New regulations aimed toward limiting the carbon intensity in fuels in California could curb the state’s ongoing drop in gas prices.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the California Air Resources Board approved the new measures in a 12-2 vote. Supporters cited the push that the new measures will provide in moving California away from fossil fuels.
The plan will limit the carbon intensity in fuels by expanding a program instituted in 2011 that penalized refineries that create high-carbon fuel, like diesel and gasoline. New regulations would increase the penalties, thus increasing the price of production.
The CARB has previously talked about a plan to move the state toward “carbon neutrality” by 2045.
In September of last year, CARB estimated the now-passed regulations could raise gas prices by 47 cents per gallon, but analysts, according to The Times, say customers at the pump could be paying 65 cents more per gallon if the regulations go through.
The Times reports that CARB officials no longer believe that the prices will rise quite that high, however.
“Any claims that LCFS is responsible for high gas prices is misleading at best and not supported by the data,” Dillon Miner, CARB’s staff air pollution specialist, said in a approval meeting Friday, according to The Times.
As of Saturday, the average gas price in California was $4.51, according to AAA. In October the average was $4.68, and at this time last year it was $5.11.
