Association of Irritated Residents v. California Air Resources Board et al., A132165 (1st  Dist. Div. 3, June 19, 2012)

By Randolph Visser and Whitney Hodges

On June 19, 2012, the California First District Court of Appeal upheld the California Air Resources Board’s (“ARB”) Climate Change Scoping Plan (“Scoping Plan”), which charts dozens of climate change control measures. This ruling clears the way for ARB to move forward with its designated plan to combat greenhouse gas (“GhG”) emissions with a market-based cap-and-trade program. The decision also found the Scoping Plan to be in compliance with the 2006 California Global Warming Solutions Act, also known as AB 32, which required ARB to prepare a scoping plan to reduce GhG emissions to 1990 levels by the end of 2020. A ruling against ARB could have forced ARB to revise the Scoping Plan and freeze implementation of its GhG regulations.Continue Reading California Appellate Court Greenlights Air Resources Board’s Cap-And-Trade Program [1]

By Whitney Hodges

On January 27, 2012, the California Air Resources Board (“ARB”) notched a potential victory in the battle against greenhouse gas (“GhG”) emissions. In a unanimous vote, ARB adopted the Advanced Clean Cars (“ACC”) regulatory package, which is a program designed to deliver cleaner air, reduce GhG emissions, and help build the market for fuel cell and battery-electric vehicles. At the opening of the ARB hearing on this historic vote, Mary Nichols, ARB Chairman, predicted:Continue Reading California Adopts Revolutionary New Clean Car Standards

By Heather Plocky and Olivier Theard

California’s effort to reduce the carbon footprint of producers and refiners of fuel has hit a snag. Shortly after the passage of the Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32), requiring reduction of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by 2020, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an Executive Order setting a statewide goal of reducing "the carbon intensity of California’s transportation fuels by at least 10 percent by 2020." Pursuant to this Executive Order, the California Air Resource Board (ARB) adopted the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) in June 2007 as an early action measure under AB32. In April 2010, the regulation was formally adopted. On December 29, 2011, District Judge Lawrence O’Neill in the Eastern District of California issued a preliminary injunction blocking ARB from implementing LCFS.Continue Reading Enforcement of California Low-Carbon Fuel Standard Blocked

By Whitney Hodges & Olivier Theard

After months of CEQA litigation and political lobbying, including an appeal to the California Supreme Court (previous article can be found here), California’s landmark climate change bill, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (“AB 32”), has been modified and appears ready to be implemented starting in January 2012.Continue Reading ARB Passes Final Regulations for Cap-And-Trade Program

By Randolph VisserOlivier Theard, & Whitney Hodges

This article is the latest in a series chronicling the first litigation challenge to AB 32 (the Global Warming Solutions Act) and the cap-and-trade program in Association of Irritated Residents, et al. v. California Air Resources Board, Case No. CPF-09-509562, (“Ass’n of Irritated Residents v. CARB“).  Though environmental justice groups continue to object to cap-and-trade as the primary vehicle to reduce greenhouse (“GHG”) emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, the California Supreme Court recently allowed California Air Resources Board’s (“ARB”) cap-and-trade implementation to move forward, and agency rule development continues.Continue Reading California AB 32’s Cap-And-Trade Program Developments

Citizens for Responsible Equitable Environmental Development ("CREED") v. City of Chula Vista, Docket No. D05779

By Jeff Forrest and Ashley Hirano

 

In this clean-tech era, Citizens for Responsible Equitable Environmental Development ("CREED") v. City of Chula Vista marks only the third time that a court has published a case addressing greenhouse gases in California. In CREED, the City of Chula Vista certified a mitigated negative declaration ("MND") and approved development permits for a project that would demolish an existing Target store, a smog check facility, and a small market, and construct in its place a larger Target store. CREED filed suit, claiming that CEQA required the City to certify a full environmental impact report because the project would have a significant environmental impact on hazardous materials, air quality, particulate matter and ozone, and greenhouse gas emissions. While the court held that an EIR was likely required for other reasons, the court also held that, to demonstrate the project’s consistency with the GHG emissions reduction goals established by California’s "Global Warming Solutions Act" (AB 32), the City had properly relied upon evidence the project’s emissions were below the GHG threshold of significance.   The City established this threshold of significance using what has become known as the "Business-As-Usual" ("BAU") method. The court also held that the City properly relied on the thresholds of significance in the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s CEQA Air Quality Handbook to conclude that the project’s air quality impacts (particulate matter and ozone) were not cumulatively considerable even though the San Diego air basin is in non‑attainment for particulate matter pollution.Continue Reading City’s “Business‑As‑Usual” Threshold OK For Evaluating Greenhouse Gas Emissions Under CEQA

American Electric Power Co., Inc. v. Connecticut (June 20, 2011, No. 10-174) __ U.S. __

By Robyn Christo & Micah Bobo

In the battle over climate change, the Supreme Court once again set an important precedent in American Electric Power Co., Inc. v. Connecticut (“American Electric Power”). In an 8-0 decision written by Justice Ginsburg (Justice Sotomayor recused herself, presumably because she heard the matter while sitting on the Second Circuit), the Court held that Congress’s delegation of the power to regulate greenhouse gasses to the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), "displaces federal common law" relating to the abatement of carbon dioxide ("CO2") emissions.Continue Reading Carbon Dioxide Emissions Not Subject to Federal Common Law Nuisance Claims

By Randolph C. Visser and Whitney Hodges

Until recently, Association of Irritated Residents v. California Air Resources Board proceeded along the litigation path as smoothly as any environmental challenge might. However, things took an unexpected twist last week that has left unanswered questions and many spectators baffled.Continue Reading Superior Court’s Injunction Preventing California’s Cap and Trade Program Has Been Stayed…Right?

By Whitney Hodges

On March 18, 2011, Judge Ernest Goldsmith of the San Francisco County Superior Court suspended implementation of AB 32, California’s landmark law to reduce greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions. In Association of Irritated Residents v. California Air Resource Board, [Statement of Decision] the Court found the California Air Resource Board (the “ARB”)’s adoption of AB 32’s Climate Change Scoping Plan (the “Scoping Plan”) to be in violation of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”). The ruling determined that the ARB abused its authority by not adequately analyzing potential alternatives to a carbon “cap-and-trade” program aimed at limiting GHG emissions.Continue Reading Final Decision Suspends California’s AB 32 GHG Regulations: What Now?

By Whitney Hodges

On January 21, a San Francisco Superior Court issued a proposed decision that could significantly delay the implementation of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (“AB 32”). In Association of Irritated Residents, et al. v. California Air Resources Board, Case No. CPF-09-509562, the Court held that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) failed to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Court found the CARB to have neglected to conduct a sufficient environmental impact review prior to adopting the State’s AB 32 Scoping Plan (Plan).  Specifically, CARB failed to adequately analyze all potential alternatives and prematurely adopted the Plan prior to fully responding to public comment.Continue Reading California Court Issues Tentative Ruling Enjoining AB 32 Implementation