Natural Carbon Sequestration and Resilience Act of 2022.

Existing law establishes the State Air Resources Board as the state agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources emitting greenhouse gases. Existing law, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, requires the state board to ensure that statewide greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to at least 40% below the 1990 level by 2030. The act requires the state board to prepare and approve a scoping plan for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Existing law establishes the Department of Food and Agriculture to, among other duties and authorities, promote and protect the agricultural industry of the state. Existing law provides funds to the department, as specified, for grants to promote practices on farms and ranches that improve agricultural and open-space soil health, carbon soil sequestration, erosion control, water quality, and water retention. This bill would declare the goal of the state to sequester, through natural carbon sequestration in California, at least 60,000,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually on or before December 31, 2030, and 75,000,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually on or before December 31, 2035. The bill would require, on or before January 1, 2024, the Natural Resources Agency, in coordination with other state entities, to review and, as necessary, update the Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, as described, and the Pathways to 30x30: Accelerating Conservation of California's Nature, as described, to achieve this goal, and to update those documents every 5 years, as described. The bill would also require on December 31, 2025, and every year thereafter, the Natural Resources Agency and the State Air Resources Board to submit a report to the Legislature on progress toward meeting the goal. The bill would also require, on or before March 31, 2026, and annually thereafter, the Natural Resources Agency and the State Air Resources Board to present the findings of the report before the relevant policy committees of the Legislature.