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3900 - Air Resources Board

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Budget Trends and Highlights (2017-2026)

Position Growth

  • Overall Growth: 56.3% increase in positions from 2017-18 (1,356) to 2025-26 (2,120)[41][43]
  • Recent Expansion: The 2025-26 budget authorizes 118 new positions (6% increase) compared to 2024-25[43]
  • Major Staffing Initiatives:
    • 28 positions for Climate Disclosure Laws implementation (2024-25)[42]
    • 42 positions for Climate Disclosure Laws implementation (2025-26)[43]
    • 45 positions for Zero-Emission regulations implementation (2025-26)[43]

Budget Fluctuations

  • Peak Funding: FY 2022-23 saw the highest total budget at $3.31 billion[41]
  • Funding Variability: Year-to-year comparisons are heavily affected by one-time funding and prior-year appropriations[42]
  • State Operations Growth: State operations funding increased from $0.35 billion in 2021-22 to $1.20 billion in 2025-26[41][43]

Major Capital Projects

  • Southern California Headquarters: $413 million allocated in 2017-18 for the Mary D. Nichols Campus in Riverside[41]
  • Ongoing Facility Costs: $6.3 million in 2024-25 growing to $9.4 million annually for headquarters operations[42]

Program Funding (2024-25)

  • Mobile Source Program: $500 million (Code 3500)[42]
  • Climate Change Program: $350 million (Code 3510)[42]
  • Community Air Protection: $80 million (Code 3530)[42]

Major Funding Codes and Sources

The Air Resources Board receives funding from various sources, each designated by specific budgetCodes in the state budget:

Program Codes

  • 3500 - Mobile Source: Programs focused on reducing emissions from vehicles and other mobile sources
  • 3505 - Stationary Source: Regulation and monitoring of fixed pollution sources like factories and power plants
  • 3510 - Climate Change: Implementation of greenhouse gas reduction programs and cap-and-trade
  • 3515 - Subvention: Grants to local air districts for air quality monitoring and enforcement
  • 3530 - Community Air Protection: Programs targeting air quality improvements in disadvantaged communities

Funding Source Codes

  • 0001 - General Fund: State's primary operating fund
  • 0115 - Air Pollution Control Fund: Fees and penalties from regulated entities
  • 0421 - Vehicle Inspection and Repair Fund: Smog check and vehicle registration fees
  • 0434 - Air Toxics Inventory and Assessment Account: Fees for toxic air contaminant programs
  • 0890 - Federal Trust Fund: Federal grants for air quality programs
  • 3119 - Air Quality Improvement Fund: Vehicle and equipment incentives
  • 3228 - Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Cap-and-trade auction proceeds
  • 3237 - Cost of Implementation Account: Fees for AB 32 implementation
  • 3358 - Truck Emission Check Fund: Heavy-duty vehicle inspection fees
  • 3359 - Certification Compliance Fund: Vehicle certification fees

Major Projects and Initiatives

Clean Transportation Incentives

CARB has administered significant clean transportation funding, with approximately $6.3 billion appropriated from FY 2009-10 through FY 2024-25[5]. These funds support two primary programs:

  1. Air Quality Improvement Program (AQIP): Funded through the Air Quality Improvement Fund, supporting projects that advance clean vehicle technologies[5].

  2. Low Carbon Transportation Program: Funded through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and General Fund, supporting zero-emission vehicle markets and providing sustainable transportation options for disadvantaged communities[5].

Mobile Source Strategy

  1. 2016 Mobile Source Strategy: Established a comprehensive framework for emission reductions from mobile sources[2].

  2. 2020 Mobile Source Strategy: Updated the 2016 strategy in compliance with Senate Bill 44 (2019)[2].

  3. 2025 Mobile Source Strategy: Currently in development, this plan will identify the transition to cleaner mobile source technologies needed to achieve California's air quality and climate targets[2].

California Climate Investments

Since 2014, CARB has overseen California Climate Investments, which direct Cap-and-Trade auction proceeds to greenhouse gas reduction projects:

  1. Comprehensive Investment Program: By 2023, these investments implemented nearly $1.7 billion across 89 programs administered by 24 state agencies[19].

  2. Priority Population Benefits: Programs have consistently invested in disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households[19][5].

Advanced Clean Cars Program

  1. Coordinated Requirements Package: Established for model years 2015-2025, combining control of smog, soot, and greenhouse gas emissions[3].

  2. Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Program: Requires manufacturers to produce increasing numbers of ZEVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles in the 2018-2025 model years[3].

Southern California Headquarters Development

In 2021, CARB completed its state-of-the-art Mary D. Nichols Campus in Riverside:

  1. Advanced Testing Facility: Includes specialized laboratories and testing equipment for vehicle emissions research[6].

  2. Sustainable Design: Built as the largest Zero Net Energy building in the United States at 402,000 square feet, achieving LEED Platinum certification[6].

Major Regulations

Transportation Sector Regulations

  1. Advanced Clean Cars Regulations: Established greenhouse gas standards for 2017-2025 vehicle models, combined NMOG and NOx standards, and increased durability requirements from 120,000 to 150,000 miles[3].

  2. Truck and Bus Regulation: Implemented in 2008 and strengthened over the past decade, requiring vehicles with GVWR over 26,000 pounds to have 2010 or newer engines as of January 1, 2023[9].

  3. Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) Regulation: Mandates refrigerants with Global Warming Potential less than 2,200 and stricter particulate emission standards for newer models, with a zero-emission transition required by December 31, 2029[9].

  4. Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) Regulation: Requires truck manufacturers to increase zero-emission vehicle sales starting with the 2024 model year, with escalating percentages (7% in 2025, 10% in 2026, 15% in 2027)[9].

  5. Clean Truck Check Program: Implements periodic emissions compliance testing for heavy-duty vehicles with GVWR over 14,000 pounds operating in California[9].

Climate Programs

  1. Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS): Updated guidance for electricity credit proceeds, requiring spending on equity transportation electrification projects[13].

  2. Compliance Offset Program: Established protocols for generating offset credits in sectors including livestock, mine methane capture, ozone-depleting substances, rice cultivation, and forestry projects[8].

Administrative Structure

CARB operates with a governing board of 16 members (14 voting, 2 non-voting) and is organized into 15 divisions and offices[6], including:

  1. Office of the Chair
  2. Executive Office
  3. Air Quality Planning and Science Division
  4. Emission Certification and Compliance Division
  5. Enforcement Division
  6. Industrial Strategies Division
  7. Mobile Source Control Division
  8. Research Division
  9. Sustainable Transportation and Communities Division

Funding Allocation Process

  1. Annual Funding Plans: CARB develops detailed funding plans, such as the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Funding Plan for Clean Transportation Incentives, to determine allocations across various projects[1][5].

  2. Interagency Coordination: CARB works closely with agencies like the California Energy Commission to ensure vehicle investments are complemented by supporting infrastructure[5].

  3. Priorities: Investments are designed to target priority populations and maximize benefits to disadvantaged communities[4].

Sources