As California prepares to make key decisions on the future of its Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), a broad coalition of stakeholders from across the transportation and energy sectors has voiced strong support for maintaining and expanding this critical program. The LCFS, under the guidance of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), has proven essential in driving down greenhouse gas emissions, promoting cleaner fuel adoption, and supporting the state’s ambitious climate goals. Leaders from diverse industries, including transportation, renewable energy, biogas, hydrogen, and dairy, are coming together to highlight the importance of the LCFS in advancing California’s efforts to reduce pollution, improve public health, and foster economic growth. Their unified message is clear: by supporting the LCFS, California can continue to lead the way in sustainable innovation and set a powerful example for the nation and the world.
Sam Wade, Director of State Regulatory Affairs, The Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas
California has a decades-long history of climate leadership that is embodied today in its Low Carbon Fuel Standard — a nation-leading clean fuel program that has in just a few years fueled the displacement of more than 60% of state diesel supplies with cleaner alternatives. CARB’s proposal to update this program will increase overall programmatic ambition while continuing to recognize the dual emissions reduction benefits of renewable natural gas (RNG) projects, which displace fossil fuels while capturing methane from organic waste sites. Due in part to support from the LCFS, California today boasts more dairy RNG projects than any other U.S. state, offering hope that we can tackle the environmentally pressing problems of transportation-linked pollution and agricultural methane emissions within our lifetimes.
A vote for this proposal will allow our industry to move forward with investments critical to California’s long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals, catalyzing a growing effort to address climate change and protect our communities through sound policy and clean energy innovation.
Katrina Fritz, President & CEO, California Hydrogen Business Council
California’s low carbon fuel standard is critical to build the markets for decarbonized fuels, including hydrogen. As the requirements expand for lower and zero-emission transportation and goods movement, the LCFS provides an economic pathway for innovation and investment to begin the transition now.
Dan Gage, President, The Transport Project
For years now California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard program has shepherded the reduction of planet-warming emissions and transitioned in-state fleets to cleaner motor fuels. To do so, California Air Resources Board members guided by Chair Liane Randolph have relied on incentives and public-private partnerships to encourage, foster, and build out this green adoption. The Board should follow that sage approach by resisting calls to change course and adopt overly prescriptive and less collaborative policies. By approving these proposed amendments, CARB members will ensure that every fleet stakeholder will continue to have the ability to participate in and contribute to California’s emission reduction success by embracing a clean technology that works for their application and operation.
The Transport Project is a national coalition of roughly 200 fleets, vehicle and engine manufacturers and dealers, servicers and suppliers, and fuel producers and providers dedicated to the decarbonization of North America’s transportation sector. Through the increased use of gaseous motor fuels including renewable natural gas and hydrogen, the United States and Canada can help achieve ambitious climate goals and greatly improve air quality safely, reliably, and effectively without delay and without compromising existing commercial business operations. Find out more at: transportproject.org.
Robin Vercruse, Executive Director, The Low Carbon Fuels Coalition
This proposal strikes a balance to accelerate progress on climate goals, while reducing health impacts, decreasing pollution exposure disparities, fostering electrification, and promoting market competition—all at relatively lower cost and with less consumer disruption than a more restrictive approach.”
Dan Bowerson, Vice President, Energy & Environment, Alliance for Automotive Innovation:
California’s leading the nation in the transition to automotive electrification, but even at 25 percent market share, more can be done to help the state meet ACC II and EV sales requirements in the years ahead. The LCFS will support (actually accelerate) the switch to electrification and reduce the carbon intensity of liquid fuels still used in a majority of vehicles operating on California roads. Eliminating LCFS now will make the state’s climate goals more challenging and divert revenue that should be invested in low-carbon transportation and EV adoption.
Republic Services
Republic Services is committed to operating responsibly and sustainably. With 17,000 trucks on the road throughout North America, we are working hard to improve our environmental footprint through the use of EVs and lower-carbon fuels, such as renewable natural gas (RNG).
We also support sound regulations that promote reduced vehicle emissions, including the approval of revisions to California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard. This program provides essential support for the deployment of low emission recycling and waste collection services to the communities we serve throughout the state. The revised regulation also offers a responsible timeline for conversion to a zero emissions future and encourages continued use of the lowest emission fuels available during the transition.
Nicole Rice, President, California Renewable Transportation Alliance
CRTA supports the LCFS because it encourages innovative solutions across various industries and establishes California as a leader in sustainability practices. The movement towards low-carbon, renewable fuels has gained widespread support among fleets, reflecting our shared commitment to a greener future. Supporting the LCFS is essential to ensuring we make a successful transition to cleaner, renewable fuels and crucial for continuing our progress towards meeting the state’s carbon neutrality goal by 2045.
