10A Public Hearings - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

City of San Leandro 14143-14273 Washington Avenue Warehouse Project 70 than CO2 on a molecule per molecule basis (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] 2022).3 The principal climate change gases resulting from human activity that enter and accumulate in the atmosphere are listed below: ▪ Carbon Dioxide. CO2 enters the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal), solid waste, trees and wood products, and chemical reactions (e.g., the manufacture of cement). CO2 is also removed from the atmosphere (or “sequestered”) when it is absorbed by plants as part of the biological carbon cycle. ▪ Methane. CH4 is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. CH4 emissions also result from livestock and agricultural practices and the decay of organic waste in municipal solid waste landfills. ▪ Nitrous Oxide. N2O is emitted during agricultural and industrial activities as well as during combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste. ▪ Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC). HFCs are one of several high global warming potential (GWP) gases that are not naturally occurring and are generated from industrial processes. HFC (refrigerant) emissions from vehicle air conditioning systems occur due to leakage, losses during recharging, or release from scrapping vehicles at end of their useful life. ▪ Perfluorocarbons (PFC). PFCs are another high GWP gas that are not naturally occurring and are generated in a variety of industrial processes. ▪ Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6). SF6 is another high GWP gas that is not naturally occurring and is generated in a variety of industrial processes. There are uncertainties as to exactly what the climate changes will be in various local areas of the earth. There are also uncertainties associated with the magnitude and timing of other consequences of a warmer planet: sea level rise, spread of certain diseases out of their usual geographic range, the effect on agricultural production, water supply, sustainability of ecosystems, increased strength and frequency of storms, extreme heat events, increased air pollution episodes, and the consequence of these effects on the economy. Regulatory Setting California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill 32, and Senate Bill 32, and Assembly Bill 1279) The “California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006,” (Assembly Bill [AB] 32), outlines California’s major legislative initiative for reducing GHG emissions. AB 32 codifies the statewide goal of reducing GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and requires CARB to prepare a Scoping Plan that outlines the main state strategies for reducing GHG emissions to meet the 2020 deadline. In addition, AB 32 requires CARB to adopt regulations to require reporting and verification of statewide GHG emissions. Based on this guidance, CARB approved a 1990 statewide GHG level and 2020 target of 431 million metric tons (MMT) of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e), which was achieved in 2016. CARB approved the Scoping Plan on December 11, 2008, which included GHG emission reduction strategies related to energy efficiency, water use, and recycling and solid waste, among others 3 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (2022) Sixth Assessment Report determined that methane has a GWP of 30. However, the 2017 Climate Change Scoping Plan published by the California Air Resources Board uses a GWP of 25 for methane, consistent with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (2007) Fourth Assessment Report. Therefore, this analysis utilizes a GWP of 25.