California Air Resources Board

Summary

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to coordinate between stakeholders and provide guidance and recommendations to ensure the performance of the LOSSAN Rail Corridor, the 351-mile rail line running between San Luis Obispo and San Diego. Additionally, the Transportation Secretary must: 1) develop a report  with assistance from the Secretary of Environmental Protection and Secretary for  Natural Resources and submit a report to the Legislature, no later than two years after appropriation by the Legislature for purposes of the report, about capital improvement projects, resiliency improvement projects, zero-emission infrastructure, and other recommendations, 2) convene a working group of stakeholders to submit consensus recommendations and feedback on or before February 1, 2026, on various topics relating to rail service in the corridor and 3) work with rail operations stakeholders to submit a report to the Legislature on the performance of the corridor no later than three years after an appropriation by the Legislature and biennially thereafter.

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Summary 

Would have required the California Transportation Agency and the California Energy Commission to jointly convene a Zero-Emission Freight Central Delivery Team (California Department of Transportation, CARB, California Public Utilities Commission, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, among others) to lead the statewide coordination of zero-emission freight infrastructure planning and implementation. This would have built off the recommendations of the assessment required by SB 671 (Gonzalez, Chapter 769, Statutes of 2021). This bill would have required the Central Delivery Team to promote the timely and equitable deployment of freight zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure by:  1) Strategically selecting project locations for freight ZEV infrastructure; 2) Coordinating actions among State agencies, utilities, and other stakeholders and developing a process to include nongovernmental stakeholders; 3) Identifying leads from regional transportation planning agencies, ports, State agencies, and other stakeholders; 4) Identifying available funding sources and public private partnership models; 5) Developing standardized station deployment models; and 6) Working with community colleges and ports to support training of skilled freight workers. The bill also would have required a report to be delivered every five years, with the first due on or before March 1, 2026, that outlined the team’s actions in the last year, best practices for planning and implementation, policy recommendations, and an assessment of the State's progress. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary 

Would have stated the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation to reduce emissions at the ports of California. Remains at the Senate Rules Committee.

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Summary 

Would have required the freight coordinator, as appointed by the Governor, to serve as the advisory and coordinating entity for the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). The freight coordinator would have advised and coordinated policies that promote the growth, competitiveness, and sustainability for freight and the supply chain across the State, and would have promoted and assessed the continued economic vitality and sustainability of the freight sector. The bill would have required the freight coordinator to advise the Governor and GO-Biz director on issues affecting the State’s freight and supply chain, including economic strategy, investment, and improvements in technology. The freight coordinator would have also advised the Governor and director on policy and administrative regulations affecting the State’s freight and supply chain. As related to CARB, the bill would have required the freight coordinator to work directly with specified State agencies, including CARB, to address and discuss ongoing freight and supply chain issues. Was not heard in the Assembly Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy Committee.

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Summary

Removes the statutorily established caps in the Pilot Boat Surcharge Account established by AB 2056 (Grayson, Chapter 769, Statutes of 2022) to allow the San Francisco Bar Pilots to access more funds dedicated to the purchase of new pilot boats and providing design and engineering modifications for the purpose of extending the service life of existing pilot boats.

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Summary

Would have prohibited CARB from enforcing the requirements of the Ocean-Going Vessels at Berth regulation for tanker vessels carrying petroleum crude or petroleum products by two years. Tanker vessels visiting the Port of Los Angeles or Long Beach would have needed to comply with the regulation beginning January 1, 2027, instead of January 1, 2025, and tanker vessels visiting any other port in the State would have been required to comply with the regulation beginning January 1, 2029, instead of January 1, 2027. Remains at the Assembly Desk of the Second Extraordinary Session.

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Summary 

Would have established a freight coordinator, as appointed by the Governor, to serve as the advisory and coordinating entity for the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. The freight coordinator would have: 1) advised and coordinated policies that promote the growth, competitiveness, and sustainability for freight and the supply chain across the State, 2) promoted and assessed the continued economic vitality and sustainability of the freight sector, 3) advised the Governor and director on issues affecting the State’s freight and supply chain, including economic strategy, investment, improvements in technology, policy, and regulations, and 4) worked directly with specified State agencies including CARB, to address and discuss ongoing freight and supply chain issues. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary 

Would have required CARB to create a cargo handling equipment (CHE) program and to approve as "covered equipment" specified CHE that would reduce cumulative emissions at seaports and intermodal yards. The bill would have defined covered equipment as hydrogen-powered CHE or off-road hybridized rubber-tired gantry cranes that significantly reduces criteria pollutants, toxic air contaminants and greenhouse gases (GHG). An application to certify covered equipment would have been required to be approved by CARB if the applicant demonstrated that: 1) the total surplus emissions from covered equipment were lower cumulative emissions than the emissions resulting from compliance with the current CHE regulation pursuant to the methodology established by this bill, or 2) the equipment met European Union technical standards for zero emission. The bill would have required CARB to certify CHE as covered equipment if the applicant of CHE demonstrates to CARB that the equipment satisfies specific demonstrations regarding cumulative and immediate emission reductions of GHGs, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, as well as determine the useful life of each piece of CHE equipment. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary 

Would have directed CARB to work with the California Transportation Commission (CTC) and Department of Housing and Community Development to create guidance for the programming of projects that expand the physical footprint of a highway to address the impact on the highest 10% of CalEnviroScreen communities. The bill would have required that this guidance be incorporated into the programming cycle, starting January 1, 2028. The bill would have required CTC to "establish a target" to use 15% of annual funds for investments in zero-emission infrastructure, beginning in cycle starting after January 1, 2025, and increase that by 5% each year, until setting the goal of 50%. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary 

Would have authorized the expansion of the existing Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program to a single unified statewide voluntary vessel speed reduction and sustainable shipping program. The bill would have required the Ocean Protection Council (Council) and CARB to participate as advisers as well as stakeholders with coastal local air districts and other stakeholders, subject to funding availability. Participating local air districts would have been required to submit a legislative report by December 31, 2028. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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