Several environmental organizations are taking legal action against California’s air quality regulators over a recent revision of a controversial climate initiative. The lawsuits challenge the low-carbon fuel standard, which mandates that California mitigate the environmental effects of transportation fuels by providing incentives for producers to lower emissions. Last month, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) voted to heighten the state’s emission reduction goals, finance the infrastructure needed for zero-emission vehicles, and discontinue incentives for converting methane from dairy farms into fuel.
California, renowned for its pioneering climate policies, aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, meaning it intends to eliminate as much carbon from the atmosphere as it emits. In recent years, the state has implemented regulations to gradually phase out the sale of new fossil-fuel-powered vehicles, including cars, trucks, trains, and lawn care equipment.
One lawsuit filed by the nonprofit organization Communities for a Better Environment claims that CARB did not adequately assess the environmental ramifications of burning biofuels sourced from plants and animal waste. Another lawsuit, brought by Food and Water Watch along with the Central Valley Defenders of Clean Air and Water and the Animal Legal Defense Fund, emphasizes the pollution problems faced by low-income and Latino communities resulting from the conversion of methane from livestock waste into fuel.
“Residents near California refineries are adversely affected by the increasing use of polluting biofuels,” stated Katherine Ramos, a program director with Communities for a Better Environment, emphasizing that CARB neglected to consider the detrimental effects these changes would have on local communities.
Critics assert that the low-carbon fuel standard has led to the proliferation of harmful biofuels that compete for agricultural resources and contribute to deforestation, and they are urging California to place greater emphasis on enhancing the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.
While the agency refrained from directly commenting on the lawsuits, it noted that the low-carbon fuel standard is essential for addressing climate change and improving air quality. “The recent amendments direct investments from global, national, and local private sectors towards the development of cleaner fuels and transportation options for consumers, expediting the rollout of zero-emission infrastructure and ensuring the state remains on course to fulfill mandated air quality and climate objectives,” remarked Dave Clegern, a spokesperson for CARB, in an email.
