Latest news with #TonyStrickland
Los Angeles Times
6 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Regulators seek to phase out gas-powered appliances in Southern California
Southern California's air quality regulators are set to vote this week on new rules aimed at phasing out the sale of gas-powered furnaces and water heaters in the region. The South Coast Air Quality Management District, or AQMD, which covers all of Orange County and large swaths of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, is scheduled to vote Friday on two proposed regulations designed to limit emissions of nitrogen oxides, or NOx — the key pollutants that form smog. If approved, the AQMD's Proposed Amended Rules 1111 and 1121 would set zero-emission sales targets for manufacturers, distributors and installers of the appliances beginning in 2027. The targets ramp up over time, beginning with a 30% sales target the first year, increasing to 50% in 2029 and ultimately ending at 90% in 2036. The rules would affect an estimated 10 million units across the region, the majority of which would be in residential properties. The gas-powered appliances would still be available for sale, but manufacturers would be forced to pay surcharges for those units — costs that probably would be passed on to consumers. Officials say the plan is crucial for reducing air pollution and improving public health in the South Coast region, which continues to suffer from the worst smog in the nation and falls far below many federal health-based standards for air quality. 'This rule is a really important component of our strategy to clean up the air and be able to meet those health-based standards,' said Sarah Rees, deputy executive officer of planning and rules with the AQMD. 'We wanted to focus on where there were the biggest chunks of NOx emissions, and space and water heating are actually a fairly significant chunk that's left on the table for us to address.' Environmental groups say the rules — nearly two years in the making — are long overdue and should be even more aggressive. But opponents, including gas-appliance manufacturers, fossil fuel companies and some local government and commerce groups, say the measure will strain the electric grid and drive up costs for consumers. Prices for zero-emission units vary and can depend on factors such as the size of the home, local labor and installation costs, and whether electric panel upgrades also are required. The estimated equipment and installation cost of an electric heat pump, for example, is $17,200, compared with $11,000 for a natural gas furnace, according to the AQMD's socioeconomic impact report on the rules. However, because heat pumps can provide both heating and cooling, the agency notes that the cost of the electric unit is comparable to the cost of replacing a complete air conditioning and natural gas furnace system, which is about $20,600. Heat pump water heaters are projected to cost an average of $3,700 for equipment and installation, compared with $3,300 for natural gas units, according to the AQMD. State Sen. Tony Strickland (R-Huntington Beach) said affordability is one of his primary concerns about the rules. He is urging his constituents to weigh in against them. 'Families living paycheck to paycheck can't afford this kind of mandate,' Strickland said, adding that the cost of living in California is 42% higher than the national average. 'I want to rein in some of these boards, like [the California Air Resources Board, or CARB,] and AQMD, because they are making decisions that are detrimental to the people of California.' Officials stressed that the proposal is not a mandate. Although the original iteration of the rules called for an eventual ban on the sale of new gas-powered appliances, the final amended rules call for a slower phase-in of the clean technology that still allows consumers to purchase natural gas units if they wish. But there will be additional fees imposed on manufacturers for the sale of gas-powered units. The fees include an additional $100 for gas-powered furnaces and $50 for gas-powered water heaters, which increase to $500 and $250, respectively, if manufacturers sell more gas units than allowed by their sales target. Fees collected from the penalties will be used to fund an incentive program to help consumers purchase zero-emission appliances, such as electric heat pumps. 'It's kind of a weaker policy, but it's still a very important policy,' said Adrian Martinez, director of the Right To Zero campaign at the nonprofit Earthjustice. 