Bill Text: CA AB1836 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Air Quality Improvement Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-23 - From printer. May be heard in committee March 24. [AB1836 Detail]
Download: California-2011-AB1836-Introduced.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 1836 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Fletcher
FEBRUARY 22, 2012
An act to amend Section 44274 of the Health and Safety Code,
relating to vehicular air pollution.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1836, as introduced, Fletcher. Air Quality Improvement Program.
Existing law establishes the Air Quality Improvement Program,
administered by the State Air Resources Board, to fund, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, air quality improvement projects
related to fuel and vehicle technologies.
This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to that
provision.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 44274 of the Health and Safety Code is amended
to read:
44274. (a) The Air Quality Improvement Program is hereby created.
The program shall be administered by the state board, in
consultation with the districts. The state board shall develop
guidelines to implement the program. Prior to the adoption of the
guidelines, the state board shall hold at least one public hearing.
In addition, the state board shall hold at least three public
workshops with at least one workshop in northern California, one in
the central valley, and one in southern California. The purpose of
the program shall be to fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature,
air quality improvement projects relating to fuel and vehicle
technologies. The primary purpose of the program shall be to fund
projects to reduce criteria air pollutants, improve air quality, and
provide funding for research to determine and improve the air quality
impacts of alternative transportation fuels and vehicles, vessels,
and equipment technologies.
(b) Projects proposed for funding pursuant to subdivision (a)
shall be evaluated based on their proposed or potential reduction of
criteria or toxic air pollutants, cost-effectiveness, contribution to
regional air quality improvement, and ability to promote the use of
clean alternative fuels and vehicle technologies as determined by the
state board, in coordination with the commission.
(c) The program shall be limited to competitive grants, revolving
loans, loan guarantees, loans, and other appropriate funding measures
that further the purposes of the program. Projects to be funded
shall include only the following:
(1) On- and off-road equipment projects that are cost effective.
(2) Projects that provide mitigation for off-road gasoline exhaust
and evaporative emissions.
(3) Projects that provide research to determine the air quality
impacts of alternative fuels and projects that study the life-cycle
impacts of alternative fuels and conventional fuels, the emissions of
biofuel and advanced reformulated gasoline blends, and air pollution
improvements and control technologies for use with alternative fuels
and vehicles.
(4) Projects that augment the University of California's
agricultural experiment station and cooperative extension programs
for research to increase sustainable biofuels production and improve
the collection of biomass feedstock.
(5) Incentives for small off-road equipment replacement to
encourage consumers to replace internal combustion engine lawn and
garden equipment.
(6) Incentives for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and equipment
mitigation, including all of the following:
(A) Lower emission schoolbus programs.
(B) Electric, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid on- and off-road medium-
and heavy-duty equipment.
(C) Regional air quality improvement and attainment programs
implemented by the state or districts in the most impacted regions of
the state.
(7) Workforce training initiatives related to advanced energy
technology designed to reduce air pollution, including
state-of-the-art equipment and goods, and new processes and systems.
Workforce training initiatives funded shall be broad-based
partnerships that leverage other public and private job training
programs and resources. These partnerships may include,
though but are not limited to, employers, labor
unions, labor-management partnerships, community organizations,
workforce investment boards, postsecondary education providers
including community colleges, and economic development agencies.
(8) Incentives to identify and reduce emissions from high emitting
light-duty vehicles.
(d) (1) Beginning January 1, 2011, the state board shall submit to
the Legislature a biennial report to evaluate the implementation of
the Air Quality Improvement Program established pursuant to this
chapter.
(2) The report shall include all of the following:
(A) A list of projects funded by the Air Quality Improvement
Account.
(B) The expected benefits of the projects in promoting clean,
alternative fuels and vehicle technologies.
(C) Improvement in air quality and public health, greenhouse gas
emissions reductions, and the progress made toward achieving these
benefits.
(D) The impact of the projects in making progress toward
attainment of state and federal air quality standards.
(E) Recommendations for future actions.
(3) The state board may include the information required to be
reported pursuant to paragraph (1) in an existing report to the
Legislature as the state board deems appropriate.
