New Low Emissions Building Incentive Program Is Among Bills Brown Signs

Updated Sept. 19, 2018.

Putting his pen where his mouth is, outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown signed numerous bills during the Global Climate Action Summit Sept. 13 that seek to slash greenhouse gases in the state from transportation, buildings and natural gas use. Many, however, are little more than symbolic measures, including codifying existing practices.

The more meaningful measures signed include SB 1477 by Sen. Henry Stern (D-Canoga Park). It provides $50 million a year of incentives to reduce building emissions. One of the programs in the bill is to provide financial incentives for near-zero emission building technologies. The other program is to incentivize installing low‑emissions space and water heating equipment for new and existing buildings.

Brown also signed AB 3232 by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) directing state agencies to collectively assess actions needed to curb emissions from the state’s residential and commercial buildings.

AB 2195 by Assemblymember Ed Chau (D-Monterey Park) seeks to increase public access to information on greenhouse gas emissions that are leaked from natural gas equipment and those released from flaring.

A few newly signed measures seek to curb greenhouse gases from the transportation sector, California’s largest source of emissions.

“These bills will help get more clean cars on the road and reduce harmful emissions,” Brown said Sept. 13.

The new laws include: SB 1000 by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) requires the state to assess whether vehicle-charging infrastructure is sufficient to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles. It also seeks to ensure that both plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and zero-emission vehicles have equal access to charging infrastructure. SB 1403, also by Lara, aims to ensure state incentives increase the adoption of zero and near-zero emissions heavy-duty vehicles and equipment, including school buses. The bill requires CARB to develop three-year investment plans for these vehicles starting in 2019. SB 1014 by Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) directs the state to develop emissions reduction targets for ride-hailing services, which represent a growing element of California’s transportation sector. This bill will help continue work the Governor has set into motion to increase adoption of zero-emission vehicles in public and private fleets throughout the state. AB 193 by Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes (D-Corona) provides rebates for replacement batteries or fuel cells in zero-emission vehicles. In separate action last week, Brown also signed into law: SB 1369 by Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), which defines "green electrolytic hydrogen" production run with excess renewable electricity as an eligible form of energy storage that state agencies should target for increased use; SB 1410 by Sen. Mike Morrell (R-Rancho Cucamonga), which requires more frequent inspections and audits for utilities or alternatively allows the California Public Utilities Commission to audit utilities in accordance with their general rate case cycles, if that cycle provides for a rate case no less frequently than once every five years; SB 1028 by Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo), which requires the CPUC to examine the full impact of the recent federal tax cut legislation on utilities and to adjust rates as warranted; SB 1135 by Sen. Steve Bradford (D-Gardena), which requires the commission to continue the Family Electric Rate Assistance program for the state’s three largest electrical corporations for families with incomes between 200 and 250 percent of the federal poverty level and give them an 18 percent line-item discount; and SB 1014 by Skinner, which requires the California Air Resources Board to set annual greenhouse gas reduction targets for ridesharing companies, like Lyft and Uber, that will take effect in 2023. —Elizabeth McCarthy & William J. Kelly

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New Low Emissions Building Incentive Program Is Among Bills Brown Signs

William J. Kelly

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