California Air Resources Board

Requires the  Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) to develop strategies to reduce barriers and increase support for stewardship of conserved lands and collaborate with stakeholders, California Native American tribes, and relevant state agencies to prepare a section on stewardship as part of the 2027 annual report on progress made toward achieving the 30x30 goal, which the bill requires to include, among other things, recommendations to increase and improve stewardship of 30x30 lands, including innovative ways to reduce barriers and increase federal, state, and local support for stewardship, as specified. The bill would require the update to be posted on the agency’s internet website. 

View full bill text here

Allows a local jurisdiction to count organic material used as a beneficial agricultural amendment towards its recovered organic waste procurement target under SB 1383 (Lara, Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016) if the material is processed at a facility authorized by the Department of Recycling and Resource Recovery using approved technologies and if the beneficial agricultural amendment is licensed for end use as an agricultural fertilizer by the Department of Food and Agriculture. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

View full bill text here

Would have required the California Coastal Commission (Commission) to authorize blue carbon demonstration projects and develop, in consultation with CARB and other parties, a blue carbon demonstration project program. The bill would have allowed the Commission to require an applicant with a nonresidential project that impacts coastal wetland, subtidal, intertidal, or marine habitats or ecosystems to build or contribute to a blue carbon demonstration project as a mitigation measure.

View full bill text here

Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 399 without my signature.

This bill would authorize the  California Coastal Commission to facilitate the development of blue carbon demonstration projects in certain coastal areas and wetlands.

California is a global leader in advancing nature-based carbon capture and sequestration solutions, having built and expanded our portfolio of actions over decades. In fact, between 2020 and 2024 alone, the state invested approximately $9.6 billion in nature-based solutions. Additionally, my Administration developed and released achievable carbon removal targets for natural and working lands as a result of Assembly Bill 1757 (C. Garcia) in 2022. That same year, the Natural and Working Land Climate Smart Strategy cataloged over 350 efforts across state agencies to deliver meaningful nature-based solutions for climate action.

While I share the author's desire to accelerate novel nature-based climate solutions, this bill creates a new, unfunded program. In partnership with the Legislature this year, my Administration has enacted a balanced budget that recognizes the challenging fiscal landscape our state faces while maintaining our commitment to working families and our most vulnerable communities. With significant fiscal pressures and the federal government's hostile economic policies, it is vital that we remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications that are not included in the budget, such as this measure.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

See veto message here

Would have required all State agencies, departments, boards, offices, commissions, and conservancies to consider the 30x30 goal of conserving 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030 as established by Executive Order No. N-82-20 when adopting, revising, or establishing plans, policies, and regulations. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

View full bill text here

Summary

Would have created the California Compost Tax Credit Fund providing refundable tax credits for California farmers, ranchers, and landowners who employ farming practices that maximize carbon sequestration through the utilization of compost on natural and working lands. Would have transferred one percent of annual Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund proceeds, not exceeding $120 million per fiscal year through FY 2035-36 to the California Compost Tax Credit Fund. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

View full bill text here

Summary 

Would have allowed the California Natural Resources Agency to authorize teal carbon demonstration projects and develop, with consultation from CARB and other parties, a teal carbon demonstration project program starting January 1, 2028. The bill would have also allowed the California Coastal Commission (Commission) to authorize blue carbon demonstration projects and develop, with CARB and other parties, a blue carbon demonstration project program. The bill would have allowed the Commission to require an applicant with a nonresidential project that impacts coastal wetland, subtidal, intertidal, or marine habitats or ecosystems to build or contribute to a blue carbon demonstration project. The bill would have required these provisions (both teal and blue carbon demonstration projects programs) to be implemented only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes.

View full bill text here

Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 1992 without my signature.

This bill would authorize the California Coastal Commission and the California Natural Resources Agency to facilitate the development of blue and teal carbon demonstration projects in certain coastal areas and inland wetlands.

California is a global leader in advancing nature-based carbon capture and sequestration solutions, having built and expanded our portfolio of actions over decades. In fact, between 2020 and 2023 alone, the State invested approximately $9.6 billion in nature-based solutions. Additionally, I signed Assembly Bill 1757 (C. Garcia) in 2022, which required the State to develop achievable carbon removal targets for natural and working lands. This same year, the Natural and Working Land Climate Smart Strategy cataloged over 350 efforts across State agencies to deliver meaningful nature-based solution climate action.

While I share the author's desire to accelerate novel nature-based climate solutions, this bill creates a new, unfunded program. In partnership with the Legislature this year, my Administration has enacted a balanced budget that avoids deep program cuts to vital services and protected investments in education, health care, climate, public safety, housing, and social service programs that millions of Californians rely on. It is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications that are not included in the budget, such as this measure.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

View Governor’s veto message here

Summary 

An earlier version of this bill would have required CARB, on or before August 1, 2026, in consultation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, to create a feed additive program, including voluntary incentives, to reduce emissions from dairy cattle, and would have required CARB to convene a workgroup to complete a comprehensive assessment of the potential impacts of feed additives on dairy cattle. Amended to deal with elections.

View full bill text here

Summary 

Updates AB 1757 (C. Garcia, Chapter 341, Statutes of 2022) by removing language that made natural and working lands emissions reduction projects and actions that receive state funding ineligible to generate credits under a market-based compliance mechanism and instead requires CARB to ensure that all greenhouse gas emissions reductions and removals used for any market-based compliance mechanism are in addition to any reductions and removals that would otherwise occur.

View full bill text here

Summary 

Requires any commercial feed, feed additive, or drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration that is fed to livestock to be under the oversight of the California Department of Agriculture as the primary State regulatory agency, including, but not limited to, products that make environmental and health claims. This provision explicitly does not limit the CARB’s authority in Section 39730.7 of the Health and Safety Code.

View full bill text here

Summary 

Would have required CARB by December 31, 2025, to include in the SB 901 (Dodd, 2018) report, a methodology to quantify GHG and short-lived climate pollutant emissions, including black carbon from wildfire, pile burning, and forest management activities and a list of the data needed to use the methodology. This bill also would have established a Forest Waste Biomass Utilization Program to be administered by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Joint Institute for Wood Products Innovation, required the California Natural Resources Agency to facilitate the inclusion of recommendations for forest biomass waste utilization in relevant State climate adaptation plans, and required the California Energy Commission to report on innovative bioenergy technologies that utilize forest biomass waste. This bill was similar to AB 2878 (Aguiar-Curry, 2022).  Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. 

View full bill text here