CARB reviewed changes to the Carl Moyer Air Quality Standards Attainment Program required by SB 513 and discussed implementation goals in a trio of public workshops March 3–10 around the state.

The legislation updates the Moyer program so it continues to contribute to air quality improvement with significant revisions: the program will now allow funding clean energy infrastructure projects, and applicants will be able to combine Moyer funds with money from other programs without penalty. The legislation also adjusts cost-effectiveness limits based on actual costs of technology and applicable regulations, and requires CARB to streamline the administration and implementation of the program.

SB 513 requires CARB to adopt new program guidelines by July 1, 2017. CARB’s goals for implementation include maintaining creditability, ensuring that guidelines work for both large and small districts, and simplifying guidelines and program implementation. Implementation ideas presented at the workshop included increasing funding amounts to reflect the higher costs of near-zero and zero-emission technologies for heavy-duty vehicles as well as raising cost-effectiveness limits in ways that encourage fleets to choose clean technologies over conventional technologies.
The board is planning a second round of workshops this summer and hopes to publish draft guidelines by the end of the year. Current information about the 2017 Moyer updates, along with workshop slides, is available on the CARB website.