BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 1383
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB
1383 (Lara)
As Amended August 15, 2016
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE: 21-13
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|Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+-----------------------+-------------------|
|Natural |6-1 |Williams, Cristina |Harper |
|Resources | |Garcia, Gomez, | |
| | |McCarty, Mark Stone, | |
| | |Wood | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+-----------------------+-------------------|
|Appropriations |11-4 |Gonzalez, Bloom, |Bigelow, Chang, |
| | |Bonilla, Bonta, |Jones, Obernolte |
| | |Eggman, Eduardo | |
| | |Garcia, Quirk, | |
| | |Santiago, Weber, Wood, | |
| | |McCarty | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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SB 1383
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SUMMARY: Requires the Air Resources Board (ARB) to approve and
implement the comprehensive short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP)
strategy to achieve, from 2013 levels, a 40% reduction in
methane, a 40% reduction in hydrofluorocarbon gases (HFCs), and
a 50% reduction in anthropogenic black carbon, by 2030.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires ARB to approve and begin implementing the
comprehensive strategy to reduce SLCPs in the state to
achieve, from 2013 levels, a 40% reduction in methane, a 40%
reduction in HFCs, and a 50% reduction in anthropogenic (i.e.,
non-forest) black carbon, by 2030.
2)Requires ARB, prior to approving the strategy, to do all of
the following:
a) Coordinate with other state and local governments to
develop measures identified in the strategy;
b) Hold at least three public hearings in geographically
diverse locations in the state;
c) Evaluate the best available scientific, technological,
and economic information to ensure the strategy is cost
effective and technologically feasible; and
d) Incorporate and prioritize, as appropriate, measures and
actions that provide cobenefits, as specified.
3)Requires ARB to publicly notice the strategy and post a copy
of the strategy on their Web site at least one month prior to
approval.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Requires ARB, pursuant to California Global Warming Solutions
Act of 2006 (AB 32 (Núñez), Chapter 488, Statutes of 2006), to
adopt a statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions limit
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equivalent to the 1990 level by 2020 and adopt regulations to
achieve maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective
GHG emission reductions.
2)Requires ARB, pursuant to SB 605 (Lara), Chapter 523, Statutes
of 2014, to complete, by January 1, 2016, a comprehensive
strategy to reduce emissions of SLCPs, defined as an agent
that has a relatively short lifetime in the atmosphere and a
climate-warming influence that is more potent than carbon
dioxide.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, unknown cost pressures, potentially in the tens of
millions of dollars or more, to fund programs to implement the
strategies (Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund or other special
funds).
COMMENTS: The 5th assessment report from the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) notes that atmospheric
concentrations of global warming pollutants have risen to levels
unseen in the past 800,000 years. Carbon dioxide concentrations
have increased by 40% since pre-industrial times. There is
broad scientific consensus that these global GHG emission
increases are leading to higher air and water temperatures as
well as rising sea levels. Sea level is expected to rise 17 to
66 inches by 2100, and the frequency of extreme events such as
heat waves, wildfires, floods, and droughts is expected to
increase.
Pursuant to AB 32, ARB approved the first Scoping Plan in 2008.
The Scoping Plan outlined a suite of measures aimed at achieving
1990-level emissions, a reduction of 80 million metric tons of
CO2 (MMT CO2e). Average emission data in the Scoping Plan
reveal that transportation accounts for almost 40% of statewide
GHG emissions, and electricity and commercial and residential
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energy sector account for over 30% of statewide GHG emissions.
The industrial sector, including refineries, oil and gas
production, cement plants, and food processors, was shown to
contribute 20% of California's total GHG emissions.
The 2008 Scoping Plan recommended that reducing GHG emissions
from the wide variety of sources that make up the state's
emissions profile could best be accomplished through a
cap-and-trade program along with a mix of other strategies,
including a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS), light-duty vehicle
GHG standards, expanding and strengthening existing energy
efficiency programs, and building and appliance standards, a 33%
Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), and regional
transportation-related GHG targets. Pursuant to authority under
AB 32, the ARB adopted a Low Carbon Fuel Standard in 2009, and a
cap-and-trade program approved on December 13, 2011.