'Because even though it's not as strong of a signal to get to zero-emission appliances, it still is a signal.' The potential air quality improvements from the switch to electric are substantial, including an estimated reduction of 6 tons of NOx per day by 2061. By comparison, cars in the region currently emit about 9 tons of NOx per day, Martinez said. NOx isn't only responsible for smog. As a leading source of indoor air pollution, the emissions also have been linked to respiratory infections, increased childhood asthma and other adverse health issues from exposure in homes, particularly those without proper ventilation, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 'What we're really talking about here is public health,' said Chris Chavez, deputy policy director at the nonprofit Coalition for Clean Air. 'The fact is that if you are going to continue choosing to use polluting technology, there are going to be public health impacts — and we're going to be paying for that through asthma attacks, we're going to be paying for that through premature deaths, we're going to be paying for that in hospitalizations, either personally or through our tax dollars.' According to the AQMD's impact report, the rules would prevent approximately 2,490 premature deaths, 10,200 cases of newly onset asthma, and 1.17 million days of limited or reduced physical and outdoor activity from 2027 to 2053. More than 14,000 public comments have been submitted to the AQMD in response to the proposal, many of them in opposition. 'If these rules are adopted, it is crucial to recognize that consumer choice will be impacted and homeowners and renters, rather than industry, will be the ones forced to reach deep into their pockets to comply with these rules,' wrote Kevin Barker, a senior manager with the Southern California Gas Co., in a comment letter to the board. Opponents also expressed concern that the electric appliances will add more strain to the region's aging energy grid— or as one public commenter wrote, 'we will face further electric grid brownouts due to the increased electricity use and make life in this state worse than it already is.' Rees of the AQMD said the slow ramp-up of the rules should ensure that the grid has enough time to meet demand. The state is working to implement electrification initiatives, and officials at CARB also are moving toward a statewide ban on gas furnaces and water heaters by 2030. And although she has heard the concerns about cost, she said zero-emission technology is more efficient — and thus more cost-effective to run — and will continue to come down in price over time. The incentive program is designed to assist customers who are struggling to meet up-front costs. What's more, she said the plan encourages people to purchase zero-emission appliances only when their current unit breaks or they need a replacement, and that consumers ultimately still have a choice. 'It's really about promoting the zero-emission technology and, frankly, following existing market trends,' Rees said, noting that electric heat pumps already account for nearly a third of furnace sales in California. 'We've worked very hard, we think, to try to craft a regulation that is going to advance adoption of these cleaner technologies but still preserves consumer choice, still allows for cases where it's not affordable or practical for a consumer to adopt these types of equipment, but still get us the emission reductions at the end of the day.' Still, some advocates said they wish the rules were more aggressive, including several who spoke during the AQMD's most recent board meeting on the matter in May. 'This rule, while it's not as strong as we wish it could be, is a step forward,' said Jennifer Cardenas, a campaign organizer with the Sierra Club. 'You cannot put a price on being able to breathe clean air.' Others pointed to the San Francisco Bay Area as an example of what's possible. That region's air quality management district passed its own more stringent version of the rules two years ago, which includes a total ban on the sale of new gas-powered water heaters in 2027 and furnaces in 2029. However, Martinez of Earthjustice noted that NOx is the single-largest category of emissions under the South Coast AQMD's authority, and said that the agency would be remiss not to take action on it. 'I think the best assessment is, are we better off with or without the rule?' he said. 'Emphatically, all the evidence is showing we're better off with the rule.' The public can attend Friday's hearing online or in person at the South Coast AQMD in Diamond Bar.
