Bill > AB839

This bill aims to streamline the certification and environmental review process for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) projects in California by allowing the Governor to certify up to three such projects as infrastructure projects under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The bill defines a sustainable aviation fuel project as a facility for manufacturing, processing, storing, distributing, or transporting SAF or its feedstock, with specific requirements such as not using fossil fuels in production and reducing air pollutant emissions. Projects must meet certain environmental standards and pay for their own judicial review and record-keeping costs. The legislation is motivated by the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the aviation sector, with commercial aviation currently contributing about 2 percent of U.S. emissions. The bill supports the aviation industry's goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 by facilitating the development of sustainable aviation fuel, which can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gases by up to 80 percent or more. By expediting the environmental review process for SAF projects, the bill seeks to help California meet its goals of producing 200 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel by 2035 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2045, while also creating local jobs and supporting the transition to cleaner energy technologies.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB839