Lower Emissions Transition Program.

Existing law imposes various limitations on emissions of air contaminants for the control of air pollution from vehicular and nonvehicular sources. Existing law generally designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency with the primary responsibility for the control of vehicular air pollution and air pollution control and air quality management districts with the primary responsibility for the control of air pollution from all sources other than vehicular sources. Existing law, upon the appropriation of funds by the Legislature, requires the state board to allocate funds on a competitive basis for projects that are shown to achieve the greatest emission reductions from each emission source identified as specified, from activities related to the movement of freight along California's trade corridors, commencing at the state's airports, seaports, and land ports of entry. This bill would, until January 1, 2032, enact the Lower Emissions Transition Program. The program would be administered by the state board and would require the state board to approve projects that reduce cumulative emissions from cargo handling equipment, as defined, sources at seaports in the state during the transition period to zero-emissions cargo handling equipment requirements. The bill would prohibit the approval of a project after the compliance date required by any applicable statute, regulation, or rule that requires a change in equipment to a zero-emission standard. The bill would require the state board to establish guidelines to determine eligibility for project approvals. The bill would describe certain types of eligible projects and would require the state board to approve projects that meet specified criteria. The bill would require the state board to establish an application fee, as specified. The bill would require the application fees to be deposited in the Air Pollution Control Fund and made available to the state board upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would establish eligibility criteria for projects. The bill would require the state board, by January 1, 2027, and January 1, 2031, to evaluate the impact of the program on state and local clean air efforts to meet state and local clean air goals and to hold at least one public workshop before completing the evaluation.