CARB climate regulations inform the federal agenda

CARB climate regulations inform the federal agenda

With the fifth largest economy in the world, California has many opportunities and challenges. For example, the state achieved its landmark 2020 climate goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) below 1990 levels four years early. But California is also home to eight of the 10 most polluted U.S. cities.

Now working against a more ambitious goal to further reduce GHG another 40 percent by 2030, California has elected to address its air quality challenges by setting strict emissions standards for a wide range of statewide pollution sources including vehicles, fuels, products, buildings and other sources of GHG. Because these standards often exceed federal requirements, California has become a bell weather of future state and national regulations.

CARB is tasked with guiding activities of 35 local air pollution control districts to address global climate change across the state. To do so, CARB and these districts are engaged in 36 “topics” from agriculture to wood smoke and wildfires.

Recently, CARB drafted an Air Protection Blueprint identifying the most impacted communities and strategies to reduce emissions of air pollutants in these cities. The CARB board – comprised of 12 gubernatorial appointments and four members from the environmental justice community – has yet to formally approve the blueprint. A brief fact sheet provides an overview of the Blueprint’s provisions.

CARB publishes its board meeting calendar and encourages written and in-person comments on items on the board docket. Details are available here. Additionally, to assist companies in meeting its regulations, CARB has an Office of the Ombudsman and ongoing compliance training.

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