A proposal that could help California reach carbon neutrality faster has stalled in the State Legislature. AB 2797 (Petrie Norris) was held by the Assembly Appropriations Committee despite being overwhelmingly supported by Members of two policy committees and receiving only one “no” vote.
This bill would have complemented the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard and Clean Transportation Program to incentivize increased production and use of very low to carbon neutral transportation fuels to get California to its decarbonization targets sooner.
We know that diesel powered heavy-duty trucks are the single largest source of smog-forming pollution and toxic air contaminants in California, especially in the federal non-attainment areas and in many disadvantaged communities along the state’s goods movement corridors. These trucks also represent the largest source of black carbon – a short-lived climate pollutant – and carbon dioxide – a primary greenhouse gas. We must find an immediate and cost-effective way to efficiently reduce these emissions if we hope to mitigate the planet’s warming.
AB 2797 is supported by both environmental and business groups, including CNGVC, Coalition for Clean Air, Bioenergy Association of California, Climate Resolve, Environmental Justice League, Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas, California Chamber of Commerce, California Waste Haulers Council, as well as others.
Despite this setback, two additional CNGVC-supported bills did pass out of the Appropriations Committee and are being considered for approval this week by the entire State Assembly :