Bill > SB34

This bill addresses air pollution regulations for the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach within the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). The bill sets specific conditions for any action the SCAQMD board might take regarding air pollution at these ports before January 1, 2036. Specifically, the bill requires that any regulatory action must recognize external pollution sources, require the ports to prepare comprehensive assessments of energy demand, costs, workforce, and environmental impacts, and create a process for ports to request timeline extensions. Importantly, the bill prohibits the SCAQMD from imposing cargo throughput caps, limiting port operations, or requiring actions on pollution sources exclusively controlled by state or federal agencies. The bill also explicitly prevents the use of public funds to promote automated or remotely operated equipment, instead encouraging human-operated zero-emission equipment. The legislation stems from recognition of the ports' significant economic importance (supporting over 3 million jobs and generating billions in tax revenue) and their ongoing efforts to reduce emissions, which have already decreased diesel particulate matter by 91%, nitrogen oxides by 72%, and sulfur oxides by 98% since 2005. The bill is designed to balance environmental goals with economic sustainability and will automatically be repealed on January 1, 2036.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB34