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Benefits and Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Limits on Disadvantaged Communities

Background

OEHHA is tasked with analyzing the benefits and impacts of the greenhouse gas emissions limits adopted by the State Air Resources Board within disadvantaged communities.

This report focuses on two significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in California, namely emissions from industrial facilities that were subject to the Cap-and-Trade Program and emissions from heavy-duty vehicles. Links to reports, press releases and other documentation can be found below.

Findings from the Second Examination

This report’s major findings include the following:

  1. Both HDVs and facilities subject to the Cap-and-Trade Program have reduced emissions of co-pollutants, with HDVs showing a clearer downward trend when compared to stationary sources. These emission reductions have major health benefits, including a reduction in premature pollution-related deaths.
  2. The greatest beneficiaries of reduced emissions from both HDVs and facilities subject to the Cap-and-Trade Program have been in communities of color and in disadvantaged communities in California, as identified by CalEnviroScreen (CES). This has reduced the emission gap between communities with high and low CES scores, but a wide gap still remains.
  3. The transition to zero-emission HDVs will expedite further emissions reductions.
  4. While the progress observed is encouraging, inequities persist and federal, state, and local climate and air quality programs must do more to reduce emissions of GHGs and co-pollutants in order to reduce the burden of emissions on disadvantaged communities and communities of color.

Previous Reports

The initial report, released in February 2017, focused only on facilities subject to the Cap-and-Trade Program. The report examines the location of these facilities with respect to communities identified as disadvantaged under Senate Bill 535, and how emissions of greenhouse gases may relate to emissions of co-pollutants, particularly criteria and toxic air pollutants.

For questions, please contact Alvaro.Alvarado@oehha.ca.gov

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