Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies
Event Log
AB32 — The speaker said the program design was litigated and found to meet the statutory requirements in AB 32.
AB32 — AB 32 is discussed as California’s climate law that was previously defended and as the legal basis for the state’s leakage framework. The speaker explains that AB 32 defines leakage as emissions declining in California while increasing elsewhere, and cites it as the requirement supporting measures to protect against leakage, including the free allocation program.
AB1279 — AB 1279 is referenced as establishing two major climate targets—carbon neutrality and an 85% reduction below 1990 emissions by 2045—and is cited again as the carbon-neutrality target framework informing cap-and-trade updates.
AB1279 — AB 1279 is discussed as part of the carbon capture, removal, utilization, and storage policy framework, with references to its emissions-reduction pathway requiring 48% reductions by 2030 and an 85% mid-century target.
SB905 — SB 905 is discussed as a recently enacted climate bill focused on carbon capture and sequestration, with follow-up mention that it will be advanced through rulemaking.
SB905 — The speaker discussed SB 905 as part of a broader decarbonization framework, explaining that one decarbonization tool is supported by SB 905 and that both durable carbon capture storage and direct air capture must meet SB 905 requirements. The speaker also noted that direct air capture could potentially be included in the cap-and-trade program as an offset type, provided it satisfies those requirements.
SB253 — SB 253 is discussed as a recently enacted climate bill requiring corporate greenhouse gas emissions reporting, and it is referenced again alongside SB 261 in the same context of corporate emissions disclosure requirements.
SB261 — SB 261 is referenced as a recently enacted climate bill focused on climate risk disclosure, and it is mentioned again alongside SB 253 in the context of corporate greenhouse gas emissions reporting and climate risk disclosure.
SB596 — Referenced as a draft climate strategy for the cement sector.
AB617 — AB 617 is discussed as the Community Air Protection Program, with references to its funding, implementation, and results. The discussion also notes the 19 communities selected under the program and the development of community projects and final reports tied to those communities.
SB535 — Cited as one of the laws requiring a minimum share of cap-and-trade dollars to benefit priority populations.
AB1550 — Cited as one of the laws requiring a minimum share of cap-and-trade dollars to benefit priority populations.
Jacqui Irwin — Jacqui Irwin briefly addresses the Chair, indicating she will follow the Chair’s cues, and the exchange continues as the Chair manages the presentation and asks staff to get the slides up as soon as they are found.
Jacqui Irwin — The speaker referred to the Chair in discussing the 2022 scoping plan.
Jacqui Irwin — Referred to as the Chair in connection with public workshops and target alignment.
Jacqui Irwin — Addressed as Chair and thanked for emphasizing the seriousness of outside threats.
Jacqui Irwin — The Chair opens questions and raises a point about hot areas outside the Central Valley and coast.
Jacqui Irwin — The Chair references Senator Stern as living in the San Fernando Valley.
Jacqui Irwin — The Chair notes that some coastal-adjacent areas can be as hot as the Central Valley and asks that solutions account for that variation.
Jacqui Irwin — The Chair asks how transmission-cost savings can be passed through to customers rather than investors.
Jacqui Irwin — Senator Lumon thanks Chair Irwin for her comments on carbon pricing and price impacts.
Jacqui Irwin — Addressed as Madam Chair.
AB398 — Cited as the law that identified the role of the program through 2030.
AB398 — Cited as requiring CARB to examine leakage risk and impacts on California businesses.
AB398 — Cited as the 2017 law that set the assistance factor at 100% for all sectors under cap and trade.
Reuven Carlisle — Reuven Carlisle is referenced as having come down to discuss Washington State's cap-and-invest program.
Regina — Responded to a request to compare Washington's program with California's and described California's earlier start in 2006.
National Cement-Lebeck Net Zero project — Cited as a carbon capture investment project associated with cement decarbonization.
Dr. Meredith Foley — Introduced as chair of the Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee and a professor at Berkeley.
Dr. Michael Wara — Introduced as director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program and senior research scholar at Stanford University's Woods Institute for the Environment.
Helen Kirsten — Helen Kirsten is introduced as a forthcoming panelist and then formally identifies herself as the principal fiscal and policy analyst with the LAO, beginning her testimony on cap-and-trade affordability.
Meredith Fowley — Introduced herself as a professor at UC Berkeley and chair of IMAC, and said she was drawing from IMAC's annual report rather than speaking for colleagues.
Helen — Referenced as having just spoken and set up the discussion that Meredith Fowley would elaborate on.
Helen — Referenced as having previously noted that tightening the cap would increase the carbon price.
Helen — Referenced as having suggested a rebate or direct payment approach.
Michael — Referenced as the next speaker who will discuss targeting auction revenues to improve affordability.
Michael — Referenced as having done a clear, full analysis supporting the point being discussed.
Michael Wara — Michael Wara introduced himself and clarified that his remarks reflected his own views, then discussed how California can improve wildfire response and sustain cap-and-trade politically through smart use of revenues. He emphasized affordability as a central challenge for Californians, especially electric rates, housing, and home insurance, and explained that high electricity costs can discourage all-electric rebuilding and lock in emissions. He cited modeling by Jim Bushnell and colleagues showing that cap-and-trade prices could fall to the floor without reauthorization, while legislative action would provide market certainty, though it could also raise consumer costs. Wara then shifted to the California Climate Credit, describing research on how it could be redesigned to better help low-income customers in hot inland areas by reallocating benefits away from higher-income coastal households. He argued the credit could be used more effectively to improve affordability and safety, suggested giving utilities more allowances to rebate directly to customers, and stressed that the credit should be made more visible and delivered when bills are actually due so it helps households when liquidity constraints are greatest.
Regina Sajota — Cited as having made earlier comments that the speaker was reinforcing.
Jim Bushnell — Cited as leading modeling work at UC Davis for CARB on cap-and-trade market analysis.
Bushnell and colleagues — Their analysis was described as strong economic work on cap-and-trade market behavior.
Professor Ware — Praised for highlighting an opportunity to invest in energy infrastructure.
Professor Ware — Asked to clarify an economic observation about extending the market-based mechanism and possible price increases.
Professor Fowley — The speaker addresses Professor Fowley to clarify his earlier point about potential rate increases and the expected impact on bills. The exchange focuses on whether rates could rise while the resulting bill impact would remain negligible, with the speaker seeking confirmation and clarification on costs and impacts.
SB326 — Mentioned as a bill related to wildfire risk reduction evaluation and cost-effectiveness.
Tyler Norris and colleagues from Duke University — Cited as authors of a paper on flexible interconnection for data centers and other large loads.
Katie Valenzuela — Testified on behalf of the Center on Race, Poverty, and the Environment, criticizing the exclusion of environmental justice voices and discussing cap-and-trade leakage, AB 398, GGRF, and the low carbon fuel standard.
Catherine Garupa — Identified herself as with the Central Valley Air Quality Coalition and co-chair of EJAC.
Kyle Jones — Identified himself as policy and legal director with Community Water Center and discussed the SAFER program.
SB350 — Referenced as a bill to expand the SAFER program this year.