The California State Assembly passed Senate Bill 32 (Pavley) this week to establish in law a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. However, the act will only take effect if Assembly Bill 197 of the 2015—16 Regular Session is enacted and becomes effective on or before Jan. 1, 2017, per the conditions of the bill.
Nevertheless, some are praising the passage of SB32 as a victory for climate-change advocates.
According to Sen. Fran Pavley, who authored the bill, in approving SB 32, the Assembly has acted to codify the target spelled out in Gov. Jerry Brown’s Executive Order B-30-15. Establishing that target in statute will remove any uncertainty over the state’s authority to extend its climate policies beyond the 2020 emissions-reduction target set by the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, or AB 32, according to Pavley’s senate webpage.
“Today’s action sends an unmistakable signal to investors of California’s commitment to clean energy and clean air,” Pavley said. “This will trigger more investment and more jobs in our thriving clean-energy sector and solidify California’s leadership in demonstrating to the world that we can combat climate change while also spurring economic growth.”
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia called climate change one of the most significant issues of our time and said he applauds the State Assembly for approving SB 32.
“This legislation reaffirms our State’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Garcia said. “Long Beach, along with other local governments, is well positioned to improve community health and create green jobs while meeting our climate change goals. We look forward to continuing our work with the State to build a stronger and more sustainable economy.”
Not everyone is applauding, however.
Tom Scott, executive director of the National Federation of Independent Business/California, expressed discontent that the state’s small businesses will have to carry the burden of trying to meet the environmental standards.
“California small businesses have carried their weight in reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels, as mandated by AB 32 (2006),” Scott said. “But 10 years later, Sacramento is doubling down on this costly burden by dramatically expanding the mandate to further reduce emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. Our small businesses paid the price to make our air the cleanest in the nation, yet our Legislature wants more restrictions. Enough is enough. We cannot balance the global climate on the backs of working Californians.”
Scott said SB 32 will make California even more hostile to small businesses, increasing costs and making them less competitive, discouraging growth and expansion across the state.
“Data show SB 32 will also exacerbate the housing affordability crisis in California, adding an estimated $58,000 to the cost of building a new home,” he said. “The last thing we should do is punish working families and job creators in this state. Additionally, nearly 99 percent of available greenhouse gas credits went unsold in the most recent Cap-and-Trade auction; the program created by AB 32 has proven to be a failure. NFIB will be strongly urging the State Senate to reject SB 32 for these reasons.”
SB 32 and AB 197 will now return to the other legislative branch for final consideration.
Sources: Garcia’s office, NFIB, Pavley’s website
