Friday, 8th May 2026

California Air Resources Board

The California Air Resources Board has opened a public comment period on draft concepts for potential regulations establishing California’s Carbon Capture, Removals, Utilization, and Storage Program under Senate Bill 905. The move marks a major step in California’s effort to strengthen carbon capture utilization and storage policies as the state pushes toward its carbon neutrality target by 2045. The newly released concepts are part of CARB’s pre rulemaking process and are intended to gather extensive public feedback before formal regulations are developed. Public comments will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on June 5, 2026, giving stakeholders, industry participants, researchers, environmental groups, businesses, and local communities an opportunity to shape the future framework of California’s CCUS and carbon dioxide removal strategy. According to CARB, the draft concepts identify potential standardized definitions for carbon capture utilization and storage as well as carbon dioxide removal. The concepts also introduce initial regulatory approaches covering monitoring, reporting, financial responsibility requirements, and project protocols intended to support the inclusion of CCUS and CDR within California’s climate policies. Senate Bill 905, signed into law alongside Assembly Bill 1279 in 2022, requires CARB to create a program evaluating the efficacy, safety, and viability of CCUS and CDR projects and technologies. The legislation also directs the agency to establish monitoring, reporting, and financial responsibility standards for future projects. The public comment process is expected to play a critical role in determining how California balances climate ambition, project oversight, investment certainty, and environmental accountability. CARB emphasized that all draft concepts remain under continuous development and may change before any formal rulemaking proposal is introduced under Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations. CARB stated that carbon capture utilization and storage, along with carbon dioxide removal, are considered important strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting California’s climate neutrality goals. The technologies involve both technological and nature based approaches designed to remove carbon dioxide either directly from the atmosphere or from industrial emission sources such as cement plants and power plants. The release of the draft concepts comes amid increasing attention on the economic and environmental impacts of climate change in California. CARB highlighted several recent findings, including reports estimating more than $16 billion in annual statewide losses linked to climate fueled natural disasters. The agency also referenced increasing insurance challenges, wildfire smoke related health impacts, economic losses from extreme heat events, and the devastating Southern California wildfires of January 2025, which reportedly caused at least 440 deaths and more than $30 billion in economic impacts. CARB’s public consultation is designed to gather broad stakeholder perspectives before regulations are finalized. Written comments can be submitted electronically or through postal mail to the Clerk of the Board at the California Air Resources Board in Sacramento. The agency also reminded participants that submissions become part of the public record under the California Public Records Act. The proposed CCUS framework represents another major phase in California’s climate policy development, with regulators aiming to create standards that support carbon management technologies while ensuring accountability, safety, and long term emissions reductions. The strong focus on public comment highlights California’s effort to involve stakeholders directly in shaping the regulatory foundation for future carbon capture and removal projects across the state.