SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters) released the following statement in response to the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) changes to Cap-and-Invest, including the expansion of a new Manufacturing Decarbonization Incentive (MDI) program that would allow 118 million new allowances above the cap. This move will cost the state roughly $2 billion annually by weakening climate ambition and further reducing demand for allowances purchased from the state, cutting funding for critical climate and community investments through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) nearly in half. The Board also passed a resolution to revisit the incentive program before accepting any applications.
Statement from Mary Creasman, Chief Executive Officer, California Environmental Voters:
“Corporate polluters, aided by Corporate Democrats in the Legislature, attempted to use Trump’s war to roll back California’s landmark pollution reduction program and cut funding for parks, clean water, transit, and clean transportation. But stakeholders and communities across California resisted industry’s powergrab, pushing back with a full day of public comment yesterday overwhelmingly rejecting these rollbacks. Senate legislative leadership fought back courageously as well with budget action calling for accountability before any further dollars are spent. Determined board members held the line, making a motion to remove the MDI program, resulting in a final action that demands guardrails as this unvetted program is developed and that it will be revisited in a year. The Board and Legislature’s calls for evidence that weakening the Cap-and-Invest program will result in cost savings for Californians went unanswered because the truth is these changes will benefit corporations not households. This week showed resoundingly that Californians want a strong Cap-and-Invest program that cuts pollution aggressively and funds the critical work to transition communities to clean energy and resilience.
We will continue to work with partners and the legislature to hold CARB accountable for making sure this program works as intended: to cut pollution and invest in solutions.”
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CONTACT:
Erika Guzman Cornejo
(310) 755-1615
erika@envirovoters.org
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ABOUT CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS
California Environmental Voters (EnviroVoters) believes the climate crisis is here and this moment requires transformative change. California has the policy solutions to stop climate change but lacks the political will to do it at the rate and scale that’s necessary. EnviroVoters exists to build the political power to solve the climate crisis, advance justice, and create a roadmap for global action. We organize voters, elect and train candidates, and hold lawmakers accountable for bold policy change. We won’t stop until we have resilient, healthy, thriving communities, and a democracy and economy that is just and sustainable for all. Join us at www.envirovoters.org and on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. See more press releases.
