Perhaps the most far-reaching legislation ever passed in California—with an impact greater than Proposition 13—is AB 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act that by 2020 requires the state reduce its green house gas emissions back to 1990 levels.

AB 32 requirements will sift down into every segment of human activity in the state—and that means every business and individual will be affected. To help the region’s businesses and economy tackle this monumental challenge, the Sacramento Metro Chamber is forming the AB 32 Task Force, an action approved at the August Metro Chamber Board meeting.

This task force will work with technical partners, such as SACOG and the CalChamber, who have the climate change experts to make sense of the AB 32 Draft Scoping Plan’s complex scientific foundation. The task force will also proactively provide Metro Chamber members with information critical to preparing to meet the coming regulatory requirements. In addition, the group task force will also advocate for a balanced implementation and ensure our region’s priorities are not overlooked.

“We really don’t yet know the full measure of how regulators will interpret AB 32,” said Matt Mahood, president & CEO. “But business people need to be on guard—and the Metro Chamber intends to watch closely and react quickly to any onerous AB 32 burdens.”

The California Air Resources Board is the lead agency in implementing AB 32. CARB’s draft scoping plan was released on June 26 and CARB plans to present the final scoping plan to its board on November 20 of this year.

“The Draft Scoping Plan’s recommendations for meeting the mandated 2020 emissions targets are very general in nature, leaving stakeholders with more questions than answers,” Mahood added. “This lack of clarity is compounded by the scientific complexity of the subject matter.”

Technical experts from the business community are needed for the Metro Chamber’s AB 32 Task Force. If you, or your business have technical expertise and are interested in joining this select group, contact Michael Faust at 916-321-9115 or mfaust@metrochamber.org.