California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have authorized the California Energy Commission to exempt from thermal powerplant certification a thermal powerplant with a generating capacity of up to 150 megawatts if it is a data center backup generator that meets a variety of physical and environmental parameters and considerations, as specified. The bill would have required that the air quality impacts of these generators be mitigated, as determined by the appropriate air district as generators would largely be high-polluting diesel generators. Remains in the Assembly Rules Committee.

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Summary

Would have prohibited, under the Public Records Act, an elected or appointed official or employee of a public agency from creating or sending a public record using a nonofficial electronic messaging system unless the official or employee sends a copy of the public record to an official electronic messaging system. The bill would have prohibited, under the Legislative Open Records Act, a Member of the Legislature, legislative officer, standing, joint, or select committee or subcommittee of the Senate and Assembly, or agency or employee of the Legislature from creating or sending a legislative record using a nonofficial electronic messaging system unless the Member of the Legislature, legislative officer, standing, joint, or select committee or subcommittee of the Senate and Assembly, or agency or employee of the Legislature sends a copy of the legislative record to an official electronic messaging system. Was amended to deal with fentanyl.

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Summary

Would have required the California Energy Commission, Natural Resources Agency, and CARB to encourage the use of low-embodied carbon building materials and required a public agency to have a preference for those materials in its public projects, as defined and when feasible and cost effective. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have prohibited a State agency from designing or constructing a State facility that is connected to the natural gas grid. Was not heard in the Senate Governmental Organization Committee.

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Summary

Would have retired CARB’s existing SB 375  (Steinberg, Chapter 728, Statutes of 2008) guidelines, limited CARB’s oversight of the SB 375 program, and required CARB to appoint a State-Regional Collaborative that would have set implementable 2030 and 2050 regional greenhouse gas targets by developing a point system tool, which CARB would have been required to use to assess Sustainable Communities Strategies (SCS). This bill also would have authorized metropolitan planning organizations to appeal CARB rejection of an SCS. Was not heard in the Senate Transportation Committee.

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Summary

Would have required each city and county to make a one-time amendment to any of the following during the next update occurring after January 1, 2023 to identify goals and strategies to decarbonize new buildings, as specified: (1) its general plan; (2) a climate action or greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction plan; or (3) building standards. The bill would have authorized the California Energy Commission to review the proposed amendments and provide specified feedback to the city or county. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have explicitly incorporated building decarbonization within several aspects of electric utility ratepayer-funded programs and within future, yet to be provided, federal moneys to address economic recovery, and would incorporate requirements for prevailing wage, among other things. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would, on or after January 1, 2022, prohibit a State agency from designing or constructing a State facility that is connected to the natural gas grid. Was not heard in the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee.

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