Merced’s scenario planning pursuant to the pilot program. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Among other things, this bill requires the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, in consultation with CARB and the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, to report to the Legislature by January 1, 2026, outcomes of the funds spent pursuant to Section 45 of SB 901 (Dodd, Chapter 626, Statutes of 2018), including an assessment of greenhouse gas emissions associated with wildfire and forest management activities. 

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Summary

Would enact the Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, Drought Preparation, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2022, which, if approved by voters, would have authorized the issuance of bonds for $5,595 billion to finance projects for wildfire prevention, safe drinking water, drought preparation, and flood protection. If approved by voters on the 2022 ballot, this bill would authorize the issuance of $50 million in bonds to CARB, in consultation with California Natural Resources Agency and California Department of Forestry and Fire, to incentivize new projects in California that convert forest and other vegetation waste removed for wildfire mitigation to beneficial uses that maximize reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, provide local air quality benefits, and help increase local community resilience against climate change impacts. Moved to the Senate Inactive File.

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Summary

This bill would transfer $150 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to fund the Innovative Renewable Energy for Buildings Act of 2021, that would, until January 1, 2031, require the California Energy Commission to establish and implement a program to provide financial incentives to producers for the production of renewable propane, renewable hydrogen, and renewable dimethyl ether meeting certain requirements and that is used as an energy source for buildings. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resource Committee. 

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Summary

Would have required CARB to extend its Project 800 initiative (Project 800) to provide financial incentives for the ordering of an additional 1,000 to 1,600 zero-emission drayage trucks in 2022 and the operation of zero-emission drayage trucks in 2024. The bill states the Legislature’s intent that Project 800 funding comes from, but not be limited to, the Hybrid and Zero Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP). The bill would have also required participating fleets to provide a truthful attestation to CARB that they did not have an applicable law violation, as specified, at the time of application and for a minimum of three years from the date of application for Project 800 financial incentives. Requires the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) to report and notify CARB of the determination of any reports received regarding a violation, as specified. The bill would have also required participating fleets to repay Project 800 financial incentives, including interest, as directed by CARB if a participating fleet had provided a falsified attestation or had an applicable law violation, as specified. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee. 

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Summary

Would require the California Natural Resources Agency to develop and implement a fuels transportation program that provides grants to eligible communities to offset the cost of transporting fuels to a biomass energy facility. The bill would also make funds from Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund available to facilitate the grant program. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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