nos. c075954 and c075930luke a. wake (264647) 921 11th st., ste. 400 sacramento, ca 96814 telephone:...

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Nos. C075954 and C075930 COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, et al. Plaintiffs and Appellants, v. CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD, et al. Defendants and Respondents; NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS, Intervener and Appellant, ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND, et. al, Interveners and Respondents. MORNING STAR PACKING COMPANY, et al., Plaintiffs and Appellants, v. CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD, et al. Defendants and Respondents; ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND, et. al, Interveners and Respondents. On Appeal from the Superior Court of Sacramento County . (Case No. 34-2013-80001464, Hon. Timothy M. Frawley, Judge) APPLICATION TO FILE AMICI CURIAE BRIEF AND AMICI CURIAE BRIEF OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESS SMALL BUSINESS LEGAL CENTER, OWNER-OPERATED INDEPENDENT DRIVERS ASSOCIATION, INC., AND ASSOCIATED CALIFORNIA LOGGERS IN SUPPORT OF APPELLANTS NFIB SMALL BUSINESS LEGAL CENTER Luke A. Wake (264647) 921 11th St., Ste. 400 Sacramento, CA 96814 Telephone: (916) 448-9904 Facsimile: (916) 916-5104 BENBROOK LAW GROUP, PC Bradley A. Benbrook (177786) Stephen M. Duvernay (250957) 400 Capitol Mall, Ste. 1610 Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 447-4900 Facsimile: (916) 447-4904 Attorneys for Amici Curiae NFIB Small Business Legal Center

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  • Nos. C075954 and C075930

    COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT

    CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, et al. Plaintiffs and Appellants,

    v. CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD, et al.

    Defendants and Respondents; NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS,

    Intervener and Appellant, ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND, et. al,

    Interveners and Respondents.

    MORNING STAR PACKING COMPANY, et al., Plaintiffs and Appellants,

    v. CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD, et al.

    Defendants and Respondents; ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND, et. al,

    Interveners and Respondents.

    On Appeal from the Superior Court of Sacramento County . (Case No. 34-2013-80001464, Hon. Timothy M. Frawley, Judge)

    APPLICATION TO FILE AMICI CURIAE BRIEF AND AMICI CURIAE BRIEF OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESS SMALL BUSINESS LEGAL

    CENTER, OWNER-OPERATED INDEPENDENT DRIVERS ASSOCIATION, INC., AND ASSOCIATED CALIFORNIA

    LOGGERS IN SUPPORT OF APPELLANTS

    NFIB SMALL BUSINESS LEGAL CENTER Luke A. Wake (264647) 921 11th St., Ste. 400 Sacramento, CA 96814 Telephone: (916) 448-9904 Facsimile: (916) 916-5104

    BENBROOK LAW GROUP, PC Bradley A. Benbrook (177786) Stephen M. Duvernay (250957) 400 Capitol Mall, Ste. 1610 Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 447-4900 Facsimile: (916) 447-4904

    Attorneys for Amici Curiae NFIB Small Business Legal Center

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    TABLE OF CONTENTS

    A:e:eLICATIO "l\.T TO E'ILE A 7l!TTCI CTTRI"AE BRIDF _ ......... 2 ......... ··------,-·---··--·-·· - • - - ~- • ~ - -l~-- ,_,_ -- •S •- •••..t:1:.LV1.4" - • -•-•• •- ••l:J•~ ~ " -£1..a '' •- • - - • • .._..11J. · •• •..•.• ~ •.• ~.-·.-,~ •.• -.,-.-···-·····-'·-· ••••• t ·-

    AMICI CURIAE BRIEF .................................................................... 7

    INTRODUCTION ... , .......................................................................... 7

    QUESTIONS PRESENTED .................................................... : ........ 9

    STATENIENT OF CASE ................................................................... 9

    ARGUMENT ..................................................................................... 9

    I. Regulatory Authority Cannot be Inferred From Statutory Silence ...................................................................................... 9

    A. State Agencies Have No Authority, Except What is Expressly Delegated ........ ; .................. ; .............................. 9

    B. CARB's Theory of Unbounded "Gap-Filling Authority" is Untenable .......................................................................... 12

    1. Agencies Have Authority to Act Only Within the Scope a Statutory Charge-to Directly Advance the Legislature's Regulatory Goals ............................................................. 14

