The climate bills championed by Governor Newsom stand to alter the state’s climate policy for years to come.

On August 31, 2022, the last day of its 2021-2022 session, the California Legislature passed four climate bills that are part of an ambitious and aggressive climate policy agenda advocated by Governor Gavin Newsom. Together, the bills codify a 2045 statewide carbon-neutrality target, establish a 3,200-foot setback for oil and gas wells, set clean electricity milestones, and adopt new requirements for carbon capture, storage, and utilization (CCUS) projects. The Legislature also passed a separate bill aimed at extending the life of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant to secure the state’s electricity supply during this decade. The Legislature declined to advance a fifth climate bill proposed by Governor Newsom that would have set a 55% greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target by 2030 and a separate bill that would have established stringent corporate climate disclosure obligations.