California Air Resources Board

Adds pipelines transporting carbon dioxide to the State requirements for pipelines carrying hazardous liquids but only allows those pipelines to operate after the State Fire Marshal adopts regulations governing those pipelines. The bill requires the State Fire Marshal to adopt regulations governing intrastate pipelines transporting carbon dioxide, that are equivalent to draft federal regulations, as specified. The bill authorizes the State Fire Marshal to amend the regulations to provide other safety standards, as specified, and requires pipelines transporting carbon dioxide to or from carbon dioxide capture, removal, or sequestration projects to comply with these regulations. The bill requires a pipeline operator to conduct an analysis, as specified, of the potential for harm to sensitive receptors located within the emergency planning zone, and requires the operator to submit an emergency planning zone inventory and map, as specified. The bill requires a lead agency to prepare and certify an Environmental Impact Report for the construction of a pipeline transporting carbon dioxide and provide notice to sensitive reporters, as specified. Finally, the bill prohibits approval of carbon dioxide pipelines that were previously used to transport other liquids or gases. The bill was moved to the Assembly Inactive File.

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Adds sustainable aviation fuel projects to the list of infrastructure projects eligible for CEQA judicial review streamlining by the Governor. The bill specifies that the Governor shall ensure that for these projects, the applicant agrees to pay specified trial and administrative costs and is undertaking specified administrative procedures. Was not heard in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee.

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Summary

Would have required CARB's executive officer to review a local air district’s submitted proposed permit for a Title V facility and, if the executive officer determines that the permit does not comply with the federal Clean Air Act or State law governing air pollution, to object to the issuance of that permit. The bill would have prohibited the local air district from finalizing the proposed permit without revising it to the satisfaction of CARB’s executive officer. The bill also would have established a public petition process regarding the proposed Title V permit, as specified.

The bill would have required an applicant to submit a technical feasibility analysis to the local air district as part of its permit renewal application for a Title V facility if its current operating permit includes equipment or control apparatus that meets certain criteria. The bill would have required a local air district to require best available retrofit control technology to be applied at each piece of equipment or source category identified in the technical feasibility analysis.

The bill would have revised CARB's precertification program, including requiring CARB to update criteria and guidelines for precertification at least once every eight years. The bill would have authorized the precertification program to include the identification of equipment, controls, fuels, and processes, as specified.

The bill would have revised requirements for a local air district’s expedited permit system. The bill, among other things, would have required CARB to issue determinations for best available control technology and best available retrofit control technology, and to establish best available control technology for toxic air contaminants. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have, during a state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor that is based on an emergency resulting in a loss of electrical service to any part of the State, provided that the regulations adopted under statutory direction prohibiting engine exhaust and evaporative emissions from new small off-road engines, and any other regulations adopted by CARB governing the emissions of portable or emergency backup generators, shall not apply to the sale or purchase of portable or emergency backup generators. The bill would have allowed a tax credit for each taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2031, equal to the amount incurred by a person or small business, during the taxable year for the purchase of a backup generator, as specified. Remains at the Assembly Desk.

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Summary

Would have required each local air district to make publicly available on its website a map of permitted facilities containing specified information regarding all active permits required for equipment or processes that may release or control air pollutants and that require or required the use of one or more emission reduction credits. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have amended the Administrative Procedure Act to require the economic assessment for non-major regulations to include the extent it will affect cost of living on residents of the State, and to require the standardized regulatory impact analysis for major regulations to address the cost of living impacts on residents of the State. The bill also would have required an agency to notify the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) when the agency determines it needs to contract for outside services to perform such analyses and would have required OAL to select the contractor and oversee its work. The bill would have required OAL to adopt a standardized cost of living methodology for use by all agencies. The bill would have required OAL during rulemaking review to conduct an independent analysis into the adequacy of an agency’s economic analyses, among other things. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Provides reimbursement and per diem compensation for members of single county local air district boards, as well as the Antelope Valley Air Quality Management District board. Specifically, the bill allows daily compensation up to $200 per day with an annual cap on compensation of $7,200 and allows approval of an annual increase of 5-10%. The bill also requires a report to be submitted to the Legislature within three years of commencement of the compensation.

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Would have required CARB, on a quarterly basis, to submit a report to the Legislature providing data and describing the impact of its regulations on the prices of transportation fuels, including but not limited to, the Low Carbon Fuel Standard. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Requires CARB to include greenhouse gas emissions from wildlands and forest fires in the AB 32 Scoping Plan. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Would have required CARB, the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM), and other relevant State agencies to collaborate with the California Energy Commission (CEC) in preparing the transportation fuel assessment and provide any information CEC deems necessary to complete the assessment. The bill was amended to deal with unemployment discrimination.

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