Alliance for Cal. Bus. v. State Air Res. Bd.

234 Cal. Rptr. 3d 22, 23 Cal. App. 5th 1050
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal, 5th District
DecidedMay 29, 2018
DocketC082828; C083083
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 234 Cal. Rptr. 3d 22 (Alliance for Cal. Bus. v. State Air Res. Bd.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal, 5th District primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Alliance for Cal. Bus. v. State Air Res. Bd., 234 Cal. Rptr. 3d 22, 23 Cal. App. 5th 1050 (Cal. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

Robie, J.

*1053We consolidated these cases to address a novel question regarding jurisdiction under the unique and complex cooperative federalism scheme of the federal Clean Air Act ( 42 U.S.C. § 7401 et seq. ) (Act). The Act authorizes the United States Environmental Protection Agency (Agency) to promulgate national primary and secondary ambient air quality standards. (Id ., §§ 7408, 7409.) States, however, have the "primary responsibility for assuring air quality" and must each devise, adopt, and implement a state implementation plan (SIP) specifying how the state will achieve and maintain the national air quality standards. (Id. , § 7407(a).) The SIP is submitted to the Agency's administrator (Administrator) for approval. (Id. , § 7410(a)(1), (a)(3)(B).) Once approved by the Administrator and codified in the Code *25of Federal Regulations, the SIP becomes federal law and may be enforced "by *1054either the State, the [Agency], or via citizen suits." ( Bayview Hunters v. Metropolitan Transp. (9th Cir. 2004) 366 F.3d 692, 695 ; California Dump Truck Owners Ass'n. v. Nichols (9th Cir. 2015) 784 F.3d 500, 503 ( Dump Truck ).)

The cases here seek the same relief and practical objective-to invalidate and render unenforceable, in whole or in part, albeit on different grounds, a state regulation known as the Truck and Bus Regulation1 (Regulation), which was approved by the Administrator as part of and incorporated into California's SIP. Plaintiff Jack Cody argues the Regulation violates the dormant commerce clause of the United States Constitution because it discriminates against out-of-state truckers by imposing a disproportionate compliance burden on them. Plaintiff Alliance for California Business2 (Alliance) argues the Regulation is unlawful because part of its mandate conflicts with state and federal safety laws. Defendants, including the California Air Resources Board (Board), raised lack of subject matter jurisdiction under section 307(b)(1)3 of the Act in both cases on appeal.4

The pertinent question is a discrete issue of statutory interpretation: whether section 307(b)(1) vests exclusive and original jurisdiction over these challenges to the Regulation incorporated into and approved as part of California's SIP in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. We conclude it does and affirm the judgments for lack of jurisdiction.

GENERAL BACKGROUND

To assist in a better understanding of the factual and procedural background of these cases and the discussion that follows, we begin with the general background of the regulatory framework underlying the Act and its jurisdictional provisions.

*1055I

Regulatory Framework And Background

The Act "sets forth a cooperative state-federal scheme for improving the nation's air quality." ( Vigil v. Leavitt (9th Cir. 2004) 381 F.3d 826, 830.) The Agency establishes the national air quality standards and the states devise, adopt, and implement a SIP to satisfy those standards. ( Ibid . ) The Board is the state agency responsible for carrying out this federal mandate in California. (Health & Saf. Code, § 39602.) SIP's evolve over time to account for new national air quality standards and emissions reduction technologies. (See 42 U.S.C. § 7410(a)(2)(H).)

The Administrator is required to approve the state's SIP submission if it complies with the provisions of the Act and applicable federal regulations. ( 42 U.S.C. § 7410(k) ; 40 C.F.R. § 52.02(a) (2017).) Among other things, the SIP must contain "enforceable emission limitations and other control measures, means, or techniques *26... as well as schedules and timetables for compliance," and provide "necessary assurances that the State ... will have adequate personnel, funding, and authority under State (and, as appropriate, local) law to carry out such implementation plan (and is not prohibited by any provision of Federal or State law from carrying out such implementation plan or portion thereof)." ( 42 U.S.C. § 7410(a)(2)(A), (E).)

In May 2011, the Board submitted the Regulation to the Agency for inclusion in California's SIP. ( 76 Fed.Reg. 40652, 40653 (July 11, 2011).) The Board had adopted the Regulation in 2008 to help California meet the national standards for fine particulate matter and ozone. ( Cal. Code Regs., tit. 13, § 2025, subd. (a) ; Dump Truck , supra , 784 F.3d at p. 503.) The Regulation generally sets forth stated deadlines by which certain diesel vehicles operating in California must be retrofitted with diesel particulate filters5 or upgraded to newer model engines with those filters. ( Cal. Code Regs., tit. 13, § 2025, subds. (b), (d)(18), (d)(35), (d)(60), (e)-(g) ; 76 Fed.Reg., supra , at pp. 40654-40655.) The filters are verified by the Board, as required by the Regulation, pursuant to the Verification Procedure,6 which sets forth the procedures and requirements for manufacturers to obtain verification of their filters. ( Cal. Code Regs., tit. 13, § 2025, subd. (d)(18), (d)(35), (d)(60) & §§ 2700 - 2711.)

*1056On July 11, 2011, the Agency published a proposed rule to approve California's request to incorporate the Regulation and other regulations into its SIP. (76 Fed.Reg., supra , at p. 40652.) The Agency explained the requirements and key concepts of the Regulation, including the requirements relating to the filters verified pursuant to the Verification Procedure. (Id . at pp.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
234 Cal. Rptr. 3d 22, 23 Cal. App. 5th 1050, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/alliance-for-cal-bus-v-state-air-res-bd-calctapp5d-2018.