Sens. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, and Ricardo Lara, D-Huntington Park-Long Beach, introduced legislation Wednesday that calls for deep cuts in climate pollution beyond 2020 to spur innovation and improve air quality in disadvantaged communities.

The bill, Senate Bill 1125, directs state regulators to recommend a timetable of post-2020 pollution reductions. In addition to greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, the bill applies to short-lived climate pollutants such as black carbon and methane, which not only impact global warming but have also put the San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento out of compliance with the Clean Air Act.

After passing AB 32 in 2006, California has already achieved more than half the pollution reductions required by 2020.  However, climate pollution from oil companies is not capped until next year. SB 1125 recognizes the need to enforce the law and achieve the required 2020 emission reductions while giving state regulators direction to shape the deeper cuts needed to prevent irreversible harm to families and the economy.

“This bill looks to the future, sending a clear signal that California intends to continue its climate leadership, which has already created hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions in clean technology investment,” Pavley said. “But as we look forward, we can’t shy away from the task at hand—the oil industry’s pollution must be capped if we are going to achieve our AB 32 goals for 2020.”

“California has made significant progress in cutting climate pollution but our efforts are far from over,” Lara said. “We must ensure that all communities, including disadvantaged communities throughout California, have the promise of a clean environment today and into the future.”

SB 1125 directs state regulators to develop a pollution reduction timetable for both greenhouse gas emissions and short-lived climate pollutants through an open and public process that takes into account the health and safety risks of climate change, California’s economic competitiveness and innovation potential, and the need to improve air quality in disadvantaged communities.

Fran Pavley’s 27th Senate District includes about half of the Santa Clarita Valley.