[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6557079,"mediaKeyId","3326295-d7c52614ae7b1f4a7eb99140a8b88873","parentId",3326295,"title","May Revision would extend 'cap-and-invest' to 2045 and shift $1.5 billion to Cal Fire; lawmakers and stakeholders warn of downstream cuts","audioSeconds",710,"startMs",2210000,"endMs",2920000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3326295-d7c52614ae7b1f4a7eb99140a8b88873&start=2210&end=2920","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3326295-d7c52614ae7b1f4a7eb99140a8b88873/thumbnail_2210000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6557079/California/May-Revision-would-extend-cap-and-invest-to-2045-and-shift-15-billion-to-Cal-Fire-lawmakers-and-stakeholders-warn-of-downstream-cuts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6557079-183f9096abf02ec52c7d599dbca1af6d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775257118&Signature=XQzGEdBHRPB77LHXtIW7feIYAnyHPPVK55feEmLSWQHOfDDOKKZ7wpVN01AlN9HjRW0wCzJX1dVHAF8VS~9sR9We7bhDHGwzAoTAIwp~Q7SuNHYQvMUleuDzuTbnqcodKwoW5WZAewlmpB08YqaGo92HH3gZjNJ6BWHGjjSgq~JIxd-bMBf8Qx2KwmSCev7ey9UNyLcnPkuxYC42CFflcDw7~jIUaCELRKeQSrj2bSWWIB89U04lhrhKDjUIHKjHWeH7FK-U9mk6sa25LvcSEQNsnICrq~ITci5kuIHqpuay3gPzbh0S1qrEUlnjoCY1VOgfUHoSe3lT98PsBxhsZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House","date","2025-05-15T00:00:00Z","article","The governor's May Revision proposes extending California's cap-and-trade program to 2045, relabeling it the \"cap and invest\" program, and shifting $1.5 billion from the general fund to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) to support Cal Fire operations in 2025–26, rising to $1.9 billion by 2029–30.

The measure, presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 by Department of Finance staff, frames the extension as a way to provide market certainty and align the program with the state's carbon neutrality goal. \"The May revision, solves for a general fund budget problem,\" said Andrew Arch of the Department of Finance during the hearing.

Lawmakers expressed skepticism about the budget design and warned the shift could force cuts to programs that have already received awards or rely on continuous appropriations from GGRF. \"I'm concerned that you're proposing to cut over a billion dollars from transit agencies that are struggling from money that was already committed to them,\" the subcommittee chair said, noting transit agencies had planned on previously announced funding. The chair asked the administration to identify which projects, if any, had already been awarded and would lose funding.

Department of Finance representatives told the panel the May Revision itself shows the Cal Fire shift but does not include a full discretionary spending plan for GGRF; the administration said remaining priorities would be negotiated with the Legislature. Stephen Benson, Department of Finance, confirmed the $1.5 billion figure and its growth trajectory: \"The May revision includes 1.5 in 25–26, and it grows to 1.9 in 29–30.\" The administration also provided provisional language allowing Finance to replace a reduced GGRF appropriation with a matching general fund appropriation if auction proceeds come in lower than projected.

Stakeholders said the proposal risked substantial disruption. Michael Quintel of the California Transit Association said the May Revision threatened \"a reduction of up to $3,000,000,000 between now and fiscal year 28–29,\" and warned that about $2 billion of that had already been committed to capital projects. Multiple housing and environmental organizations urged the Legislature to protect continuous appropriations used for programs such as the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program and community air pollution reductions; speakers said those programs generate co-benefits for disadvantaged communities.

Several committee members also expressed concern that using a revenue stream tied to emissions auctions to fund an essential emergency service could be structurally unsound. \"We should really think carefully about taking an essential government service like Cal Fire... and fund[ing] it from what is everybody recognizes is a temporary funding stream,\" the chair said.

Administration witnesses said no changes to statutory continuous appropriations were included in the May Revision document itself, and that the administration intended to negotiate an overall GGRF expenditure framework with the Legislature. The Legislative Analyst's Office told the committee it would provide written comments and a fuller analysis at the next hearing.

