The Coalition is tracking the following bills and others related to alternative fuels and vehicles throughout the legislative session. Note: the California Legislature was in recess March 17–25.
In brief: Appropriates $1.7 billion from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for 2015–16 to fund low-carbon transportation and infrastructure projects; clean-energy communities; and community climate improvements, wetland and watershed restoration, and carbon sequestration.
Details: Future legislation would determine how to distribute the money among different agencies.
Status: In Assembly Natural Resources Committee.
In brief: The California Clean Truck, Bus, and Off-Road Vehicle and Equipment Technology Program establishes heavy-duty truck incentives from 2018 to 2023.
Details: Requires the state to support the commercial deployment of existing zero- and near-zero-emission heavy-duty truck technologies by spending whichever is greater: $100 million or half of the funds allocated each year for the development of zero- and near-zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty truck technologies.\
Status: In Assembly Transportation Committee. Hearing set for April 4.
In brief: Requires CARB to increase the sustainable production and use of RNG, ensuring that it provides direct benefits to the environment.
Status: In Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee. Hearing set for April 5.
In brief: Requires CARB to implement a strategy to reduce short-lived climate pollutants below 2013 levels by 2030.
Details: Methane and hydrofluorocarbon gases must each be reduced by 40 percent and anthropogenic black carbon must be reduced by 50 percent below 2013 levels.
Status: In Senate Environmental Quality Committee. Hearing set for April 6.
In brief: Directs money from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund toward the in-state production of low-carbon alternative fuels using sustainable feedstocks.
Status: In Senate Environmental Quality Committee. Hearing set for April 6.
In brief: Requires technical, nonsubstantive changes, which have not yet been defined, to the CEC’s alternative fuels plan.
Status: In Senate Rules Committee.
In brief: Requires technical, nonsubstantive changes, which have not yet been defined, to the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program
Status: In Senate Rules Committee.
In brief: Requires CARB to regulate tailpipe emissions if proposed federal standards on fuel economy and GHG emissions are weaker than the state’s standards.
Status: In Senate Rules Committee.