AIR BOARD STAFF RELEASES FINAL DRAFT OF SCOPING PLAN FOR LANDMARK GLOBAL WARMING LAW; SOME FLAWS ADDRESSED, MORE IMPROVEMENTS POSSIBLE
Yesterday afternoon the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released itsFinal Scoping Plan, detailing how the State plans to meet the greenhouse gas emission reduction mandate of AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. The CARB board will review the plan and make any final changes before approving it at itsDecember meeting.
As wereported in July, the Draft Scoping Plan was a positive step forward but like most drafts needed significant improvements before it was finalized. The release of this version marks another important step in the nation's growing fight against global warming. It fixes flaws in the earlier document and strengthens the State's commitment to growing the green economy and generating clean-technology jobs while achieving substantial improvements in public health.
Unfortunately, there are still some holes and problematic policies. Despite a persistent public outcry to strengthen the plan's land use measures, the final version makes only moderate improvements, shifting the emission reduction target from the land use sector from two million metric tons (MMT) up to five. That means land use measures would still make up less than three percent of the required 174 MMT, giving the impression that land use reform is a relatively low priority in the fight against global warming. Hopefully the CARB board will see it differently when they consider approving the Final Scoping Plan in December by increasing the land use sector's emission reduction target and expanding the policy measures that the State will commit to undertake.
The new version also stumbles when discussing how to establish an economy-wide price signal for global warming pollution. It only commits to make polluters pay for ten percent of pollution allowances at the start of the program, which would mean up to ninety percent of those valuable allowances would be handed to polluters for free, a massive give-away that would financially reward the state's worst polluters and undermine our ability to make the substantial investments required to address the causes and effects of global warming. That's especially troublesome considering the hefty profits polluters continue to rake in while the state budget is in crisis and Wall Street is freaking out. We're glad to read that CARB is still exploring these allocation issues and hope that they substantially strengthen their commitments to making polluters pay.
We're still reading through the 100-page document, so stay tuned for more!
WHICH WAY NOW? QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT FOLLOW UP TO CALIFORNIA'S NEW LAW LINKING LAND USE AND GLOBAL WARMING
Last month, as the deadline to sign or veto proposed legislation drew near, Governor Schwarzenegger approved SB 375 (Steinberg), which links land use planning, transportation funding, and housing policy in an attempt to promote smarter developments that will help the state meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction mandate. SB 375 offers incentives to promote sustainable development by redefining how the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) will be applied to the best-planned communities. For example, residential and mixed use development projects that help the region reach its emission reductions goals won't have to analyze certain climate impacts during the CEQA process. The bill strikes a delicate balance between promoting sustainable growth while ensuring environmental review is not jeopardized.
However despite the delicate balancing act in SB 375, in his signing statementthe Governor has suggested further limitations to CEQA for infrastructure and commercial projects. The Governor's suggestions would tip the scales and could significantly reduce the ability of local residents to participate in the CEQA process to push for better plans and projects.
Senator Darrell Steinberg, in aformal letterresponding to questions raised about the role of CEQA in addressing global warming (see page 14 of the linked document), committed to discussing the issue next year. Senator Steinberg has promised to invite all interested parties. Staff from the Planning and Conservation League will be there to defend CEQA against aggressive efforts to weaken California's most power tool to protect public health and our environment.
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