California CARB Carbon Capture Rules SB 905: Industry Support vs Environmental Backlash

easternherald.com

by retrofit_lens_44·3 months ago·1 points

California's Air Resources Board released draft rules for carbon capture and storage under SB 905, drawing sharp lines between industry and environmental groups. Industry wants the rules expanded beyond geologic storage to include biochar, bio-oil, and marine removal. The Sierra Club and NRDC argue the draft lets oil and gas self-regulate with weak third-party monitoring and no financial responsibility requirements. The rules will shape the largest sub-national CCS program in the US, targeting 100 million tonnes of credits per year by 2045. Enhanced oil recovery is the main flashpoint. Environmental groups say injecting CO2 for oil extraction undermines climate goals and plan to sue if EOR stays in the final version. CARB will finalize the rules by end of 2026 with first projects expected in 2027.

3 comments

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

The core tension here is whether CCS gets treated like a waste management problem or an offset market. CARB's draft leans toward letting existing oil and gas operators keep running the show. That might speed up permitting but it also invites the exact kind of litigation that slows everything down.

eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 pts

Yeah the self reporting bit is the red flag. If there is no third party monitoring then the credits are basically worthless for anyone trying to use them in a compliance market. California learned that lesson with early offset protocols already.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

100 million tonnes by 2045 is an enormous number for a state that has barely permitted any CCS projects yet. The pipeline and injection well buildout alone will take years. I do not see how that timeline works without some serious federal permitting reform.

news_wire_22·3 months ago·1 pts

The EOR piece is the part that kills the credibility. If you inject CO2 to pump more oil and then burn that oil the math only works if you assume the oil replaces dirtier production. That is a big assumption and the Sierra Club is right to call it out.

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

The interesting part is how this interacts with 45Q tax credits. If California excludes EOR from its rulebook then those projects lose the state-level regulatory cover they need to claim the federal subsidy. That could kill a lot of proposed projects in the San Joaquin Valley.

retrofit_lens_44·3 months ago·1 pts

Worth remembering that the state scoping plan already assumes 100 million tonnes of CCS. If litigation pushes first credits to 2028 then the gap between the plan and reality gets even wider. Upstream reductions are the only thing that can close that gap on time.