Law360 Quotes Allison Smith on Petroleum Use Reduction Requirement in SB350

Attorney Allison Smith was quoted in Law360 in an article titled “Calif. Climate Bill Revamp Won't Prevent Petroleum Cuts.” The article discusses SB350, recently enacted California climate change legislation, which, partly due to opposition from the petroleum industry, was passed without a provision requiring vehicles to slash their petroleum use by 50 percent by 2030.

SB350 requires utilities to increase the percentage of electricity they obtain from renewable sources by 2030 from 33 percent to 50 percent and requires buildings to increase their energy efficiency by 50 percent by the same date. And the intent to cut petroleum use is not entirely removed from the bill as it states that electrification of the transportation sector is necessary to meet the state's goals of slashing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050.

Nevertheless, Gov. Jerry Brown has vowed to see through the cuts to petroleum use he had called for in an earlier executive order. “The governor has certainly made it clear that he will use any mechanism under existing law and regulatory agencies to cut petroleum use where he can,” Smith said.

Read “Calif. Climate Bill Revamp Won't Prevent Petroleum Cuts,” published October 13, 2015. (Subscription required.)