California Assembly Bill AB21 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 21INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Perea DECEMBER 1, 2014 An act to amend Sections 38501, 38551, and 38561 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to greenhouse gases. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 21, as introduced, Perea. California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006: emissions limit: scoping plan. The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 establishes the State Air Resources Board as the state agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources emitting greenhouse gases. The act requires the state board to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit, as defined, to be achieved by 2020, equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions levels in 1990. The act requires the state board to make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature on how to continue the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2020. The act also requires the state board to prepare and approve a scoping plan for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. This bill would require the state board, no later than January 1, 2018, to recommend to the Governor and the Legislature a specific target of statewide emissions reductions for 2030 to be accomplished in a cost-effective manner. This bill would require the state board in preparing its scoping plan to consult with specified state agencies regarding matters involving energy efficiency and the facilitation of the electrification of the transportation sector. This bill also would make various findings and declarations. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 38501 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 38501. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Global warming poses a serious threat to the economic well-being, public health, natural resources, and the environment of California. The potential adverse impacts of global warming include the exacerbation of air quality problems, a reduction in the quality and supply of water to the state from the Sierra snowpack, a rise in sea levels resulting in the displacement of thousands of coastal businesses and residences, damage to marine ecosystems and the natural environment, and an increase in the incidences of infectious diseases, asthma, and other human health-related problems. (b) Global warming will have detrimental effects on some of California's largest industries, including agriculture, wine, tourism, skiing, recreational and commercial fishing, and forestry. It will also increase the strain on electricity supplies necessary to meet the demand for summer air-conditioning in the hottest parts of the state. (c) California has long been a national and international leader on energy conservation and environmental stewardship efforts, including the areas of air quality protections, energy efficiency requirements, renewable energy standards, natural resource conservation, and greenhouse gas  emission   emissions  standards for passenger vehicles. The program established by this division will continue this tradition of environmental leadership by placing California at the forefront of national and international efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. (d) National and international actions are necessary to fully address the issue of global warming. However, action taken by California to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases will have far-reaching effects by encouraging other states, the federal government, and other countries to act. (e) By exercising a global leadership role, California will also position its economy, technology centers, financial institutions, and businesses to benefit from national and international efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. More importantly, investing in the development of innovative and pioneering technologies will assist California in achieving the 2020 statewide limit on emissions of greenhouse gases established by this division and will provide an opportunity for the state to take a global economic and technological leadership role in reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.  (f) Having made significant strides between 2006 and 2014 in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, California continues to demonstrate and exercise national and global leadership by establishing a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit for 2030.   (f)   (g)  It is the intent of the Legislature that the State Air Resources Board coordinate with state agencies, as well as consult with the environmental justice community, industry sectors, business groups, academic institutions, environmental organizations, and other  stakeholders   stakeholders,  in implementing this division.  (g)   (h)  It is the intent of the Legislature that the State Air Resources Board consult with the Public Utilities Commission in the development of emissions reduction measures, including limits on emissions of greenhouse gases applied to electricity and natural gas providers regulated by the Public Utilities Commission in order to ensure that electricity and natural gas providers are not required to meet duplicative or inconsistent regulatory requirements.  (h)   (i)  It is the intent of the Legislature that the State Air Resources Board design emissions reduction measures to meet the statewide emissions limits for greenhouse gases established pursuant to this division in a manner that  cleans the environment in ways that are affordable for California residents,  minimizes costs and maximizes benefits for California's economy, improves and modernizes California's energy infrastructure and maintains electric system reliability, maximizes additional environmental and economic co-benefits for California, and complements the state's efforts to improve air quality.  (i)   (j)  It is the intent of the Legislature that the Climate Action Team established by the Governor to coordinate the efforts set forth under Executive Order S-3-05 continue its role in coordinating overall climate policy. SEC. 2. Section 38551 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 38551. (a) The statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit  for 2020  shall remain in effect unless otherwise amended or repealed. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit  for 2020  continue in existence and be used to maintain and continue reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases beyond 2020. (c)  (1)    The state board shall make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature on how to continue  further  reductions of greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2020.  (2) No later than January 1, 2018, the state board shall recommend to the Governor and the Legislature a specific target of statewide emissions reductions for 2030 to be accomplished in a cost-effective manner consistent with paragraph (1).  SEC. 3. Section 38561 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read: 38561. (a)  (1)    On or before January 1, 2009, the state board shall prepare and approve a scoping plan, as that term is understood by the state board, for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from sources or categories of sources of greenhouse gases by 2020 under this division.  The   (2)     The    state board shall consult with all state agencies with jurisdiction over sources of greenhouse gases, including the Public Utilities Commission and the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission,  on   in developing  all elements of its plan that pertain to  energy related   energy-related  matters including, but not limited to, electrical generation,  energy efficiency,  load based-standards or requirements, the provision of reliable and affordable electrical service, petroleum refining, the facilitation of the electrification of the transportation sector,  and statewide fuel supplies to ensure the greenhouse gas emissions reduction activities to be adopted and implemented by the state board are complementary, nonduplicative, and can be implemented in an efficient and cost-effective manner. (b) The plan shall identify and make recommendations on direct  emission   emissions  reduction measures, alternative compliance mechanisms, market-based compliance mechanisms, and potential monetary and nonmonetary incentives for sources and categories of sources that the state board finds are necessary or desirable to facilitate the achievement of the maximum feasible and cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. (c) In making the determinations required by subdivision (b), the state board shall consider all relevant information pertaining to greenhouse gas emissions reduction programs in other states, localities, and nations, including the northeastern states of the United States, Canada, and the European Union. (d) The state board shall evaluate the total potential costs and total potential economic and noneconomic benefits of the plan for reducing greenhouse gases to California's economy, environment, and public health, using the best available economic models, emission estimation techniques, and other scientific methods. (e) In developing its plan, the state board shall take into account the relative contribution of each source or source category to statewide greenhouse gas emissions, and the potential for adverse effects on small businesses, and shall recommend a de minimis threshold of greenhouse gas emissions below which  emission   emissions  reduction requirements will not apply. (f) In developing its plan, the state board shall identify opportunities for  emission reductions   emissions reduction  measures from all verifiable and enforceable voluntary actions, including, but not limited to, carbon sequestration projects and best management practices. (g) The state board shall conduct a series of public workshops to give interested parties an opportunity to comment on the plan. The state board shall conduct a portion of these workshops in regions of the state that have the most significant exposure to air pollutants, including, but not limited to, communities with minority populations, communities with low-income populations, or both. (h) The state board shall update its plan for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gas emissions at least once every five years.