In a Win for Clean Air and Common Sense, Governor Newsom Vetoes SB 34

Yesterday, Governor Newsom vetoed SB 34 in a win for clean air protections in California. The controversial bill saw environmental justice communities, health groups, environmental groups, and air regulators from around the state present a chorus of opposition. Earthjustice supporters sent thousands of messages to state legislators and Governor Newsom urging them to oppose the bill. While the bill was amended several times amid the outcry of opposition, in its final form it still undermined local air agencies shaping sensible regulations to clean up the largest fixed source of air pollution in Southern California — the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

“We’d like to thank Governor Newsom for standing up for Californians and our right to breathe clean air,” said Fernando Gaytan, Senior Attorney on Earthjustice’s Right To Zero campaign. “SB 34 was wildly unpopular with communities, and could not have come at a worse time when the state’s clean air tools are under attack by the Trump administration. We’re grateful Governor Newsom stood strong, kept his eye on the long game, and sent this bad bill back.”

“We celebrate the leadership of California frontline and fenceline environmental justice organizations defending their right to breathe clean air! We applaud Governor Newsom’s veto of SB 34, which threatened to weaken the South Coast Air Quality District’s regulatory oversight of seaports. Now, we urge the Governor to move critical regulatory actions forward to address the deadly impacts of freight pollution,” said Isella Ramirez, Executive Director of the Moving Forward Network.

Smog covers Los Angeles, California. (Jordan / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

“This bill was about circumventing dialogue and preventing a thoughtful public process. The Governor prioritized impacted communities with his veto of SB34 and demonstrated clean air leadership,” said Dori Chandler, Policy Advocate with the Coalition for Clean Air,

SB 34 would have set a disturbing precedent for tying the hands of air districts across California from doing their jobs to reign in pollution and clean up our air, with potential ripple effects in air districts across California. The bill was also projected to cost the state millions of dollars, as California would have been forced to spend additional money on far less efficient paths to reach basic air quality standards. Southern California breathes some of the most polluted air in the country, and regularly receives an “F” grade on air quality from the American Lung Association. The Ports of LA and Long Beach are the largest fixed source of air pollution in the region.