Fox News
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
WATCH: Blue-state Republican 'thankful' for move to scrap gas-car ban as Newsom vows court fight to save it
President Donald Trump could soon sign into law a joint congressional resolution scrapping California's Environmental Protection Agency waiver that requires an end to gasoline-powered car sales by 2035. It's a move provoking pushback from Golden State leaders in Sacramento. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrats have argued that it is an illegal use of the Congressional Review Act, whereas Republicans, including state legislators, say the move is a necessary step toward curbing regulation in the state. "I'm thankful that the folks in Washington, D.C., had common sense with something the governor doesn't have here in California," State Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, told Fox News Digital in an interview on Thursday, adding that "people can't afford" a transition to electric vehicles. "We don't have enough energy capacity. The worst thing that can happen in California right now is everybody plugs in an electric car. We have rolling blackouts. We're talking about rolling blackouts just from the heat this summer, not alone adding millions and millions of cars that would add electric vehicles to it. And we don't have the infrastructure either," the Republican added, saying that he's glad "the federal government weighed in." At a news conference on Thursday morning, Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta said they plan on suing the Trump administration, which they've done more than 20 times, over the likely move. Part of the legal argument being made by the Golden State is that the House Government Accountability Office and the Senate parliamentarian said that a waiver does not technically count as a rule, which created a debate over what can be done under the Congressional Review Act, according to The Hill. Newsom said that the electric vehicle manufacturing market has made significant gains in California and that the state is a leader in "innovation" in wanting to pivot to electric, specifically citing air quality. In the short term, the state is also facing concerns about rising gas prices with the expected closures of two California refineries, an issue the governor said he's been on top of to avoid issues. When Fox News Digital asked Newsom whether he thinks rising prices would encourage consumers to switch to electric vehicles, he said that Californians are ultimately in the driver's seat. "I think that's up to consumers, but the cost benefits of electric vehicles are well-established and continue to be well-reinforced as it relates to uncertainties around supply chains, wars of aggression by Russia, and by the vagaries of the kind of political machinations you see in the Middle East and self-dealing that we see. We are simply hostages to decisions that are made without you talking about any input from taxpayers or citizens. I'd rather have a little bit more agency in this country as it relates to our energy future," Newsom added. In Washington, Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., is touting his resolution's success. "This is a bipartisan national repudiation of the utter insanity Newsom has inflicted on our state," he posted to X. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Inside California Politics: May 17, 2025
(INSIDE CALIFORNIA POLITICS) — This week on Inside California Politics, host Nikki Laurenzo sat down with Democratic strategist Kevin Liao and Republican State Senator Tony Strickland. Liao discussed changes lawmakers in his party need to make to reach voters ahead of the 2026 elections, saying democrats too often prioritize the needs of special interest groups instead of their own constituents. '[Advocacy groups] have really good intentions,' Liao said. 'But what happens is, they tend to drag the Democratic Party into these politically untenuous situations.' Liao has a long history within the Democratic Party at the local, state and national levels. He has worked for Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz, as well as serving on the 2020 campaigns of Senator Elizabeth Warren and President Joe Biden. Republican State Senator Tony Strickland discussed Governor Gavin Newsom's revised budget, which does not include funding for Proposition 36. The initiative, which targets repeat drug and retail theft offenders, was passed overwhelmingly by voters in 2024. 'The people's voice was heard,' Strickland said. 'They want to make crime illegal again in California, and now the governor is not funding that initiative.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
AB 379 passes committee despite opposition from progressive Democrats
After Democrats and Republicans argued for weeks, a California bill aimed at allowing prosecutors to charge suspects with felonies who solicit 16 and 17-year-olds for sex has passed through committee. "You sit there and you water down the penalties," said Assemblyman Carl DeMaio (R-San Diego). Despite being introduced by a Democrat, progressives tried to tank the bill, claiming it could be used to abuse people of color and teens who are close in age. "I've heard concern about, and this provision related to 16- and 17-year-olds in terms of how it's applied and whether it's applied equitably," said Assemblyman Nick Schultz (D-Burbank). "We all know that in the past, law enforcement has discriminatorily applied certain provisions of California law against particular communities, so I think that concern is real. However, Gov. Gavin Newsom and some fellow Democrats weighed in and slammed their members. They said there should be no question that soliciting teens for sex should be a felony. State Republicans said Democrats who opposed the bill are out of touch. "This is a no-brainer," said State Senator Tony Strickland (R-Huntington Beach). "It's about protecting kids. I give credit to Gov. Newsom for weighing in on this." In the end, Democrats backed down, pushing the bill through the committee with an exception in a rare case where the suspect is within three years of the victim's age. "The important thing to understand, because there's been so much misinformation about this particular bill over the last 10 days, it is already a felony in the state of California to contact or communicate or attempt to contact or communicate with a minor to engage in sexual activity," Schultz said. AB 379 must still pass a full vote in the Assembly and the state Senate.