    11. It is Improper to Assume "Gap-Filling" Authority ..... 17

    111. A General Grant of Authority Must be Construed __ Narrowly in Consideration of the Canons of ..... ··-

    Construction .................................................................. 19 ./'Ii

    II. The Legislature Denied CARB Authority to Auction Emission Allowances .......................................................... 21

    A. Authority to Restrict GHG Emissions Does Not Authorize Monetary Exactions ....................................... 21

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    B. The Act Entails Textual Cues that the Legislature Did Not Intend to Authorize Auctions and Intended to Minimize the Cost of Compliance ................................... 25

    CONCLUSION ........................................................ ; ....................... 29

    WORD COUNT CERTIFICATION ................................................ 30

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    TABLE OF AUTHORITIES Cases

    Am. Fed'n of Labor v. Unemp't Ins. Appeals Bd., 1° n l 4+t. 101,.., 11996'.'I- ··········--·-·-··-····-·····---···--·········-·······---··-···-·········--····--···········--·--·····--· .. ··---·-·····-··--9 --···--··-·-····--···--. ···--·······-··-- ·0-1.::1·a, tri"l ·t \ J , .... ., , • , .... ., .... ,, ...... , ...... , ...... , .... , , .. , , , .. , .... , .. .. .. •

    Ass'n of Cal. Insurance Cos. v. Jones, 235 Cal.App.4th 1009 (2015) ................................................ passim

    Bearden v. U.S. Borax, Inc., 138 Cal.App.4th 429 (2006) .................................................. ; ......... ·9

    Cal. Ass'n of Health Facilities v. Dept. of Health Servs., 16 Cal.4th 284 (1997) .................................................................... 20

    Cal. Redev. Ass'n v. Matosantos, 53 Cal.4th 231 (2011) .................................................................... 19

    Engine Mfrs. Ass'n v. Cal. Air Resources Bd., 231 Cal.App.4th 1022 (2014) ........................................................ 16

    Envtl. Prot. Info. Ctr. v. Dep 't of Forestry & Fire Prot., 43 Cal.App.4th 1011 (1996) .................................................... 11, 17

    First Indus. Loan Co. of Cal. v. Daugherty, 26 Cal.2d 545 (1945) ............................................................. passim

    Ford Dealers Ass'n v. Dept. of Motor Vehicles, 32 Cal.3d 34 7 (1982) .............................................................. ; 14, 15

    In re Williamson, 43 Cal.2d 651 (1954) ........ .; ........................................................... 20

    Koontz v. St. Johns River Management District -- ses--e.s. __ .;, 1ss-s. ct. 25-Sff c2orsJ .................. : .......... .-.: .......... :2·s

    Kugler v. Yocum, ·--~ 69 Cal.2d 371 (1968) ..................................................................... 15

    Morris v. Williams, 67 Cal.2d 733 (1967) ............................................................... 11, 23

    111

  • People v. Chandler, 60 Cal.4th 508 (2014) .................................................................... 28

    O'Grady v. Super. Ct., 139 Cal.App.4th 1423 (2006) .................................................. 20, 27

    Physicians & Surgeons Labs., Inc. v. Dep 't of Health Servs., 6 Cal.App.4th 968 (1992) .................................................. 10, 13, 17

    Reno v. Baird, 18 Cal.4th 640 (1998) .............................................................. 21, 25

    Ry. Labors Execs. Ass'n v. Nat'l Mediation Bd., 29 F.3d 655 (D.C. Cir. 1994) ......................................................... 13

    State ex rel. Nee v. Unum provident Corp., 140 Cal.App.4th. 442 (2006) ................................................... 13, 23

    Verdugo v. Target, 59 Cal.4th 312 (2014) .............................................................. 20, 25

    W States Petroleum Ass'n v. Bd. of Equalization, 57 Cal.4th 401 (2013) .................................................................... 11

    Water Replenishment Dist. of S. Cal. v. City of Cerritos, 202 Cal.App.4th 1063 (2012) ........................................................ 10

    Whitcomb Hotel v. Cal. Emp't Comm'n, 24 Cal. 2d 753 (1944) .; .................................................................. 18

    Whitman v. Am. Trucking Ass'ns, Inc., 531 U.S. 457 (2001) '. ....................................................................... 19

