California Air Resources Board

Summary

Requires the California Energy Commission (CEC) to evaluate and quantify the maximum feasible offshore wind energy generation capacity in waters off the California coast. The bill also requires CEC, by June 1, 2022, to establish offshore wind planning goals for 2030 and 2045. Lastly, AB 525 requires CEC to coordinate with specified State and local agencies to develop a five-part strategic plan for offshore wind development and to submit the plan to the California Natural Resources Agency and the Legislature by June 30, 2023.

View full bill text here

Summary

Makes technical changes to the Budget Act of 2021. Among other things, the bill makes re-appropriations to extend encumbrance and expenditure dates for Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund appropriations to CARB. This is the third Budget Bill Junior associated with the Budget Act of 2021.  

View full bill text here

Summary

Contains statutory provisions necessary to implement the Budget Act of 2021. Among other things, the bill authorizes CARB, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to administer a program to support incentives for alternatives to agricultural burning in the San Joaquin Valley. The bill also exempts the adoption or use of funding criteria or other guidelines related to the granting of funds under this program from the Administrative Procedure Act.

View full bill text here

Summary

Contains statutory provisions related to State government necessary to implement the Budget Act of 2021. Specifically, the bill extends, to January 1, 2022, the implementation date of the Buy Clean California Act (Bonta, Chapter 816, Statutes of 2017), which requires the Department of General Services (DGS) to establish acceptable Global Warming Potential (GWP) limits for the manufacture of certain construction materials used in public work projects. The bill also requires DGS to consult with CARB when establishing maximum acceptable GWP limits for each category of eligible materials under the Buy Clean California Act.

View full bill text here

Summary

Budget Act of 2021. Among other things, the bill makes appropriations for CARB programs and makes re-appropriations to extend encumbrance and expenditure dates for Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund appropriations, including those to CARB. The bill also signals the intent of the Legislature to appropriate money for zero-emission vehicles, climate resiliency, climate smart agriculture, and wildfire and forestry resiliency in a subsequent Budget Bill Junior.

View full bill text here

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.

View full bill text here

Summary

Would have provided a funding mechanism to reduce wildfire risks in California by establishing the Wildfire Prevention and Community Resilience Act of 2020.  The bill would have required the California Natural Resources Agency to adopt an interim expenditure plan and an expenditure plan that focused on reducing wildfire risk on the ground and in communities through activities such as defensible space implementation, home hardening, and improved public safety.  The bill would have established the Wildfire Prevention and Community Resilience Fund and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, would have required moneys in the fund be used for the implementation of the expenditure plan.  The bill would have required that at least $50 million be available to CARB for projects that reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and criteria air pollutants related to forest treatments.  The bill would have required that preference be given to projects that could have provided negative emissions of greenhouse gases as determined by CARB.  Was not heard on the Senate Floor.

View full bill text here

Summary

Would have enacted the Climate Resiliency, Fire Risk Reduction, Recycling, Groundwater and Drinking Water Supply, Clean Beaches, and Jobs Infrastructure Bond Act of 2020.  If approved by the voters, the Act would have authorized the issuance of bonds in an unspecified amount pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a climate resiliency, fire risk reduction, recycling, groundwater and drinking water supply, clean beaches, and jobs infrastructure program.  The bill would have required the bond act to be submitted to the voters at the November 3, 2020, statewide general election.  Was not heard in the Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee.

View full bill text here

Summary

Would have required each five-year update to the California Transportation Plan (CTP) and the Strategic Growth Council’s report on the CTP and Sustainable Communities Strategies to include a forecast of the impacts of climate change on transportation infrastructure and measures to address those impacts, among other provisions.  Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

View full bill text here

Summary

Would have required CARB to publish emissions of greenhouse gases, criteria air pollutants, and toxic air contaminants from catastrophic wildfires on its website.  The bill also would have required CARB to include emissions from catastrophic wildfires in its air pollution inventory.  Additionally, the bill would have indefinitely defined “district” to mean an air pollution control or an air quality management district under the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.  Was not heard in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee.

View full bill text here