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Comment 33 for 2022 Scoping Plan Update - Engineered Carbon Removal Technical Workshop (sp22-co2-removal-ws) - 1st Workshop.
First Name: Ann
Last Name: Rogan
Email Address: ann.rogan@edgecollaborative.org
Affiliation:
Subject: Community & engineered carbon removal
Comment:
As a resident of Stockton, CA - I listened with interest during the scoping workshop about the various view points represented by scientists, industry representatives, environmental justice advocates, workforce advocates, and CARB staff. Going forward, I'd hope that EJAC members feel that they are given enough time to prepare or offer their perspectives on each panel. In particular, I am concerned that the Central Valley communities who stand to be most affected by engineered carbon removal (CCS, DAC, etc) have very little technical understanding of the implications (including benefits and drawbacks) of these technologies. That in itself is a significant impediment to a public conversation on this topic, and both can/should be rectified. Without being a technical expert in this area, it seems that while engineered carbon removal is an important tool in the decarbonization toolkit, it should not be used to justify the extended life of carbon emitting activities. To that end, the proposed implementation of these technologies should not be done at the expense of frontline communities. How then, should we think about that? If the environmental justice communities (across the Central Valley) are in a meaningful dialogue on this topic, I imagine that CARB would glean useful insights on a range of topics - including how to think about enabling policy to drive dramatic decarbonization through both technology and natural means, alongside renewables adoption -- as well as the relationship between the financing of new technologies and community benefits agreements. Finally, we all know that climate and workforce and jobs have to work in tandem to really accelerate towards aggressive decarbonization goals. Frontline or 'disadvantaged communities' know their community's needs best, and these conversations on technology - whatever that technology is - have to center the community's voice in determining how to create workforce pathways that bring to life what a 'just transition' should look like for incumbent workers across the state. Every serious climate projection keeping temps below 2 degrees incorporates some amount of engineered carbon removal. These technologies, while a necessary means of advancing climate goals, must be approached with the due diligence that their affected communities deserve. CARB should actively seek to educate those who will be most impacted by carbon removal technologies, so that they may make accurate and informed comments on their design, implementation, and regulation.
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Date and Time Comment Was Submitted: 2021-08-16 19:03:45
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