Prop 23 Update: AB 32 Negotiations Stalled: Climate Regs in Limbo

Russ Steele

KQED Climate Watch has the story:

Litigants can't come to terms on letting part of the law proceed Environmental justice groups say California's carbon trading program would make pollution worse for communities near major polluters. (

Prospects for full implementation of California's 2006 climate change law turned a darker shade of gray this week.

Environmental justice groups walked away from negotiations with state officials. The talks were intended to allow certain portions of the plan to move forward even as the carbon trading program remained tied up in litigation. That means implementation of AB 32 is effectively at a standstill.

"At this point my clients consider negotiations over," said Brent Newell, a lead attorney in the case representing a dozen environmental justice groups and individuals. Newell declined to explain the points of contention with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) during negotiations, which ended on March 30, citing legal confidentiality.

Read the rest of the stroy here.  I cannot think of a more appropriate phrase that "What goes around, comes around," CARB tangled up in their own regulations.  They may have discovered that they really are not above the law.