Clean Car Standards - Pavley, Assembly Bill 1493

This page last reviewed January 14, 2010

Background

The ARB has adopted amendments to the “Pavley” regulations that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in new passenger vehicles from 2009 through 2016.
 
The amendments, approved by the Board on September 24, 2009, are part of California’s commitment toward a nation-wide program to reduce new passenger vehicle GHGs from 2012 through 2016.  ARB’s September amendments will cement California’s enforcement of the Pavley rule starting in 2009 while providing vehicle manufacturers with new compliance flexibility.  The amendments will also prepare California to harmonize its rules with the federal rules for passenger vehicles.

The U.S. EPA granted California the authority to implement GHG emission reduction standards for new passenger cars, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles On June 30, 2009.

The first California request to implement GHG standards for passenger vehicles, known as a waiver request, was made in December 2005 and was denied by the U.S. EPA in March 2008.  That decision was based on a finding that California’s request to reduce GHG emissions from passenger vehicles did not meet the Clean Air Act requirement of showing that the waiver was needed to meet “compelling and extraordinary conditions.”  The June 30, 2009 decision rejected the earlier denial reasoning by returning to and applying EPA’s traditional waiver review principles.

The ARB’s Board originally approved regulations to reduce GHGs from passenger vehicles in September 2004, with the regulations to take effect in 2009. These regulations were authorized by the 2002 legislation Assembly Bill 1493 (Pavley). 

The regulations had been threatened by automaker lawsuits and were stalled by the U.S. EPA’s delay in reviewing and then initially denying California’s waiver request. The parties involved entered a May 19 agreement to resolve these issues.  With the granting of the waiver on June 30, 2009, it is expected that the Pavley regulations will reduce GHG emissions from California passenger vehicles by about 22 percent in 2012 and about 30 percent in 2016, all while improving fuel efficiency and reducing motorists’ costs.

Latest News!

• U.S. EPA Grants California GHG Waiver (posted: June 30, 2009)

• Governor Schwarzenegger Applauds U.S. EPA Decision Granting California Authority to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (posted: June 30, 2009)
• President Obama Announces National Fuel Efficiency Policy (posted: May 19, 2009)

Rulemaking Activity

Proposed Amendments to the Regulation (December 2009)

• Notice of Modified Regulatory Text
• Resolution
• Public Comments Received

Adopted Regulation (September 2004)

• 2004 REGULATION TO CONTROL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM MOTOR VEHICLES 
• Board Hearing Agenda

Technical Assessments

Addendum to February 25, 2008 - Enhanced Technical Assessment:

• COMPARISON OF GHG REDUCTIONS FOR THE U.S. AND CANADA UNDER ARB GHG REGULATIONS AND PROPOSED FEDERAL 2011-2015 MODEL YEAR FUEL ECONOMY STANDARDS (posted: May 8, 2008)

Enhanced Technical Assessment:

• COMPARISON OF GHG REDUCTIONS FOR THE U.S. AND CANADA UNDER U.S. CAFE STANDARDS AND ARB GHG REGULATIONS (posted: February 25, 2008)

Addendum to January 2, 2008 - Technical Assessment:

• COMPARISON OF GHG REDUCTIONS FOR ALL FIFTY U.S. UNDER CAFE STANDARDS AND ARB REGULATIONS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO AB 1493 (posted: January 23, 2008)

Technical Assessment:

• COMPARISON OF GHG REDUCTIONS UNDER CAFE STANDARDS AND ARB REGULATIONS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO AB 1493 (posted: January 2, 2008)

Fact Sheets

Mobile Source Portal

• Climate Change Emissions Control Regulations
• Reducing Climate Change Emissions from Motor Vehicles (Spanish version)
• FAQ: Reducing Climate Change Emissions from Motor Vehicles (Spanish version)
• Backgrounder: The Greenhouse Effect and California (Spanish version)
• Climate Change AB 32 Scoping Plan
• Conversion of 1 MMT CO2 to Familiar Equivalents
• Other Climate Change Fact Sheets

Archive of Public Meetings

• Past Meetings / Workshops