The Clean Energy and Pollution Act of 2015 Senate Bill (SB) 350
(De León, Chapter 547, Statutes of 2015) established as a State
priority the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through the
promotion of various clean energy policies, including widespread
transportation electrification, for the benefit of all
Californians. Transforming the State's transportation sector to
support widespread electrification requires increasing access for
all residents, including low-income and those living in
disadvantaged communities, across a broad spectrum of clean
mobility options.
SB 350 directs the California Air Resources Board (CARB or Board)
to examine the barriers low income residents must overcome to
increase access to zero-emission and near zero emission
transportation and develop recommendations on how to overcome
these barriers. CARB undertook a public process and directly
engaged local community members, including low-income residents,
to determine the main barriers to clean transportation access.
CARB framed the results of this effort as a guidance document,
which provides a pathway to overcome barriers to clean
transportation and mobility options. The guidance document,
formally titled, Low-Income Barriers Study, Part B: Overcoming
Barriers to Clean Transportation Access for Low Income Residents
(Draft SB 350 Clean Transportation Access Guidance Document), and
supporting Appendices are now available for public review and
comment at: https://www.arb.ca.gov/transoptions
The Draft SB 350 Clean Transportation Access Guidance Document is
an initial step in identifying the main barriers and providing
initial recommendations as a framework to address them moving
forward. Recommendations include steps that the Legislature,
communities, State and local planning, transportation, and air
quality agencies can take to overcome specific barriers and begin
to formulate innovative, meaningful solutions. Many of the
recommendations build upon current actions State and local
agencies are implementing to increase access to transportation
electrification for all Californians.
CARB is seeking public input on the Draft SB 350 Clean
Transportation Access Guidance Document. To submit written
feedback, please contact Ms. Ashley Dunn, Air Pollution
Specialist, at (626) 459-4385 or by email at
ashley.dunn@arb.ca.gov.
To facilitate an ongoing public process, CARB will hold a public
roundtable meeting in the next two months. Further details for
the roundtable will be announced soon and posted on the project
webpage provided above. Please make sure you are subscribed to
the following project listserv to receive details on this
meeting:
https://www.arb.ca.gov/listserv/listserv_ind.php?listname=transoptions
CARB also plans to provide an informational update to the Board
in Spring 2017. Staff will update the Board on key findings in
the Draft SB 350 Clean Transportation Access Guidance Document,
present initial recommendations, and summarize public comments
received.
CARB intends to publish a final guidance document in late Summer
2017. Continued coordination and engagement across the State is
critical for building continued understanding and solutions for
increased clean transportation access for all residents,
including low-income residents. CARB will continue coordinating
with the California Energy Commission (CEC), transportation
agencies, and key stakeholders in developing implementable
actions, and ensuring progress is made to achieve the goals of
transportation electrification, including increased access for
low-income residents and disadvantaged communities.
Further information about this effort is available at:
https://www.arb.ca.gov/transoptions
Background:
Transportation electrification is the cornerstone of California's
future towards meeting both air quality and climate goals, along
with ensuring economic prosperity and energy security needs. SB
350 plays an important role in ensuring the State is taking
positive steps forward to promote widespread electrification
across transportation and mobility options and in turn increasing
clean transportation access for all residents.
Portions of SB 350 are intended to address legislative findings
that there is insufficient understanding of the barriers to
access for low-income customers to:
- Zero-emission and near zero-emission transportation options
- All forms of renewable energy being generated in the State
- Energy efficiency investments
As a result, CARB was directed to develop and publish a study, in
consultation with CEC and with input from other relevant state
agencies and the public, on barriers for low-income customers to
access zero-emission and near-zero-emission transportation
options, including those in disadvantaged communities as well as
recommendations on how to increase access. Similarly, CEC was
directed to develop and publish a study on barriers for
low-income customers to energy efficiency and weatherization
investments, including those in disadvantaged communities as well
as recommendations on how to increase access to energy efficiency
and weatherization investments to low-income customers.
The results of these efforts are two separate, but related,
reports that provide recommendations intended to have a
transformative effect on access to clean energy and
transportation investments for low-income residents, including in
disadvantaged communities. In December 2016, CEC published their
study, formally titled, Low-Income Barriers Study, Part A:
Overcoming Barriers to Energy Efficiency and Renewables for
Low-Income Customers and Small Business Contracting Opportunities
in Disadvantaged Communities, which is available at:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/sb350/barriers_report/documents/index.html
Contact:
For more information on the on the Draft SB 350 Clean
Transportation Access Guidance Document, please contact Ms.
Ashley Dunn, Air Pollution Specialist, at (626) 459-4385 or by
email at ashley.dunn@arb.ca.gov.
Media Inquiries:
For media related questions, please contact CARB's Public
Information Office at (916) 322-2990.
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ms-mailings, sb375, transoptions.
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The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian
needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. For
a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy
costs, visit the Flex Alert website at www.flexalert.org .
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