Julia Levin, Executive Director, Bioenergy Association of California
The LCFS is driving down carbon emissions and helping to build California’s circular economy by providing a market for fuels generated from organic waste that would otherwise be landfilled or burned.
Teresa Cooke, Executive Director, California Hydrogen Coalition
The California Hydrogen Coalition strongly supports the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). The LCFS sends a cost-effective and critical investment signal supporting the progressive decarbonization of California’s transportation fuels and the deployment of zero-emission vehicle infrastructure like hydrogen fueling stations. This support is necessary to ensure California can meet our zero-emission vehicle goals for cars, trucks, buses, and off-road equipment like forklifts.
WM
WM has been a leading adopter of vehicles and infrastructure to transition our traditional diesel fleet to cleaner energy sources. As we continue to grow our alternative fuel fleet, WM also is enabling the circular economy by investing in renewable natural gas (RNG) infrastructure at our landfills while increasingly operating our vehicles on the RNG that we produce. Our long-term and ongoing investments in RNG, coupled with a fleet that can operate on this fuel, serve the dual purpose of reducing landfill methane emissions while moving us closer to a low-carbon collection fleet. These investments in sustainability are made possible through strong, technology-neutral programs like the LCFS. By voting yes, CARB is providing the tools that companies like WM need to support California in reaching its climate ambitions.
Carlos Gutierrez, Executive Director, California Advanced Biofuels Alliance
California Advanced Biofuels Alliance (CABA) supports the LCFS amendments, which are crucial in expanding biofuel access and reducing California’s reliance on imported oil. Biofuels are not only a lower-cost, domestically produced alternative, but they also play a vital role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality across the state. Although there is still work to be done in this rulemaking process, these amendments represent a strong first step toward a low-carbon future that benefits both our environment and consumers.
ChargePoint
On November 8 the California Air Resources Board (CARB) will vote on proposed amendments to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program. The LCFS has been critical to reducing transportation emissions in California, which account for the largest share of emissions by sector. The LCFS also incentivizes innovative, cost effective decarbonization within the transportation value chain. The LCFS has also helped build out the charging infrastructure that California will need to meet its zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) goals.
Patrick Serfass, Executive Director of the American Biogas Council
Thanks to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, California has led the nation in cutting greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. Biogas systems in the LCFS capture potent methane emissions, supply a carbon-negative fuel, and contribute significantly to reduced emissions from vehicles in California. We remain committed to working with California to expand this vital program that recycles waste material and uses it to strengthen the state’s economy while fighting climate change.
Janice Linn, Founder and President, Green Hydrogen Coalition
The Green Hydrogen Coalition is glad to see California increase its ambition to transition away from fossil fuels. The Air Resources Board’s adoption of this update to the regulation will send clear signals that will catalyze more investment in non-fossil fuels like renewable hydrogen which will translate into good jobs, cleaner air, and set an example for the rest of the globe to follow. Now is the time to implement and the Green Hydrogen Coalition is ready to support the development of California’s renewable hydrogen economy.
Michael Boccadoro, Executive Director, Dairy Cares
The LCFS is critical to ensuring ongoing investment in dairy methane reduction efforts. Staying the course ensures California will continue important progress toward the state’s ambitious climate goals while leading the world in methane emission reductions
Colin Sueyres, President and CEO, Western Propane Gas Association
Market-based mechanisms like LCFS provide Californians with the most affordable and least onerous method to meet the goals of the energy transition, ensuring that California remains economically competitive and minimizes harm to the lowest-income residents of our state. These mechanisms also lead to direct investment into California, developing the fuels of the future that can be exported around the country – and world. The propane industry remains committed as we have always been to providing a safe, reliable, affordable, and clean fuel to keep California moving toward the future.
Vinney Fornesi, South San Francisco Scavenger Company
As a family-owned small business, the California Air Resources Board’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) plays a crucial role in supporting our operations. The marketable credits generated under the LCFS help alleviate a portion of the operational costs associated with producing carbon-negative renewable fuels. These credits not only provide immediate financial relief but also serve to incentivize and attract future investment into the development of innovative carbon-negative fuel technologies. By participating in the LCFS, we are able to further our mission of advancing sustainable energy solutions while contributing to California’s broader environmental goals.
Veronica Pardo, Executive Director, Resource Recovery Coalition of California
Resource Recovery Coalition of California (RRCC) and its members rely on the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) to deploy lower-carbon and renewable fueled waste and recycling trucks in the communities they serve. It is through the LCFS program that our members can simultaneously improve local air quality and continue to protect the health and safety of their local communities by managing municipal solid waste.