WSPA President and CEO Catherine Reheis-Boyd has issued the following statement on the release of the 2022 Scoping Plan:

“Today’s release of the draft 2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) does not rely on the best of California – innovation, collaboration, inclusion, and optimism – to meet our important climate goals.  Instead, CARB’s plan would impose more bans, mandates and expensive regulations that are designed to affect, as the report says, ‘every aspect of how we work, play and travel.’

“Californians deserve better, as there is nothing more important than getting climate policy right.  The consequences of failing are far too costly to our families, economy, and the environment.

“CARB should step back from this plan, reset the process, and develop a new plan that takes into account the comments and insights of concerned residents and businesses around that state. A new Scoping Plan needs to take into account how Californians really live, and not rely on theory and infrastructure that does not exist.  A revised Scoping plan should provide:

• Affordable energy options. Inflation has hit a 40-year high, and Californians are economically struggling – especially with high energy costs.
• Flexible compliance options to meet California’s aggressive emissions reduction goals. A diversified energy portfolio does that without imposing premiums on supplies.
• Incentives for California businesses to innovate at an even faster pace.  Bans, mandates and regulations that pick winners and losers is high cost, unnecessary and inequitable.
• Realistic choices. Forcing people to pick certain jobs, certain cars, certain homes, and certain times to use energy is out of touch with how ordinary people live. Many of CARB’s plans, such as limiting often people can drive (the proposed 22% or more vehicle miles travelled mandate), do not take into account how or where many Californians live.
• Incentives NOT mandates. A cost-effective suite of options will bring more options for meeting out goals rather than hoping one pathway. We need an all-of-the-above approach to meet our climate goals.”

Read WSPA’s comment letter to CARB on the recirculated draft environmental analysis for the draft 2022 Scoping Plan update.