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Committee advances bill to let California lift CO2 pipeline moratorium using state fire marshal guidance
Summary
SB 614 (Sen. Stern) would direct the state fire marshal to build on draft federal guidance and create state safety rules to allow a responsible end to California’s moratorium on new carbon dioxide pipelines, enabling carbon capture projects to move forward if state safety standards are met.
Senate Bill 614, presented to the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee on behalf of Senator Henry Stern, would allow California to lift its moratorium on new carbon dioxide pipelines after the state fire marshal develops safety rules modeled on draft federal guidance.
Committee testimony said California placed a moratorium on new CO2 pipelines in 2022 while awaiting federal rules; sponsors said the federal process stalled after a draft was released and the prior federal administration changed. SB 614 directs the state fire marshal to “build upon” those draft federal guidelines and prepare a California process for safe pipeline permitting so projects that capture and transport CO2 for sequestration or utilization can proceed safely.
Representatives of the Carbon Capture Coalition and the California State Pipe Trades Council testified in support, saying the state risks losing projects and federal funding if the moratorium remains in place. Supporting witnesses argued projects already in development need a path to regulatory certainty to proceed.
The committee recorded the author accepting committee amendments that now align SB 614’s language with an Assembly companion bill (AB 881, referenced by the presenter). No primary opposition witness presented at the dais during the recorded hearing; a “me‑too” witness from Bloom Energy was noted in support. The committee moved SB 614 forward with a commitment to adopt amendments; later roll‑call entries show the bill advancing to the natural resources committee.
Why it matters: SB 614 addresses a regulatory bottleneck for carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) projects by giving the state authority to adopt safety rules in the event federal guidance is incomplete or delayed. Passage could affect project timelines for industrial CO2 capture projects and related infrastructure.
Limitations: The hearing transcript does not contain the final implementing language or the full text of the fire marshal’s expected rulemaking; the bill’s safety standards and permitting process will be fleshed out in subsequent committee analyses and potential amendments.