Next steps: Subcommittee members asked the administration to return with a detailed GGRF expenditure plan, an itemization of projects with prior commitments, and clarification on the general fund backstop mechanics. The committee scheduled further review and public comment for the next hearing.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy, and Transportation","oneSentenceSummary","The governor's May Revision proposes extending California's cap-and-trade program to 2045 and shifting $1.5 billion from the general fund to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for Cal Fire operations, drawing warnings from lawmakers and stakeholders about cuts to transit, housing, and community air programs.","taxTitle","California State Assembly, House, Legislative, California","taxId",17099,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6557070,"May Revision trims and retools several environmental programs; proposes Exide funding reversion and Salton Sea investments",268,1918000,2186000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3326295-d7c52614ae7b1f4a7eb99140a8b88873&start=1918&end=2186","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3326295-d7c52614ae7b1f4a7eb99140a8b88873/thumbnail_1918000.jpg","/articles/6557070/California/May-Revision-trims-and-retools-several-environmental-programs-proposes-Exide-funding-reversion-and-Salton-Sea-investments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6557070-4e54a31173cf5934fba3f26a7282dac7/orig.mp4?Expires=1775257118&Signature=OdAEcHdyZ9YC5yyJyXaRsbTe7nKrWhKAcdc15ARxkPyU0vPmX0KdCJCyotDWJJtGjjLwgwUvauGL45u6JVLJqIunTIRtaW3sGV73l99Gundj5LI3RwH91r4uO5IOA7pwXXDdgMQEfhbrPvPNgJIVa8hW9wDyE9fnwpQY-chIDixm9Ho2~rF-xJivMc8zBxkTxJVyFJ0oSblyEHybXTwU-SmzjfQzH48nI6w5ujyKALY9zFjvmwmjfKbxCCqLePADO0wxQW2~egfsauqu207aX~2UWvwlBr9tcpUJ6l24MyCm1LsJS3VRWiHgSEIIFCkOxIKU8t5SuuTmPM0SA0lhkw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Department of Finance representatives summarized several environment-related elements of the May Revision, ranging from project-specific funding adjustments to administrative and statutory changes.

Exide cleanup: The May Revision proposes reverting $75 million of a $132 million general fund appropriation for cleanup activities at the former Exide Battery Recycling Facility in Vernon, with the remainder funded from a mix of the lead-acid battery cleanup fund ($35 million) and the general fund ($40 million). Finance said the state has provided about $573 million in general fund to clean up roughly 3,000 residential properties within 1.7 miles of the Exide site. (Andrew Arch, Department of Finance.)

Water Boards and CEQA: Finance said trailer bill language would recognize certain Water Board actions to adopt or revise water quality control plans as actions by a regulatory agency \"and therefore falling within a categorical exemption from CEQA,\" language intended to streamline certain administrative processes.

Staffing and legal defense: The May Revision includes roughly $3 million from various special funds and 12 permanent positions across CalEPA offices, the Air Resources Board and State Water Resources Control Board to defend state environmental laws and respond to federal legal challenges. The plan also included targeted positions and funds for specific programs: technical assistance for agencies administering the California Climate Investments Program, and staff to regulate small public water systems in Monterey County.

CalRecycle and other IT/cleanup funds: The proposal includes one-time and special fund authority for CalRecycle's Integrated Information System and funds in the Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Financing Account for the Water Board to assist with loans and grants to remove or replace underground storage tanks.

Salton Sea and water projects: The May Revision provides multi-year federal trust fund authority and general fund support for high-priority projects at the Salton Sea and urban flood-risk reduction.

Department of Finance urged the committee the hearing was intended to present high-level proposals; members asked for more detailed, department-level answers at the follow-up hearing.

