California Air Resources Board

Bill Summary

Would have required CARB to create a Lower Emissions Transition Program and establish eligibility guidelines and approve projects that reduce cumulative emissions from cargo handling equipment (CHE) sources at seaports in the state during the transition period to zero-emissions CHE requirements. The bill would have prohibited the approval of a project after the compliance date required by any applicable statute, regulation, or rule that requires a change in equipment to a zero-emission standard. The bill would have required CARB to establish an application fee to be deposited in the Air Pollution Control Fund. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary 

Would have prohibited CARB from requiring the San Francisco bar pilots, serving the bays of Monterey, San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun, to replace a pilot station boat before the end of the boat's useful life. CARB’s Commercial Harbor Craft regulation requires an earlier implementation date for the pilot vessels. The bill would have required the useful life to be between 25 and 35 years from the date the boat was commissioned and be determined by CARB in consultation with the Board of Pilot Commissioners and an accredited marine surveyor.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 1296 without my signature.

This bill would prohibit state regulations, namely the Commercial Harbor Craft (CHC) regulation, from requiring the San Francisco Bar Pilots to replace pilot station vessels with lower-emitting vessels, unless such a regulation authorizes its replacement at the end of the vessel's useful life, prescribed as between 25 and 35 years.

In 2020, I issued Executive Order (EO) N-79-20, which directed the California Air Resources Board (CARB), among other things, to develop strategies to transition to 100 percent zero-emission off-road vehicles, vessels, and equipment by 2035, where feasible.  Under this EO, CARB amended the CHC regulation to accelerate emission reductions while providing safe, feasible, and flexible compliance options for affected vessels, including compliance extensions of up to six additional years for pilot station vessels beyond the compliance dates of December 2024 and December 2025.

While I recognize the challenges of adopting new technologies, California must work diligently to reduce air pollution that fouls our air and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to our rapidly changing climate.  In addition, this amendment to the CHC rule would require CARB to resubmit its request for authorization to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) - a step that would delay the U.S. EPA's final decision and undo months of work.  Delays in receiving that federal authorization would deprive local communities of the substantial public health benefits associated with the regulations and compromise the State's ability to meet our federally mandated air quality standards.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary 

Would have required CARB to replace the implementation schedule of the Commercial Harbor Craft regulation with a vessel’s individual Coast Guard inspection schedule or within 30 months, whichever occurred first after any applicable compliance extensions have expired. This bill would have also required a diesel particulate filter retrofitted onto a commercial harbor craft engine to include an override or bypass safety system, designed and installed by the manufacturer. This bill would have required the override/bypass to include an electric monitoring and tracking system to track each time the system was used.  This bill would have required, within 30 days of use of the system, the owner or operator to report the use of the override/bypass system to the manufacturer and to CARB.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 1122 without my signature.

This bill would make multiple changes to the California Air Resources Board 's (CARB) Commercial Harbor Craft (CHC) regulation, including the delay of certain compliance dates and an override system for diesel particulate filter devices with a detailed monitoring, tracking, and reporting system.

In 2020, I issued Executive Order (EO) N-79-20 which directed CARB, among other things, to develop strategies to transition to 100 percent zero-emission offroad vehicles and equipment by 2035, where feasible.  Pursuant to this EO, CARB amended the CHC regulation to accelerate emission reductions while providing safe, feasible, and flexible compliance options for affected vessels.  Unfortunately, this bill undermines this balance and jeopardizes our clean air goals.

While I recognize the challenges and concerns of adopting new technologies and approaches, Californians deserve and benefit from clean air and from the avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to our rapidly changing climate.  With that, I encourage operators of the affected vessels to work towards meeting the CHC regulations, and if there are insurmountable challenges, to continue to work with CARB to explore additional and alternative compliance pathways.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

View Governor’s veto message here

Summary

Would have required the Ocean Protection Council (Council) by January 1, 2026, to implement a statewide voluntary vessel speed reduction and sustainable shipping program, as specified, for the California coast in order to reduce air pollution, the risk of fatal vessel strikes on whales, and harmful underwater acoustic impacts. The bill would have required the Council to coordinate with the coastal local air districts and consult with various entities, including CARB, on the program. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

This is a spot bill to enact subsequent legislation to reduce emissions at the ports of California. Remains in the Senate Rules Committee.

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Summary

This bill would require 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 advise and coordinate policies that promote the growth, competitiveness, and sustainability for freight and the supply chain across the State, and would promote and assess the continued economic vitality and sustainability of the freight sector. The freight coordinator would advise the Governor and director on issues affecting the State’s freight and supply chain, including economic strategy, investment, and improvements in technology. The freight coordinator would also advise the Governor and director on policy and administrative regulations affecting the State’s freight and supply chain. As related to CARB, the freight coordinator is required 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

This bill would have required the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to develop a methodology for calculating cumulative emissions of cargo handling equipment (CHE) and an approval process to guarantee that ports will not need to replace their diesel fueled hybrid CHE to comply with future zero-emission CHE regulations developed by CARB. This bill also had specified application fees and reporting requirements. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

This bill would require any equipment installed, or modification to accommodate that equipment, that could limit engine power or operational ability of specified commercial harbor craft, to be approved for use with the harbor craft’s propulsion system, as specified, and not void any existing warranty. The bill would require aftermarket equipment that could limit a harbor craft’s engine power or operational ability to include an automatic override or bypass feature that ensures the safe operation of the harbor craft is not affected. The bill would require the owner or operator to report a vessel’s loss of power during operation, as specified. Currently in the Senate Rules Committee.

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Summary

This bill will would require prior to installation and use, any equipment installed on a commercial harbor craft that interacts with the propulsion system of the craft to be approved for use with the propulsion system, as specified. The bill would require equipment to include an automatic override or bypass feature that ensures continued power to, and operation of, the craft. The proposed legislation would require that “any equipment installed on a commercial harbor craft that interacts with the propulsion system of the craft” need to be approved by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), a classification society, and propulsion system manufacturer, and include a bypass feature. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

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Summary

This bill would have additionally authorized investments in traffic signal synchronization as a component of a roadway improvement project requiring multiple signals, including, but not limited to, multimodal redevelopment projects, rail trail projects, urban renewal projects, or a project near transit facilities as eligible projects to be funded by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Would have required projects to continue to be designed and implemented to achieve cost-effective reductions in GHG emissions and includes specific emissions reduction targets and metrics to evaluate the project’s effect. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

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