On Monday, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released the latest draft Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy (Strategy) for public review and comment. CARB is developing the Strategy under mandate of Senate Bill 605 (Lara), which was signed into law in 2014 requiring the agency to develop the policy document in coordination with other state agencies and local air quality agencies.
Short-lived climate pollutants remain in the atmosphere for a shorter time than longer-lived pollutants, but are much more potent and have a much stronger relative potency and a profound impact on climate change. These pollutants include black carbon, a component of fine particulate matter released by wildfires and older diesel engines, fluorinated gases such as those found in refrigeration and air conditioning systems, and methane, which is often released by the agricultural, waste, and oil and gas sectors.
Although SB 605 mandated CARB to complete the Strategy by January 1, 2016, stakeholder concerns and controversy surrounding provisions in the original draft released last year necessitated more work on the document, and a delayed completion timeline. In particular, stakeholders, including RCRC, were critical of proposals surrounding strict, impossible-to-meet organics diversion goals and the lack of targets and strategies for wildfire emissions reductions.
CARB is accepting public comment on the Strategy until January 17, 2017, and CARB will consider the proposed draft for approval at its March 23-24, 2017 meeting. The Strategy and instructions for filing comments can be accessed here.