    Yamaha Corp. of Am. v. State Bd. of Equalization, 19 Cal.4th 1 (1998) ........................................................................ 11

    Constitutional Erovisions

    California Constitution. Cal. Const., art. XIIIA, § 3 .............................. 28

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    I Statutes l Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95802 ............................................................. 21

    Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95811 ............................................................. 21

    Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95812 ............ : ................................................ 21

    Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95830-95834 .................................................. 22

    Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, §§ 95910-95914 ................................................ 22

    Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 98541. ............................................................ 21

    Gov't Code § 16428.8 ............................................................................... 22

    Health & Saf. Code§ 39712 .................................................................... 22

    Health & Saf. Code § 39716 .................................................................... 22

    Health & Saf. Code 39718 ....................................................................... 22

    Health & Saf. Code § 39713 .................................................................... 22

    Health & Saf. Code § 38570 .................................................................... 22

    Health & Saf. Code§ 38597 .............................................................. 27, 28

    Health & Saf. Code§§ 38500 et seq ........................................................ 21

    T Health & Saf. Code § 38562 .............................................................. 18, 26

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    Other Authorities

    Cass R. Sunstein, Interpreting Statutes in the Regulatory State Law ,,Jt. .

    and Administration After Chevron, 90 Col um. L. Rev. 2071 (1990) .. 17

    Henry P. Monaghan, Marbury and the Administrative State, 83 Colum. L. Rev. 1 (1983) ..................................................................................... 10

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    Nathan Sales & Jonathan H. Adler, The Rest is Silence: Chevron Deference, Agency Jurisdiction, and Statutory Silences, 2009 U. Ill. L. Rev. 1497 (2009) .......................................... '. ................................. 10, 17

    Hugh D. Spitzer, Taxes vs. Fees: A Curious Confusion, ···· ---%8-Efonz:-b:·-Rev:-··3·3·5-(2tl03}":::·.:·:-.:·::·~:.: ... ::.;::.: .... :.:.:· .... : ........ :.: ....... :24

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    APPLICATION TO FILE AMICI CURIAE BRIEF To the Honorable Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeal,

    Third Appellate District:

    Pursuant to Rule 8.200(c) of the California Rules of Court, the

    National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal

    Center ("NFIB Legal Center") and Associated California Loggers

    respectfully apply for leave to file an amici curiae brief in support of

    Plaintiffs and Appellants, California Chamber of Commerce, et al.,

    and Morning Star Company, et al., in these consolidated cases.1

    The NFIB Legal Center is a nonprofit, public interest law firm

    established to provide legal resources and be the voice for small

    business in the nation's courts through representation on issues of

    public interest affecting small business. The National Federation of

    Independent Business (NFIB) is the nation's leading small business

    association representing members in Washington, D.C., and all 50

    state capitols. Founded in 1943 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan

    organization, NFIB's mission is to promote and protect the rights of

    its members to own, operate and grow their businesses.

    NFIB represents approximately 350,000 members nationwide

    and its membership spans the spectrum of business operations,

    ranging from sole proprietor enterprises to firms with hundreds of

    1 As a courtesy, NFIB Legal Center notified Defendants-Respondents and Intervener-Respondents of its intention to file this amici brief, and respectfully requested their consent, on April 28, 2015. Defendants-Respondents stated that they do not oppose this application for leave to file the proposed amici curiae brief. Intervener-Respondents did not reply.

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    employees. While there is no standard definition of a "small

    business," the typical NFIB member employees 10 people and

    reports gross sales of about $500,000 a year. The NFIB membership

    is-a reflection of American small business. . ... - . . .

    To fulfill its role as the voice for small business, the NFIB

    Legal Center frequently files amici briefs in cases that will impact

    the small business community. NFIB Legal Center seeks to file in ·"

    this case because it raises an important issue for the small business

    comm unity-and one that arises frequently in regulatory cases.

    Specifically, this case raises the fundamental question of how courts

    should review potentially ultra uires regulations. As NFIB Legal

    Center recently explained in a letter brief to the California Supreme

    Court, "where a regulation is adopted without lawful authority, real

    lives are affected-often placing additional burdens and financial

    strains on small businesses that are already struggling." Letter Br.

    NFIB Legal Center, PaintCare u. Mortensen, Cal. Sup. Ct. Case No.

