Release: Gov. Newsom cements California’s climate leadership

New clean energy policies will speed up California’s path to 100% clean energy

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – After a fruitful 2023 state legislative session, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday signed every major climate and clean energy bill that came to his desk. They included bills that will speed our way to powering California with 100% clean energy, clear the path for offshore wind power, open up highways to solar infrastructure, renew clean transportation funding, and hold oil companies accountable for their messes. Environment California had sponsored 5 of those bills, led campaigns on several more and organized public and legislative support for all of them.

“With today’s action, Gov. Newsom cements California’s climate leadership. As one of the biggest economies in the world, what we do here matters beyond our borders,” said Laura Deehan, Environment California’s state director. “California has set ambitious climate goals but getting there requires innovative thinking, willingness to take risks and action to jump-start clean energy in the face of staunch opposition from entrenched interests. Our Legislature and governor have come through on all those counts. Now, it’s time to put these important initiatives into action.”

The bills address a wide spectrum of the environmental challenges facing California in recent years. 

Bills signed into law today include:

• AB1167 by Asm. Carrillo- the orphan oil well prevention act to make polluters pay
• AB1373 by Asm. Garcia- to speed up the path to 100% by granting the state the power to buy clean energy
• AB3 by Asm. Zbur, the Offshore Wind and Jobs Act
• SB48 by Sen. Becker for energy efficiency in the biggest commercial buildings
• SB49 by Sen .Becker to open up highway rights of way to solar, storage and transmission
• SB605 by Sen. Padilla to tap into offshore wave energy
• SB253 by Sen. Wiener requires big companies to disclose their climate emissions
• SB261 by Sen. Stern requires companies to disclose their climate related financial risks 
• AB126 led by Asm. Reyes and Sen. Gonzalez to reauthorize over $170 million per year in clean transportation funding for the next decade

“This is what walking the walk on the road to 100% clean energy looks like, ” said Johanna Neumann, Environment America’s senior director of the Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy. “California is showing the many different entry points available to make it possible to power more of our lives with renewable energy. 

Since 2018, California has had its vision set on generating all of its energy from clean sources. With Gov. Newsom’s signatures on these bills, California is well on its way toward implementing the critical solutions needed for cleaner energy, cleaner air and a healthier environment.