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The California Air Resources Board (CARB or Board) is hosting the third public meeting of the Compliance Offsets Protocol Task Force (Task Force). Assembly Bill (AB) 398 required CARB to establish an independent Task Force to develop recommendations to CARB on increasing offset projects with direct environmental benefits in the State while prioritizing disadvantaged communities, Native American or tribal lands, and rural and agricultural regions. CARB posted a draft Final Recommendations Report from the Task Force on February 8, 2021. In drafting the recommendations, the Task Force considered public comments received on the Task Force’s Initial Draft Recommendations at the November 13, 2020 Task Force meeting, and written comments received. A copy of the draft Final Recommendations Report can be found on the Task Force webpage.
The meeting is expected to include a discussion of the following topics:
- Discuss and Finalize Final Recommendations Report
The meeting is open to the public and will be held at the following date, time, and location:
Date: March 2, 2021
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Remote-only Meeting via Zoom
All interested stakeholders are invited to attend.
In accordance with Governor Newsom’s Executive Orders N-29-20 and N-33-20 as well as recommendations from the California Department of Public Health, this meeting will not have a physical location. This will be a remote-only meeting.
Like with other statutory advisory committees, there is no requirement in AB 398 that the Board act on any of these independent recommendations. If the Board decides to proceed with any new protocols based on Task Force recommendations, this would be done pursuant to the same public rulemaking process CARB undertakes for all regulations and amendments. That process includes many opportunities for all interested parties to submit input, concerns, and recommendations.
Market Sensitive Information
CARB exercises due diligence to ensure all market influencing information is made available to all stakeholders at the same time and does not intend to release new market data as part of this meeting. The Task Force is chartered to provide guidance to CARB; the discussion of the Task Force should not be taken as CARB endorsement of future protocol adoption.
Draft Final Recommendations
CARB posted the draft Final Recommendations from the Task Force on February 8, 2021. As described in the February 8, 2021 listserv announcing the draft Final Recommendations, interested stakeholders may provide comments on the draft Final Recommendations at this meeting or submit written comments. To be considered by the Task Force, written comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time on February 23, 2021.
Please note that under the California Public Records Act (Government Code section 6250 et seq.), your comments, attachments, and associated contact information (e.g., your address, phone, email, etc.) become part of the public record and can be released to the public upon request, or posted to CARB’s website.
Background
Assembly Bill (AB) 398 required the California Air Resources Board (CARB or Board) to establish the Compliance Offsets Protocol Task Force (Task Force). The Task Force is established to provide guidance to CARB in approving new offset protocols for the Cap-and-Trade Program for the purpose of increasing offset projects with direct environmental benefits in the state while prioritizing disadvantaged communities, Native American or tribal lands, and rural and agricultural regions. In addition, AB 293 requires the Task Force to consider the development of additional offset protocols, including, but not limited to, protocols for the enhanced management or conservation of agricultural and natural lands, and for the enhancement and restoration of wetlands. Furthermore, the Task Force shall develop recommendations to CARB on methodologies to allow groups of landowners to jointly develop natural and working lands offset projects under approved Compliance Offset Protocols.
Like with other statutory advisory committees, there is no requirement in AB 398 that the Board act on any of these independent recommendations. If the Board decides to proceed with any new protocols based on Task Force recommendations, this would be done pursuant to the same public rulemaking process CARB undertakes for all regulations and amendments. That process includes many opportunities for all interested parties to submit input, concerns, and recommendations.
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