Viewing posts tagged "Air"

California Rules on Lower Carbon Fuels Expected Today, Along With a Fight

The debate over cleaner transportation fuels will kick up a notch today when the California Air Resources Board issues its regulations for cutting greenhouse gases.

Eleven other states are waiting in the wings to adopt similar legislation and there is support in Washington.

The new rules would require refineries and other people in the fuel supply chain to reduce the carbon intensity of their products by 10 percent by 2020 with more cuts after that, according to Reuters.

The rules would lead to 20 percent of the state's fuel being replaced by things like batteries, hydrogen or biofuels. Even natural gas and propane would qualify.

One sticking point right now is corn ethanol. Ethanol producers are worried that the way California includes land-clearing activities in its carbon calculation could impact them. Negotiations are taking place behind closed doors, according to Reuters.

California late last year imposed new rules on diesel trucks that will require truck fleets to put filters on the one million big rigs that travel through the state. A bevy of startups have formed to take advantage of both the new regulations and the desire of truck fleets to conserve fuel.

The state has also passed regulations to require manufacturers to put green ratings on cars.