California’s climate change agency just approved a $500 million plan — but there’s no money for it

The state agency in charge of combating climate change signed off on a $500 million plan Thursday morning to get 100,000 clean cars on the road, limit pollution from heavy-duty trucks and replace outdated school buses.

There’s just one problem.

“What’s missing is the most important part of the funding plan, which is the funding,” said Bill Magavern, policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air, to laughs from the crowd at the meeting of the California Air Resources Board.

The board regulates greenhouse gas emissions in the state and decides how much of the money collected from polluters should be spent to improve air quality and public health. But the board does not control when it actually gets the cash.

That’s up to Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers who have not reached a deal on spending for low-carbon transportation programs next year. As a result, popular programs to subsidize consumers’ purchase of zero-emission vehicles are running out of money, along with similar anti-climate change efforts.

Thursday’s decision won’t result in any money being spent until the political impasse gets resolved. Board members, who are appointed by Brown and leaders of the Assembly and Senate, said they were worried about the state’s climate efforts if the money doesn’t come.

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