Fox News
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
STEVE HILTON: Gavin Newsom leaves an unexpected legacy in California
Everywhere I go in America, when I tell people I'm from California I get one of two reactions: "You need to get out of there -- move to somewhere less crazy!" Or: "Why do they keep voting for that (fill in your curse word of choice…)?" Well, here's the good news: the answers to those two questions are now coming together in a beautiful and positive prospect: real political change in the Golden State. My answer to the first question is typically: "Why should we leave? This is my home! I'm raising my family here; I started a business here. Yes, our terrible government has turned everything into a disaster right now, but I love California. It's not us who should leave, but the people who did this to our state! The Democrat politicians: they need to leave office." Then combine that with how I'm now answering the second question, about why people still vote for the same old you-know-what: "Actually, they're starting to vote differently." Look at the city of Huntington Beach in Orange County, the iconic 'Surf City USA.' Just over four years ago, a friend of mine, long-time California Republican Tony Strickland (now a newly-elected State Senator), put together a slate of four energetic candidates to challenge Democrat dominance of the city council. They pulled it off, taking control 4-3 in the midterm elections in 2022. They went on to implement common-sense conservative policies on crime, homelessness, and what's taught in schools. They even introduced and passed a local ballot initiative on voter ID. Guess what? In last November's elections, they pulled off a stunning clean sweep. The "MAGAnificent Seven", as they called themselves, won every seat. Huntington Beach went from 6-1 Democrat control to 7-0 Republican. There were other signs in 2024 that a political revolution may be brewing. Nearly a fifth of California's counties (10 out of 58) flipped from blue to red in 2024 including Fresno, the state's fifth largest city. Proposition 36 (which reversed some of the worst parts of former Vice President and California Attorney General Kamala Harris' disastrous pro-crime Prop 47 from a few years earlier) passed with over 70% support. Soros-backed DAs like George Gascon in L.A. were kicked out. Ballot initiatives to raise the minimum wage, impose rent control and raise taxes were defeated. And of course, President Donald Trump did better in California than any Republican presidential candidate for decades. Republican voter registration has also been increasing while Democrat registration has been falling. And all of this was happening before the catastrophic Los Angeles wildfires, which showed so many people the terrible consequences of what I call the new DEI: Democrat Extremism and Incompetence. It is Gov. Gavin Newsom who has presided over all this. He's the one that enabled years of far-left insanity that gave California the highest poverty rate in America, the most expensive housing, gas, electricity and water, the highest unemployment, lowest income growth and worst business climate. The public schools are a disaster, homelessness continues to spiral out of control, the California Dream is out of reach and the fire hydrants are out of water. On Newsom's watch, California has gone from being America's crown jewel to its worst-run state. No fair-minded person could come to any other conclusion. It's all laid out in my new book Califailure, along with the accompanying Fox Nation special. You should read the book: it's a warning not to let this happen in your state. It shows exactly how the Democrats did it -- and how to stop it. But the second part of my book is called Califuture. In it, I lay out a positive, practical plan for turning things around. Commonsense policies that will stop the insane government bloat and nanny state bossiness that is making life a misery for every small business and every family. Of course, it will only happen if we actually end the Democrats' disastrous one-party rule and elect Republicans to statewide office, like we used to before government unions and far left activists got their stranglehold on power. Thanks to the sheer scale of "Califailure," with zero sign of any concrete action from the Democrats to clean up the mess they made, Republicans, for the first time in two decades, really do have a shot at winning in 2026. A recent poll showed that 48% of Californians would vote for a Republican governor. So, there you are: this could well be Gavin Newsom's greatest legacy: flipping California red!
