Page 1935 - trc_centennial_deir201705

5.21 Climate Change

Executive Order B-30-15 (Statewide Interim GHG Targets)
California EO B-30-15 (April 29, 2015) set an “interim” statewide emission target to reduce
GHG emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, and directed State agencies with
jurisdiction over greenhouse gas emissions to implement measures pursuant to statutory
authority to achieve this 2030 target and the 2050 target of 80 percent below 1990 levels.
Specifically, the Executive Order directed CARB to update the Scoping Plan to express this
2030 target in metric tons. This new Executive Order is subject to all the same limitations as
discussed above for EO S-03-05. However, EO B-30-15 is more specific in its direction to
State agencies so it remains to be seen how it will be implemented, and like EO S-3-05,
neither CARB nor the legislature have incorporated the target set forth in B-30-15 in any
implementing legislation or applicable plans. However, SB 350 was signed into law and
(discussed below) it requires the state to double energy efficiency savings in electricity and
natural gas by retail customers by 2030 and raises the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)
so that half of the state’s electricity must be procured from renewable sources by 2030.

Assembly Bill 32 (Statewide GHG Reductions)

The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) was signed into law in
September 2006 after considerable study and expert testimony before the Legislature
(California 2006a). The law instructs CARB to develop and enforce regulations for the
reporting and verifying of statewide GHG emissions. The Act directed CARB to set a GHG
emission limit based on 1990 levels, to be achieved by 2020. The bill set a timeline for
adopting a scoping plan for achieving GHG reductions in a technologically and economically
feasible manner.

The heart of the bill is the requirement that statewide GHG emissions be reduced to 1990
levels by 2020. Based on CARB’s calculation of 1990 baseline emissions levels, California
must reduce GHG emissions by approximately 28.5 percent below “business-as-usual”
predictions of year 2020 GHG emissions to achieve this goal. The bill requires CARB to adopt
rules and regulations in an open public process to achieve the maximum technologically
feasible and cost-effective GHG reductions. Key AB 32 milestones for CARB’s actions include
the following:

• June 30, 2007. Identification of discrete early action GHG emissions reduction
measures. On June 21, 2007, CARB satisfied this requirement by approving three early
action measures (CARB 2007a). These were later supplemented by adding six other
discrete early action measures (CARB 2007b).

• January 1, 2008. Identification of the 1990 baseline GHG emissions level; approval of
a statewide limit equivalent to that level; and adoption of reporting and verification
requirements concerning GHG emissions. On December 6, 2007, CARB approved a
statewide limit on GHG emissions levels for the year 2020 consistent with the
determined 1990 baseline (CARB 2007c).
• January 1, 2009. Adoption of the Scoping Plan for achieving GHG emission reductions.
On December 11, 2008, CARB adopted Climate Change Scoping Plan: A Framework for
Change (Scoping Plan), discussed in more detail below (CARB 2008a).

R:\Projects\PAS\CEN\000306\Draft EIR\5.21 ClimateChange-051117.docx 5.21-15 Centennial Project
Draft EIR