    8225105 (Apr. 17, 2015). Accordingly, the question presented in this

    case is not only of doctrinal importance, but also of tremendous

    practical importance for the small business community. Thus NFIB

    Legal Center's interest in this case transcends the substantive issue

    at hand.

    Y et1 __ t]:ie . NFIB Legal Center also wishes t_o ~VO!_~~ _ f3_J:!l:all

    business concerns over the auction emission regulations at issue .)\';

    here because those regulations drive up the cost of complying with

    the California Air Resources Board's (CARE) Cap-and-Trade

    Regulations. Those added compliance costs will directly affect those

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    small businesses subject to CARB's cap-and-trade regime, and will

    predictably affect other small businesses in their capacity as

    consumers. The small business community is especially concerned

    -that-tne 1rffsn.iled a:trctiori ···em1ssi6n.re·gulafiOiis-wilT resiiTfin-liigne-r . . energy costs.

    The cost of energy is already a top concern for small business

    owners nationally, and these concerns are heightened here in

    California as small business owners fear that CARB's cap-arid-trade

    regime-and the auctioning of emission allowances in particular-

    will exacerbate the problem of rising energy costs. Indeed, these

    interests are so great that the NFIB sought to intervene in this case.

    And though that application was denied as untimely, small business

    owners still have an interest in the questions presented. For these

    reasons NFIB Legal Center seeks to file an amici brief at this

    juncture.

    The Owner-Operated Independent Drivers Association, Inc.

    ("OOIDA"), is a trade association made up of independent, small

    business, and professional truck operators, many of whom operate in

    California. OOIDA is a not-for-profit corporation incorporated in

    1973 in the State of Missouri, with its principal place of business in

    Grain Valley, Missouri. OOIDA is the largest international trade

    association representing the interests of independent owner-- -·---

    operators, small business motor carriers and professional drivers.

    The 150,000 meri:ibers of OOIDA are professional drivers and small

    business men and women located in all 50 states and Canada. One-

    truck motor carriers represent nearly half the total number of active

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    motor carriers operating in the United States while approximately

    96 percent of active motor carriers operate 20 or fewer trucks.

    OOIDA joins this amici coalition out of concern that CARB's

    · -dHcisionto--a'Uction Bmtssion allowances, -.,_fnderit1:rcap-and-trade··--·-----·--

    program, will result in higher fuel costs-and therefore higher

    operating costs-for independent truckers. The assailed auction

    emission regulations directly raise compliance costs for covered

    entities, which includes fuel suppliers operating in California. Those

    fuel suppliers are expected to pass those added compliance costs on

    to consumers by charging higher rates to fuel distributors who will

    ultimately charge truckers more for their fuel needs. Thus OOIDA

    has keen interest in this proceeding because OOIDA has an interest

    keeping transportation costs economical for its members.

    The Associated California Loggers (ACL) is an association

    representing small and independent family owned logging

    businesses in California. ACL advocates on behalf of its members on

    issues impacting the logging industry and seeks to educate its

    members on pertinent regulations impacting their businesses. ACL

    shares NFIB Legal Center's concern over the impact that CARB's

    auction emission regulations will have on energy costs. ACL believes

    the auctioning of emission allowances will result in higher operating

    costs for ACL members. Further, ACL believes that at least some of ·- --- -··--···-----·-- --· ·---·-·---------·· ------- - -- - . -- --- ·-

    its members may be directly subject to CARB's cap~and-trade

    regulations and'·'\nay therein be directly burdened by the decision

    auction emission allowances because these auctions raise the cost of

    compliance for covered entities.

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    Amici have reviewed the briefs of the parties and is familiar

    with the issues presented. Amici believe that the proposed brief will

    assist the Court by addressing the fundamental doctrinal issues . -·----------·-·-~·---~~~~~-- ---~-· -~"~--·~~ ~""°"-=-=·-·-.. ~-- - .......... . - ... -·- --- ·- -~ - ·--------- --· --~--··--~-·~··-----"~---·---~· -~~ ·----·------------ ·-·-- - . - ··---.--·"----·-··"'- -------

    pre sen te d in this case. This amici curiae brief should prove

    especially helpful · in fleshing-out the doctrinal problems with

    Defendant-Respondents' "gap-filling" theory, which the superior

    court errantly invoked in concluding that CARE had authority to

    promulgate auction emission regulations in the face of glaring

    statutory silence. Specifically, the proposed brief addresses first

    principles of administrative law, and explains the irreconcilable

    conflict between the superior court's analytical approach and the

    well-established doctrine of California law that agencies are not

    entitled to deference on questions of their own jurisdiction.

