After Summer of Heat Waves and Blackouts, California Enacts Ambitious Climate Legislation | Article

During the first two weeks of September, Governor Gavin Newsom of California went on a climate bill-signing spree. He signed 40 climate-related bills into law, passing “some of the nation’s most aggressive climate measures in history,” according to his office.

Those new laws were just the latest steps taken by a state that has been at the vanguard of climate action. On August 25, for instance, the California Air Resources Board issued a ruling that bans the sale of gas-powered vehicles starting in 2035.

Governor Newsom of California signing climate bills in September. Photo credit: State of California

September was a record-breaking month for California—but not in a good way. As the longest and hottest heat wave ever recorded that month consumed the West, the cities of Sacramento, Santa Rosa, and Napa, to name a few, reached all-time high temperatures of 116, 115, and 114 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. Increased use of air conditioning has resulted in soaring energy demand and has fueled concern about the reliability of the electricity grid. These worries only intensified when the state warned millions of residents that “power interruptions may occur unless you take action.” These temperatures could be a harbinger of what is to come: the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California San Diego reported that, due to human-caused climate change, California should expect an increase in temperatures, wildfires, and megadroughts in the future.

The new legislation will help to alleviate future climate impacts by heavily focusing on carbon neutrality and reducing the state’s reliance on fossil fuels. This article dives into how a few of these bills will help California reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a clean energy future.

Carbon Capture and Managing Fossil Fuel Extraction

The California Climate Crisis Act (A.B. 1279) outlines how California will achieve economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2045 and maintain negative greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) thereafter. The bill states that greenhouse gas emission levels must be below 1990 levels, and to achieve this goal, California will need to cut its emissions by 85 percent. Under the law, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) must update its Scoping Plan (a report revised every five years that outlines how the state will achieve carbon neutrality by 2045) in order to accommodate the new carbon benchmarks set by the legislation. CARB must also work to establish carbon dioxide (CO2) removal plans which include carbon utilization and storage technologies. The state will assess the legislation’s progress every two years and report its findings to the public.

The Carbon Sequestration: Carbon Capture, Removal, Utilization, and Storage Program (S.B. 905) bill, passed on the same day as A.B. 1279, creates a comprehensive framework for CARB’s carbon removal plans. S.B. 905 directs CARB to create programs and regulations aimed at polluting industries to ensure they capture, use, and store carbon responsibly. CARB will assess the safety and reliability of carbon capture and storage technologies, oversee carbon sequestration using these technologies, and outline and monitor their correct implementation. The bill also bans the transport of carbon through pipelines to and from carbon removal or sequestration projects until the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has created safety regulations outlining proper carbon transport. PHMSA projects this will not happen till October 2024, which may stall the deployment of carbon capture, use, and storage technologies.

A.B. 1757, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006: Climate Goal: Natural and Working Lands, seeks to address rising CO2 levels through nature-based climate solutions. The Natural Resources Agency will set targets to be achieved by 2030, 2038, and 2045 for reducing carbon using natural solutions such as tree planting, wetland restoration, and forestry projects

S.B. 1137, Oil and Gas: Operations: Location Restrictions: Notice of Intention: Health Protection Zone: Sensitive Receptors, prevents the development of new oil and gas facilities near “sensitive receptor” locations, such as neighborhoods, hospitals, and prisons. Specifically, the legislation creates a 3,200-foot “health protection zone” between fossil fuel wellheads and sensitive receptors. Starting in 2023, it is the responsibility of oil and gas production companies to submit a map of sensitive receptors located within the health protection zones of their wellheads.

Transitioning to Clean Energy

In 2018, California passed S.B. 100 mandating a switch to 100 percent renewable energy and zero-carbon electricity in the state by 2045. To help make that law a reality, Newsom recently signed the Clean Energy, Jobs, and Affordability Act of 2022 (S.B. 1020), which sets interim targets for California to achieve 90 percent renewable energy and zero-carbon electricity by 2035 and 95 percent by 2040. Additionally, state agencies now have to use 100 percent renewable energy by 2035. Lastly, the bill authorizes multiple agencies to assess the overall and local reliability of the electrical system, especially during the summer.

To help facilitate the state’s shift to clean energy, Governor Newsom signed Diablo Canyon Power Plant: Extension of Operations (S.B. 846). Previously, two units in the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant were scheduled to close in 2024 and 2025, but they will now remain open till 2029 and 2030, respectively. Currently the nuclear power plant provides 10 percent of the state’s electricity. A $1.4 billion state loan to cover the costs of extending the licenses gives the plant operators the ability to continue operations for 5 more years.

Electric Vehicles

Under CARB’s Advanced Clean Cars II rule, California will prohibit sales of new gas-powered cars starting in 2035 in an effort to reduce GHG emissions and support the state’s transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). The 2035 goal was initially outlined in Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-79-20 signed on September 23, 2020. CARB’s rule sets gradual targets for achieving the phaseout of gas-powered cars: ZEVs must be 35 percent of cars sold by 2026 and 68 percent of cars sold by 2030. The rule has large implications for the rapid growth of electric vehicle markets across the United States as 13 states have automotive policies linked to California vehicle emission standards. Margo Oge, chair of the International Council on Clean Transportation, said in a PBS interview, “This action by itself will not zero out the impacts of climate change, but it will help us to avert the worst consequences of climate change.”

With the imminent explosion of electric vehicle sales, Transportation Electrification: Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (A.B. 2061) was passed to ensure equal access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure in low-, medium-, and high-income communities. The State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission will reassess charging station equity every two years. It will also ensure the reliability of all charging stations, regardless of location, by gathering data such as “success rate to initiate a charging session, customer satisfaction, and the number, nature, or length of events that interrupt service.”

California’s Clean Cars 4 All Program, originally launched in 2015 as a pilot program under a different name, reduces GHGs by replacing high-pollution automobiles with more efficient ones, and specifically targets low-income communities. The new Air Pollution: Clean Cars 4 All Program: Sales and Use Tax Law: Zero Emissions Vehicle Exemption legislation (S.B. 1382) seeks to gather data on the success of the Clean Cars 4 All program in participating districts, highlights barriers to accessing the program, and creates solutions to overcome these barriers and increase outreach and access to Clean Cars 4 All.

Author: Shreya Agrawal