","The May Revision includes a mix of environmental budget adjustments: a partial reversion and alternative fund sources for Exide cleanup, trailer bill language affecting Water Board CEQA treatment, modest staff and legal-defense funding across CalEPA and boards, and targeted investments in the Salton Sea and small water-system regulation.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6557075,"May Revision includes trailer bill language for Delta Conveyance; legislators and Delta stakeholders call fast-track concerns 'blank check'",1435,1835000,3270000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3326295-d7c52614ae7b1f4a7eb99140a8b88873&start=1835&end=3270","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3326295-d7c52614ae7b1f4a7eb99140a8b88873/thumbnail_1835000.jpg","/articles/6557075/California/May-Revision-includes-trailer-bill-language-for-Delta-Conveyance-legislators-and-Delta-stakeholders-call-fast-track-concerns-blank-check","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6557075-b295c44b9ac9a50c14803cb9336ac008/orig.mp4?Expires=1775257118&Signature=B1RApRSW5e~iLGnLQcZlFvfr5Jl7niUqMhDPIuMpPLujrsnR7P7lhFA~ii9akjd-1Pfp0VRWaiSIHVAl54fF0AZdjURB-5fe4K15AHIM0Z00y58glGOOnuidPC3gy7oPLFgCsydYhokEAfl5N9zx9Gp-peWIt-sZybzu5YHdnR67pYRYQIdSng7VD6-vH8xn~4vvoTitXdfgO-WuMNxJ5ysPLHSI61qg95ppnVjP-W~XaEWMGG6y6RXidu8xVKWDeO1bdUKRNJDNYrVTCJFs-0oWUO2LdtvRtcPCQ4mUEPW8-0oq3udC2K-q4Vp97mC8bgcFCKj6WUDs-~yG8idmXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Department of Finance witnesses told the subcommittee the May Revision contains trailer bill language for the Delta Conveyance Project, including bonding authority and administrative streamlining the administration says will speed a major water infrastructure effort.

\"We have several statutory changes for the Department of Water Resources. We have trailer bill language for the Delta Conveyance Project,\" said Andrew Arch of the Department of Finance. The administration described the changes as measures to \"streamline several administrative processes that will save money and time on the implementation of this important water infrastructure project.\" (Department of Finance witness testimony.)

Legislators pushed back strongly. One assembly member described the trailer bill language as giving a \"blank check\" to a public agency, saying cost estimates range widely and noting a prior legislative rejection of a fast-track approach two years earlier. Several members asked why the administration would put broad bonding authority and expedited language into budget trailer bills at a time when the state is facing deficits and making large cuts to programs for vulnerable Californians.

Department of Finance staff clarified that the bonding authority described in the proposal is structured as revenue bonds issued on behalf of the State Water Project, not general obligation bonds backed by the state's general fund. \"The bonding authority is not a general obligation bond... This is a bond that is done so on behalf of the State Water Project and it's a revenue bond that DWR would do on behalf of the State Water Project,\" a Finance representative said.

Local governments and environmental groups gave public comment opposing the trailer bill. Karen Lang of the Delta Counties Coalition, representing the five Delta counties, said the proposal should not be rushed through the budget process and noted typical revenue bond repayment structures often do not begin until after project completion. Restore the Delta, the Golden State Salmon Association and multiple conservation organizations also testified in strong opposition, citing environmental and local community impacts.

Stakeholders asked for detailed cost estimates, debt-service plans, and a clearer legislative process: where and how the project would be reviewed in committee, what limits (if any) would be placed on the amount of debt issued, and how the Administration would avoid saddling the state with indefinite downstream obligations.

The subcommittee said it will follow up with written questions and requested the administration provide more information on the proposal's costs, legal context, and sequencing at the next hearing.

","The Department of Finance said the May Revision contains trailer bill language to streamline the Delta Conveyance Project and grant bonding authority to the Department of Water Resources. Legislators and Delta-area groups objected, calling the move a fast-track attempt and warning about unknown long-term costs and local environmental impacts.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

May Revision would extend 'cap-and-invest' to 2045 and shift $1.5 billion to Cal Fire; lawmakers and stakeholders warn of downstream cuts

May Revision trims and retools several environmental programs; proposes Exide funding reversion and Salton Sea investments

May Revision includes trailer bill language for Delta Conveyance; legislators and Delta stakeholders call fast-track concerns 'blank check'