DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird says the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to temporarily halt a climate reporting law in California is “a big win” across the country.
The court granted the injunction Tuesday in a case between the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the California Air Resources Board.
The injunction is on California’s Senate Bill 261, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in October.
It would require large businesses operating in California to create a public report disclosing climate-related finances.
The law applies to any company doing business in California that makes $500 million or more in a year.
Affected companies were expected to provide reports as the law was set to go into effect on Jan. 1.
The court is scheduled to discuss the law further in January.
Attorney General Bird led 24 other state attorneys general to file an emergency brief on Nov. 14 to stop the law.
The brief argues that the law is overreaching. The brief claims California would be in a position to act as a national greenhouse gas regulator, since it would affect companies across the country.
It also argues the law would compel climate discussion from companies that may not want to disclose that.
“We’re celebrating a big win in the Ninth Circuit for Iowa and all states when the court agreed that California should stay in California and stop telling other states what to do,” Attorney General Bird said.
The law states climate change is affecting California’s communities and economy with wildfires, sea level rise, extreme droughts and extreme weather events, and “failure of economic actors to adequately plan for and adapt to climate-related risks to their businesses and to the economy will result in significant harm to California.”
The court denied an injunction on SB 253, another part of the law that the attorneys general addressed. This would require reports on greenhouse gas emissions for businesses making more than $1 billion annually.
The California Air Resources Board identified some companies that would be affected by either SB 261 or SB 253. Some of the companies listed in Iowa include:
Hy-VeePella Windows & DoorsBerkshire Hathaway EnergyGreen PlainsAthene Annuity and Life CompanyCMFG Life Insurance Company (TruStage)GXO Warehouse CompanyHNI CorporationNationwide Agribusiness Insurance CompanySymetra Life Insurance
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