Work with an Orange County Environmental Land Use Attorney to Stay Up to Date with Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets
November 8, 2016
California’s governor, Jerry Brown, recently signed a pair of important bills that may affect businesses across the state. The two laws are expected to restrict how much greenhouse gas a commercial or industrial venture can emit, as well as increase the power of the California Air Resources Board.
SB 32 and AB 197 feature multiple components. However, the factors that are of most concern to California businesses relate to updated targets for greenhouse gas emissions. The laws stipulate that the California Air Resources Board must reduce emissions to an amount that is at least 40 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2030. Moreover, the board is directed to revise its Scoping Plan to allow for the new target as well as to guarantee that economically disadvantaged communities will receive equal benefits when compared with more affluent neighbors.
Greenhouse gas emissions will also become a more public affair thanks to the new laws. The board will have to publish data on its website relating to levels of environmental toxins, air pollutants, and greenhouse gas emissions as they are reported by various industrial and commercial facilities.
Large installations that are known to emit more greenhouse gases and have more frequent issues with the release of environmental toxins are likely to come under strict scrutiny because of the new bills. The board is expected to prioritize the process of addressing these larger concerns to reduce their environmental impact.
The government will be reviewing all new development projects with a keen eye toward environmental impact. Officials will be anxious to ensure that plans fall in line with the California Environmental Quality Act as well as the newer legislation. As always, this signals increased risk for developers, not to mention the fact that costs are likely to rise as well. The transportation, manufacturing, and utility sectors are also likely to be significantly impacted.
Contact an Orange County environmental land use attorney if you are a developer or are involved in projects in the transportation, manufacturing, or utilities sectors. Your job is likely to be profoundly impacted by this new legislation. Whether your project is still in the early planning stages or has hit a road block because of environmental concerns, you need an environmental land use attorney to guide you through the process. Call Fitzgerald Yap Kreditor at (949) 788-8900 to learn more.
