Report 2020-114 Recommendation 6 Responses

Report 2020-114: California Air Resources Board: Improved Program Measurement Would Help California Work More Strategically to Meet Its Climate Change Goals (Release Date: February 2021)

Recommendation #6 To: Air Resources Board, State

To strengthen the accuracy and integrity of its emissions reduction reporting, CARB should immediately begin retaining all supporting documentation it uses to perform calculations of GHG reductions for its cap-and-trade-funded incentive programs for a period of at least five years. In conjunction with this change, CARB should also document the justification for any instances in which the underlying data it uses to compile its annual reports vary from the information it publishes in those reports.

60-Day Agency Response

Policies and procedures that outline the steps taken to prepare and report GHG reductions for Low Carbon Transportation, FARMER, and CAP incentives have been expanded and updated to include the requirement that all supporting documentation, including any documentation necessary to perform GHG calculations, shall be maintained for at least five years. The procedures include a step-by-step guide for reporting emission reductions, as well as instructions for documentation of each step taken at the time of emission reduction reporting. Finally, the procedures address how to document variances between the underlying data used to compile the annual reports and the information published in those reports.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Fully Implemented

CARB provided copies of the policies and procedures for our review. These policies and procedures cover cap-and-trade funded programs and fulfill the retention and documentation components of our recommendation.

All Recommendations in 2020-114

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.