California Air Resources Board

Would have required CARB to develop, by January 1, 2027, a plan to include ocean carbon dioxide removal technology and projects that it determines are environmentally safe and sustainable into the Carbon Capture, Removal, Utilization, and Storage Program and qualify those projects for inclusion in carbon credit programs, including but not limited to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard and the Cap-and-Trade program. Would have required CARB and any agency with a relevant financial incentive program to consider whether it is appropriate to include an ocean carbon dioxide removal project in that program, to the extent the project achieves similar or better climate and environmental program goals. Finally, would have required CARB to coordinate with other State agencies to develop a single point of contact to coordinate and streamline permitting of those projects, work with existing interagency groups to include research on these projects in future scoping studies, and cooperate with specified entities on workforce issues with these projects. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Would have stated the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to improve California’s response to climate change. Remains in the Assembly Rules Committee.

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Would have made a non-substantive change to the requirement that the California Natural Resources Agency establish a mechanism for retiring the listing of a project that has been funded. Amended to deal with small business eligibility for State contracts.

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Would have advanced the due date from December 31, 2035 to December 31, 2030, for an existing report CARB is required to submit to the Legislature on the feasibility and tradeoffs of achieving an 85% in anthropogenic greenhouse gas reductions by 2045 relative to alternative scenarios that achieve net zero emissions by 2045. Would have required that the report and a requirement to report to the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies on progress toward both goals be submitted to the Legislature consistent with existing law on agency reports. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Would have required CARB, in administering the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, to deem a Tier 2 pathway application certified if CARB does not take action within 15 days or receipt, or if the application has been pending for more than 60 days as of January 1, 2024. The bill also would have required CARB to revise the alternative diesel fuel regulations to authorize the sale of alternative diesel fuel that contains up to 20% biodiesel by volume. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

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Would have exempted transportation fuels from the Cap-and-Trade program. This bill also would have required CARB to grant variances to gasoline specifications as specified and would have waived the Reid Vapor Pressure requirement to allow for the early transition to winter-blend gasoline when CARB determines the gasoline market is experiencing a sudden and unusual rise in prices. Failed passage in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

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Would have created the Climate Cashback Program to be administered by the Franchise Tax Board for the purpose of mitigating the costs of transitioning to a low-carbon economy. The bill would have required the Franchise Tax Board to develop and implement the program by December 31, 2024, to deliver quarterly per capita cashback payments to all California residents and set other requirements for the operation of the program. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Would have required CARB to include greenhouse gas emissions from wildland and forest fires in the Scoping Plan. Failed passage in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Would have required CARB to initiate a regulatory process, consistent with statutory requirements for the Cap-and-Trade program, to evaluate potential updates to the market-based compliance mechanism, and regulatory changes shall take effect no later than January 1, 2025. The bill would have specified the topics the evaluation shall focus on relating to allowance supply and recommendations by the Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee (IEMAC) and the Environmental Justice Advisory Committee (EJAC). The bill would have required CARB, beginning January 1, 2028, in consultation with the IEMAC and EJAC, on a triennial basis to conduct an evaluation of the Cap-and-Trade program focusing on the topics specified in the evaluation. The bill would have required the Chair of CARB to appear before the Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies (JLCCCP) to present the results of the evaluation and any proposed revisions to the Cap-and-Trade regulation and authorized CARB to revise those regulations afterward to more effectively meet the goals of SB 32 and the most recent Scoping Plan. Died on the inactive file.

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Summary 

Would have required CARB to create the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) Regulation Appeals Advisory Committee to review appeals for denied requests for exemptions from CARB's ACF Regulation. The Advisory Committee would have included representatives from CARB, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the California Energy Commission (CEC), Department of General Services (DGS), California Department of Transportation (CalTrans), a transit agency, a regional transportation agency, and members from private fleet owners, state and local government experts on fleets, investor-owned utilities (IOU) representatives, and electric vehicle (EV) vehicle manufacturing industry experts. This bill failed passage in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee.

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