Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to develop a comprehensive strategy for the state's cement sector to achieve net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases associated with cement used in the state as soon as possible, but no later than December 31, 2045.
This bill would set a policy for the state to purchase or specify, on a statewide basis, at least 10%, by volume, of cement and concrete, including supplementary cementitious materials, that meet a certain benchmark by 2030 and to exclude the purchase of all fossil-based supplementary cementitious materials from that 10% by 2035. The bill would specify that a supplementary cementitious material developed through the mineralization of emissions from fossil fuel combustion is not considered a fossil-based material.
This bill would require, by March 31, 2024, the Department of Transportation, in consultation with the Department of General Services, to develop a model advance procurement agreement for the purchase or specification of low-carbon cement and low-carbon concrete products up to 10 years in advance that would facilitate the development of production of concrete, cement, and supplementary cementitious materials that meet or exceed the benchmark for low-carbon cement and low-carbon concrete, and would, in meeting the goals described above, authorize state agencies to use the model agreement for the purchase or specification of low-carbon cement and low-carbon concrete products. The bill would allow, for purposes of meeting the state policy described above, the volume of low-carbon cement or low-carbon concrete products agreed to be supplied under a model advance procurement agreement, but that was not actually supplied, to be counted for up to 5 years or until the state agency is able to obtain the missing materials, as specified.