California Governor Signs Executive Order on Climate Change

On September 23, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-19-19, outlining a number of actions the state will take to combat climate change. The Executive Order sets goals for all new passenger cars and trucks to be zero-emission by 2035, all medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to be zero-emission by 2045 for all operations where feasible, all drayage trucks to be zero-emission by 2035, and all off-road vehicles and equipment to be zero-emission by 2035. The Executive Order requires the California Air Resources Board to promulgate regulations implementing these goals. The Executive Order also requires several state agencies to accelerate deployment of affordable fueling and charging options for zero-emissions vehicles, and to develop a Zero-Emissions Vehicle Market Development Strategy by January 31, 2021. In addition, the Executive Order directs the state to end the issuance of new hydraulic fracturing permits by 2024. The Executive Order requires state agencies to propose regulations that “protect[] communities and workers from the impacts of oil extraction activities by December 31, 2020.”

The Executive Order is the latest California initiative to address climate change, following a 2018 state law setting a goal of 100% clean energy for the state’s electrical needs by the year 2045.