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California ARB Staff Proposes Nearly Tripling Early Action Measures for GHG Reduction
7 September 2007
The staff of the California Air Resources Board (ARB) proposed nearly tripling the set of early measures to help meet the state’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 25% by 2020 as required by the Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32). ARB staff also proposed an additional set of measures today that go above and beyond the narrow requirements of the law.
The new proposals are expected to reduce greenhouse gases from the trucking industry, the cement and semiconductor industries, ports, and consumer products. Combined with the early action measures adopted by the Board in June (earlier post)—a low carbon fuel standard, restrictions in do-it-yourself air conditioner repairs and methane capture from landfills—ARB now has measures in the works to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 16 million metric tons.
Today’s announcement sets the stage for another step forward in achieving our goal to return the state’s greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Every single action we take – government, businesses, municipalities and individuals alike – makes a difference toward ultimately cooling our planet. California is showing the country and the world that we can and will help reverse the ominous tide of global warming.
—ARB Chairman Mary Nichols
The newly proposed discrete early action measures—regulations that will be adopted and are enforceable by the Board by 1 January 2010—are projected to reduce an additional 2.8 million metric tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions. An additional set of early action measures can reduce annual emissions by another 4.45 million metric tons.
| Discrete Early Actions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Summary | Est. reduction (million tonnes CO2e) |
| Smartway Truck Efficiency | Require existing trucks and trailers to be retrofitted with devices that reduce aerodynamic drag. | 1.3 |
| Green ports | Allow docked ships to shut off their auxiliary engines by plugging into shoreside electrical outlets or other technologies. | 0.5 |
| Reduction of PFCs from semicon industry | Establish standards to reduce emissions of perfluorocarbons in the semiconductor industry. | 0.5 |
| Reduction of emissions from consumer products | Establish standards to reduce emissions from aerosols, tire inflators, electronics cleaning and dust removal products. | 0.3 |
| Tire inflation | Require tune-up and oil change technicians to ensure proper tire inflation as part of overall service. | 0.2 |
| SF6 reductions form non-electricity sector | Ban the use of Sulfur Hexafluoride from non-essential applications if viable alternatives are available. | TBD |
| Estimated reductions | 2.8 | |
| Other Early Actions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Summary | Est. reduction (million tonnes CO2e) |
| Energy efficiency of California cement facilitiesy | Improve energy efficiency practices and technologies. | 2.0 |
| Refrigerant tracking, reporting and recovery program | Enhance monitoring, enforcement and recovery of refrigerants, including hydrofluorocarbons. | 1.25 |
| Anti-idling enforcement | Increase compliance with existing anti-idling regulations. | 0.7 |
| Blended cements | Allow increased use of cement blending with materials such as fly ash, limestone and slag in the production of Portland cement. | 0.5 |
| Research regarding nitrogen land application efficiency | Conduct research to understand how to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer applications.. | TBD |
| Estimated reductions | 4.45 | |
| Total Estimated reductions | 7.35 | |
The proposed early actions combined with other measures proposed by the larger Climate Action Team could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 36 million metric tons by 2020, roughly 21% of the total needed to meet AB 32’s goal of rolling back emissions to 1990 levels. This lays a solid foundation for obtaining the necessary reductions needed to meet AB 32 requirements.
The Board will vote on additional proposed measures in Sacramento on 25-26 October. In the meantime, ARB staff will hold a workshop on the new proposed measure 17 September in Sacramento to discuss specifics and solicit additional input from stakeholders.
AB 32, signed by Governor Schwarzenegger in September 2006, requires the ARB to implement a statewide greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategy. In addition, the Governor directed the members of the Climate Action Team to work alongside the ARB to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their respective jurisdictions.
September 7, 2007 in Climate Change, Fuel Efficiency, Heavy-duty, Policy | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
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Comments
Now if we could only get this kind of action on a national level. In addition we need a carrot and stick approach with cleanup incentives for China and India. This problem is solvable, it just takes a simple decision to do it and make it our first priority.
Posted by: BlackSun | Sep 7, 2007 3:22:38 PM
Practical, achievable. Good job, California.
Posted by: jack | Sep 7, 2007 9:23:04 PM
I still think the best way to reduce carbon output is just tax the hell out of it.
If we reduced the income tax at the same time as we implement a carbon tax, maybe even the conservatives would go along with it too.
Posted by: zevutah | Sep 8, 2007 9:35:14 PM
