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In one of its most controversial decisions, California’s air board voted Friday to revamp a key climate change program, which could increase gas prices in a state already facing some of the nation’s steepest costs at the pump.
The California Air Resources Board approved major changes to its Low Carbon Fuel Standard, a program aimed at encouraging use of cleaner transportation fuels with financial incentives as the state moves toward phasing out gasoline and diesel.
The board’s 12-2 vote followed about seven hours of comments from more than 100 people and four hours of discussion by board members at its meeting, held in Riverside.
State Assemblymember Tom Lackey , a Republican from Palmdale, told the board during public comments that the possible impact on gas prices will harm working class Californians.