ARB approved an update to the Scoping Plan in 2014. The update
describes policies, actions, and strategies in the energy,
transportation, fuels, agriculture, waste, and natural lands
sectors as a means to continue emissions reductions in each of
these sectors. The update also asserts that California is on
track to meet the near-term 2020 GHG limit and is well
positioned to maintain and continue reductions beyond 2020 as
required by AB 32.
CO2 remains in the atmosphere for centuries, which makes it the
most critical GHG to reduce in order to limit long-term climate
change. However, climate pollutants including methane, HFCs,
and soot (black carbon), are relatively short-lived (anywhere
from a few weeks to 15 years), but have much higher global
warming potentials than CO2. New research suggests that
aggressively reducing these short-lived climate pollutants in
the short-term, compared to only cutting CO2 emissions, can do
more to slow sea level rise and other climate change impacts in
the near-term.
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Methane (CH4) is the principal component of natural gas and is
also produced biologically under anaerobic conditions in
ruminants, landfills, and waste handling. Atmospheric methane
concentrations have been increasing as a result of human
activities related to agriculture, fossil fuel extraction and
distribution, and waste generation and processing. Many
emissions sources of methane are unregulated (e.g., methane from
dairy production and fugitive methane emissions from landfills
and natural gas distribution). Methane is about 80 times more
powerful as a global warming pollutant than CO2 on a 20-year
time scale.
HFCs (also known as F-gases) are synthetic gases used in
refrigeration, air conditioning, insulation foams, solvents,
aerosol products, and fire protection. They are primarily
produced for use as substitutes for ozone-depleting substances
which are being phased out globally. Currently, HFCs are a
small fraction of the total climate forcing gases, but they are
the fastest growing source of carbon pollution. HFCs, on
average, have a global warming potential 1600 times that of CO2
on a 20-year time scale.
Black carbon, a component of soot, also known as PM 2.5, comes
from diesel engines and incomplete burning of carbon sources.
Wildfires contribute two-thirds of the total black carbon
emissions in the state. In addition to being a powerful global
warming pollutant, black carbon is associated with numerous
negative health impacts and is designated a potential human
carcinogen. Black carbon is not listed under AB 32 as a GHG
subject to AB 32 regulations. However, due to known health and
air quality impacts, ARB has several programs to reduce PM
emissions from heavy-duty vehicles. Black carbon has a global
warming potential 3200 times that of CO2 on a 20-year time
scale.
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SB 605 requires ARB to complete a comprehensive strategy to
reduce emissions of SLCPs by January 1, 2016. Following the
release of a concept paper and a draft strategy, on April 11,
2016, ARB published a proposed SLCP Reduction Strategy, which is
scheduled for adoption in September. The ARB Strategy
recommends the same 40/40/50 targets for methane, HFCs, and
black carbon as established by this bill. In addition to the
targets, the Strategy proposes specific measures, including:
1)Removal and replacement of old fireplaces and woodstoves;
2)Implementing a sustainable freight strategy
3)Regulations for best management practices for new dairies;
4)Financial incentives for manure management and dairy
digesters;
5)Requiring organics diversion from landfills;
6)Regulations to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas
production, processing and storage;
7)Financial incentives for low-GWP refrigeration early adoption;
and
8)Bans on the sale of very-high GWP refrigerants and
prohibitions on new equipment using high GWP gases.
ARB indicates that each proposed regulation will be subject to
its own public process with workshops, opportunities for
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stakeholder discussion, consideration of environmental justice,
and legally required analyses of the economic and environmental
impacts.
According to the author, California has been a proud and bold
leader in pursuing environmental policies to reduce climate
change and address the sources that cause it. Those policies
have mostly focused on reducing emissions of CO2, the most
significant long-term driver of climate change. This (bill)
represents the next step in those efforts, to establish a goal
to reduce SLCPs that are among the most harmful emissions to
both human health and global climate change. There is an urgent
need to develop a strategy to address and reduce these deadly
pollutants. Extensive research links particulate pollution and
increased ozone levels to severe and chronic health conditions
such as cancer, heart disease, and asthma?Reducing super
pollutants in California will have an immediate beneficial
effect - dramatically reducing the serious impacts these
pollutants have on our air quality and the health of our
children.
Analysis Prepared by:
Lawrence Lingbloom / NAT. RES. / (916) 319-2092
FN:
0004385
SB 1383
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