California Affirms Auto Rules, Asks Carmakers to Share Compliance Plans

by Darius Dixon (Politico's Morning Energy) The California Air Resources Board on Friday approved a rule warning automakers that they will have to meet the current greenhouse gas emissions standards in California and its allied states, even after the Trump administration rolls back the federal rules. The so-called "deemed to comply" rule is the state's way of pushing back on the Trump administration, which proposed revoking California's authority to set its own stricter standards. CARB also sent letters to automakers asking them to share their compliance plans up through model year 2025 cars, including information on product plans, expected performance levels and sales expectations. The data demand could put automakers in the awkward position of explaining how they plan to follow rules the federal government says are too difficult to meet.

Car talks 'break down': The letter makes no bones about the chilly relations between CARB and the Trump White House. "CARB has been able to set robust vehicle standards due to highly effective technical collaboration and joint negotiations with both our Federal partners as well as with the regulated industry," the letter said. "That collaboration broke down with the most recent federal proposals, but we are prepared to discuss ways to further the conversation." The letter adds that CARB "is also prepared to operate separate programs if necessary, as the law allows." READ MORE

Excerpt from California Air Resources Board: ince 2011, the LCFS has been a cornerstone of California’s effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions and has spurred innovation in low-carbon transportation fuels such as hydrogen, electricity and biodiesel. Last year, the LCFS resulted in more than two billion gallons of petroleum and natural gas being replaced with cleaner, renewable transportation fuels.

The standard currently requires a 10 percent reduction in the “carbon intensity” of California’s transportation fuels by 2020. Carbon intensity is determined by the amount of carbon emitted throughout a fuel’s entire life cycle, from extraction or production to combustion.

The amendments approved today by the Board require a 20 percent reduction in carbon intensity by 2030, the most stringent requirement in the nation. The new requirement aligns with California’s overall 2030 target of reducing climate changing emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, which was set by Senate Bill 32 and signed by Governor Brown in 2016.

“These amendments will take California’s climate fight up another notch,” said Board Chair Mary D. Nichols. “The addition of credits for alternative aviation fuels makes the program more flexible and adds a major source of potential greenhouse gas reductions. ....” READ MORE

Excerpt from Politico's Morning Energy: California is still hoping to strike a deal with EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over mileage standards for 2020-2026. "We do not have a compromise so far," Dave Clegern, a spokesman for the California Air Resources Board, told ME in an email. The federal rule proposed in August aims to run over California's historical prerogative to set its own mileage standards, but the state is hoping it can find a deal to avoid a long court battle.

CARB has been trying to get more information from EPA and automakers, not least the mortality data that formed the core argument for freezing the standards at 2020 levels. CARB sent a letter to NHTSA and EPA asking for a wide range of supporting information from the proposed rule, and it sent letters to automakers asking them their compliance plans for fuel economy standards. "There is no way to continue this conversation without a full understanding of how the [car makers] plan to proceed with compliance and evidence of the burdens they face," Clegern said in an email. "By the same token, CARB is unable fully to evaluate the federal proposal based on the information made available to date." READ MORE