California subsidy victims include carbon dioxide removal and green cement bills

A bill setting carbon removal goals for California died Thursday as legislative appropriations committees deliberated on hundreds of bills ahead of a deadline to approve measures with significant costs.

Bills to revise the state’s wildfire risk maps, including one sponsored by Gov. Gavin Newsom, also died, and several high-profile bills on oil drilling and electric vehicles were amended before moving to the floors of their respective chambers.

Carbon removal: Sen. Josh Becker’s bill, SB 308, which would require the state to set interim carbon dioxide removal goals by 2045 and specify what types of removals would qualify, has been put on hold. The Air Resources Board has set an estimated cost of $8.2 million for the first fiscal year, and supporters, including carbon dioxide removal startups and climate groups, held a day of lobbying for the bill Wednesday.

Becker has sought to amend the bill to include labor provisions and set more stringent standards for accounting for carbon emissions and the use of biomass waste, a move that would bring several environmental justice and labor groups closer to support. On Wednesday night, he spoke with Newsome’s administration about a set of amendments from the governor that would simplify the bill and eliminate community engagement provisions and standards that Becker adopted to win over environmental groups.