California Air Resources Board

Requires CARB to amend its regulations on methane emissions from a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill to establish requirements for the monitoring of landfill gas temperature and requires the operator of an MSW landfill to monitor landfill gas temperature in accordance with CARB regulations. The bill also requires the California Department of Recycling and Resource Recovery (CalRecycle), on or before July 1, 2027, to establish minimum guidelines and coordinate with CARB to ensure consistency with CARB's methane regulation, and consider existing federal, State, and local guidance and stakeholder expertise to identify and manage subsurface elevated temperature events and minimum standards for a corrective action plan. The bill also requires tiered action if the gas temperature reaches 131 F, 146 F, or 170 F for a specified time frame. If an operator of an MSW landfill fails to provide notice of a sustained gas temperature within the specified timeframe, the bill authorizes CalRecycle or a local enforcement agency to impose a penalty of $10,000 per day and other penalties, as specified. The bill requires all penalties to be deposited into the Landfill Subsurface Fire Mitigation Account, which the bill creates, to be used upon appropriation by the Legislature to mitigate harm to a person or community adversely affected by a solid waste landfill, as specified. This bill makes an operator of an MSW landfill liable to CalRecycle and the local enforcement agency for their costs, as specified. Moved to the Senate Inactive File.

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Authorizes the issuance of bonds in the amount of $20,000,000,000 to finance transit and passenger rail improvements, local streets and roads and active transportation projects, zero-emission vehicle investments, transportation freight infrastructure improvements, and grade separations and other critical safety improvements, including $3 billion for ZEVs and $2.5 billion for transportation freight infrastructure improvements. Remains in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

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Has a variety of provisions regarding California’s gasoline specification, including allowing the Governor to suspend specification requirements in certain conditions and requiring the California Energy Commission (CEC)to assess alternative specifications, evaluate the possibility of a western region gasoline specification, and recommend strategies to support the state’s fuel transition. The bill also has provisions to improve oil and gas facility safety, including requiring more public input for the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response to solicit and incorporate public input on worst case oil spill volumes and financial responsibility requirements and requiring testing for idle oil pipelines and use of best technology for onshore transport of offshore oil. Additionally, the bill allows increased oil extraction in Kern County but prohibits new production in health protection zones.

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Voids specified amendments to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard that were adopted in November 2024. The bill includes an urgency, citing incorrect potential price increases as the facts constituting the necessity. Failed passage in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee and was granted reconsideration.

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Would have required CARB to include greenhouse gas emissions from wildlands and forest fires in the AB 32 Scoping Plan. Died at the desk.

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Requires the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) to conduct a study on the costs of climate change to the State and requires responsible parties with greenhouse gas emissions greater than 1 billion metric tons globally from 1990 to 2024 to pay a cost recovery demand proportionate to their share of emissions compared to total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Authorizes responsible parties to pay the cost recovery demand in 20 annual installments, with the first installment equaling 10%of the cost recovery demand. Creates the Polluters Pay Climate Fund and continuously appropriates the funding generated by the cost recovery demands to the Fund for projects that avoid, mitigate, repair, or adapt to negative climate change impacts, with a minimum of 40%of funded projects benefitting environmental justice populations. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee at the request of the author.

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Would have required CARB to establish the Marine Carbon Initiative, consisting of the Marine Carbon Council and the Marine Carbon Research Program. The bill requires CARB to select the seven members of the Marine Carbon Council by August 1, 2027, as specified, and requires the Council to advance the science and understanding of marine carbon dioxide removal and sequestration methods and technologies, as specified. The bill requires CARB to establish the Marine Carbon Research Program by July 1, 2028 to award grants and other financial incentives for eligible marine carbon dioxide removal and sequestration projects, as specified. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Would have required CARB to establish the Marine Carbon Initiative, consisting of the Marine Carbon Council and the Marine Carbon Research Program. The bill requires CARB to select the seven members of the Marine Carbon Council by August 1, 2027, as specified, and requires the Council to advance the science and understanding of marine carbon dioxide removal and sequestration methods and technologies, as specified. The bill requires CARB to establish the Marine Carbon Research Program by July 1, 2028 to award grants and other financial incentives for eligible marine carbon dioxide removal and sequestration projects, as specified. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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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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