A majority of members in the state Assembly approved extending the state’s landmark greenhouse gas emissions law, moving the proposal to the state Senate, which is expected to pass the measure before the Legislature wraps up next week. Jerry Brown, said in a statement after the results were published.
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In 2006, California set a goal to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, when the initial effort would end.
The emissions law builds on a 2006 measure that gave California the nation’s most ambitious program of countering climate change by limiting discharges from cars and industry, and by requiring businesses to purchase pollution credits via auction.
Catherine Reheis-Boyd, president of the Western States Petroleum Association, which represents major oil companies, said the legislation was “a setback for California’s global leadership on climate change” because it didn’t go far enough in regulating the California Air Resources Board and made no changes to the state’s cap-and-trade program. “This is about equity, transparency and accountability”.
The Low Carbon Fuels Coalition praised the passage of the bills, saying they contained “absolutely no compromise” of the state’s low carbon fuel standard (LCFS).
Assembly Bill 1494 by Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-Greenbrae, would allow voters to “voluntarily disclose” how they voted, modifying the current law that prevents marked ballots from being shown to anyone else.
SB 32 was sponsored by state Sen. Brown has said that he will sign the bill when it reaches his desk.
The bill codifies emissions reduction targets included in an executive order issued by Brown a year ago, removing any uncertainty over the state’s authority to extend its climate policies beyond the 2020 emissions-reduction target set by the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, or AB 32. By passing SB 32 and AB 197, the Legislature has cemented California’s commitment to lead the fight against global climate change.
Still, in light Tuesday’s Assembly vote, Gov.
Utilities – which could benefit from the electrification of the transportation fleet – have not opposed the bill, and have been preparing for the change since last year’s executive order. I like that part of that bill.
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The Senate previously approved the legislation, but Morehouse said it will need to vote again because the bill has been amended.
