California Air Resources Board

Amends the timeline for local governments to appeal proposed regional housing needs allocation (RHNA) plans and revises the statutory housing element adoption deadline for jurisdictions within the Southern California Association of Governments by providing an additional six months to Los Angeles and Imperial Counties and jurisdictions within those counties.

Requires cities and counties to set lower traffic impact mitigation fees for transit-oriented housing developments near major transit stops, instead of just at transit stations, and changes the definition of a major transit stop.

Would have defined pyrolysis the thermal decomposition of material at elevated temperatures in the absence or near absence of oxygen and required California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, no later than January 1, 2026, to amend the Short-lived Climate Pollutants Strategy regulations to include, as a recovered organic waste product attributable to a local jurisdiction’s procurement target, pipeline biomethane converted exclusively from organic waste. Ordered to the inactive file on the Senate floor.

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Authorizes local jurisdictions to count additional organic waste products, activities, and investments towards their organic waste procurement targets, including determining a local per capita procurement target using information from a local jurisdiction waste characterization study, as specified. The bill also authorizes a local jurisdiction to satisfy its annual procurement obligations by procuring a quantity of recovered organic waste products that meets or exceeds a 5-year procurement target, as specified.

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Requires the California Transportation Plan (CTP) to include a financial element that summarizes the full cost of implementing the CTP, a summary of available revenues, an analysis of what is feasible within the plan, considering constrained revenues, and requires the Department of Transportation to enhance an existing public online dashboard to display how annual project investments are advancing the vision and goals of the CTP.

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Would have established a Green Assistance Program under the California Environmental Protection Agency to provide technical support to small businesses and non-profits seeking to apply for Greenhouse Gas Reductions Fund money, and also provide technical assistance on environmental regulations. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Would have prohibited the establishment of new transformation or engineered municipal solid waste (EMSW) conversion facilities in the State until California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery has determined that the State has achieved solid waste and organic waste policy goals for three consecutive years. Was not heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Would have increased the priority population minimum investment amounts for 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.

Would have made changes to the housing projections included in Regional Transportation Plans/Sustainable Communities Strategies and added additional reporting requirements for local governments. Was not heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Would have prohibited the County of Riverside, the County of San Bernardino, and any other political subdivisions located within those counties, from approving the development or expansion of any qualifying logistics use, as defined, within 1,000 feet of sensitive receptors, as defined, except as provided. The bill would have authorized a public agency to approve the development or expansion of a qualifying logistics use greater than 500 feet from a sensitive receptor and within 1,000 feet of a sensitive receptor only if the qualifying logistics use complies with certain requirements, including that all heavy-duty vehicles domiciled onsite meet certain requirements. The bill would have authorized an individual affected by a violation of these provisions or the Attorney General to bring an action to enjoin a violation of the provisions of this bill and would have provided that these provisions do not relieve a public agency from complying with the California Environmental Quality Act. Hearing cancelled at request of author in the Assembly Committee on Local Government.

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