California Lawmakers Extend Cap-and-Trade to 2030, with Republican Support

The climate bill, a victory for Gov. Jerry Brown, drew opposition from some environmental groups for what they saw as giveaways to the oil industry.

California lawmakers voted Monday night to extend the state's signature program for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, furthering California's leadership on climate change.  The bipartisan vote provides what many supporters hope will become a model for tackling global warming as the Trump administration works to unravel federal regulations.

California's cap-and-trade program—the only one of its kind in the country and the second largest in the world—is the centerpiece of the state's efforts to reduce carbon emissions.  It was established by a 2006 law and launched in January 2013 to run through 2020, but its fate beyond that was uncertain until now.

Monday's vote extended the cap-and-trade program through 2030, but with a few changes that turned some environmental groups against the legislation.  Among them, it allows big polluters to continue buying permits to emit more greenhouse gases and it bars some separate regulations on refineries.

The bill passed the Senate 28-12 and was approved 55-21 in the Assembly, earning the supermajority it needed to pass. It now heads to Gov. Jerry Brown for his signature.

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