More than two dozen California lawmakers told state regulators that they oppose proposed changes to weaken the state’s cap-and-invest program.
What happened: Twenty-eight Democrats in the Assembly and Senate signed a Monday letter to California Air Resources Board Chair Lauren Sanchez, urging the agency to reject last-minute changes to its draft carbon market rules that would benefit oil refiners.
They focused on a proposed decarbonization incentive that businesses responsible for significant pollution could qualify for if they invest in projects to reduce their emissions over the long term.
CARB officials have acknowledged that the new incentive is unlikely to reduce greenhouse gases as quickly as alternatives, such as reducing the number of emissions allowance permits companies can purchase.
