California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill Monday that sought to undermine Southern California air district authority to regulate health-harming emissions from the largest sources of air pollution in the basin.
SB 34 (Richardson-D) would have placed restrictions on the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s ability to address harmful air pollution stemming from operations at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach through Indirect Source Rules (ISRs). These long-standing regulatory tools are crafted to reduce emissions associated with a single indirect source, such as warehouses, railyards, or ports, and have been successfully implemented previously in the state. Union of Concerned Scientists, among dozens of other environmental, public health, and environmental justice organizations, urged Governor Newsom to reject the measure after it passed the California Legislature last month, despite broad opposition and consistent testimony from environmental justice partners living in this very region.
At a time when federal attacks on California’s clean air rules have sought to limit and stall the state’s progress, SB 34 would have tied regulator hands further, negatively impacting the health of millions of residents in surrounding communities, and hindering the region’s ability to reach mandated attainment of federal and state air quality standards. We thank Governor Newsom for his thoughtful response in vetoing SB 34, and for his consistent dedication toward keeping California on track in progressing our clean transportation and emission reduction goals.
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