    Accordingly, NFIB Legal Center respectfully urges this Court

    to grant this application and file the attached amici curiae brief.

    Dated: May 15, 2015

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    Respectfully submitted,

    NFIB Small Business Legal Center Luke A. Wake

    Benbrook Law Group, PC Bradley A. Benbrook

    ~t,L__~ Luke A. Wake

    Attorneys for Amici Curiae NFIB Small Business Legal Center

  • AMICI CURIAE BRIEF

    INTRODUCTION The question here is whether AB 32's general authorization

    -- --··-~~~--·-•~M-~••-'•~=~-~~ .. ~,••o-..,o ... ~ •-•••....-.·~-,·---....,,--" ··~.,- -~~--'-~·--~···~·--•--.,,-•·-· ~'•"-·~--~""""···~~,~~,u-,.~•••·--~·~·-----~--~--"·"--~·-.. -•,.••• ------•-•·--••••-• -·~--~~·-·--

    for the California Air Resources Board (CARE) to create a "market-

    based compliance mechanism." and to "design" a system. for the

    "distribution of emissions allowances" entails the authority to raise

    billions of dollars, through the auctioning of emission allowan.ces, as

    a by-product of cap-and-trade regulation. Of course a necessary

    component of any cap-and-trade regime is a program for distributing

    emission allowances. For this reason, authority to create a cap-and-

    trade program necessarily entails authority to make an initial

    allocation of credits. But, that does not necessarily entail-or even

    fairly imply-any authority to exact money from. the regulated

    comm.unity. To be sure, in this case CARE would accomplish the

    very same regulatory goal of reducing greenhouse gas ("GHG")

    emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020 if the agency had chosen to

    equitably distribute emission allowances among covered entities at

    no cost.

    Whether distributed at no cost, or by auction-as CARE has

    chosen-the regulatory effect is the same: covered entities must

    reduce their aggregate emissions in order to remain in compliance,

    and--m-ust-fu.Tther reduce emissions each year as GARB~ Fed-uces the

    annual supply 01,.allowance credits. Therefore, CARE's decision to

    auction emission allowances must be viewed as ultra vires because

    the act of exacting money from covered entities is not germane to

    goal of reducing GHG em1ss10ns. The auctions are entirely

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  • superfluous to that regulatory goal.

    CARB defends its decision to auction emission allowances on

    the view that AB 32 has conferred a broad and open-ended authority

    on the agency to fill-in gaps where the Legislature was silent. Thus

    despite the fact that the Act said nothing whatsoever about

    auctioning emission allowances, or for what purpose auction

    revenues might be devoted, CARB maintains that this Court should

    defer to its judgment that the Legislature intended to authorize the

    auctioning of emission allowances. The argument is circular-

    assuming delegation of gap-filling authority because the CARB has

    concluded that its authority should be so construed. But this free-

    wielding theory of "gap-filling authority" contravenes first principles

    of administrative law and conflicts with the well--established

    doctrine that California courts will not defer to an agency's

    interpretation on a jurisdictional question. Ultimately, CARB's

    proffered interpretation must be rejected as untenable in

    consideration of the canons of construction, including the canon

    expressio unius est exclusio alterius and the fundamental principle

    that courts will not infer a departure from common-law standards in

    the absence of a demonstrably clear affirmation oflegislative intent.

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    QUESTIONS PRESENTED Administrative agencies often claim broad "gap-filling authority"

    to regulate on matters for which the governing statute is silent. This

    case squarely raises these issues:

    1. Does the Air Resources Board have authority to auction

    emission allowances under its cap-and-trade program?

    2. Is it proper to infer that the Legislature intended to confer

    "gap-filling authority" to carry out regulatory acts that are not

    germane to-and do not directly advance-the Legislature's

    stated regulatory goal?

    STATEMENT OF CASE Amici adopt the statement of case and facts set forth in

    Plaintiffs-Appellants' respective briefs. Amici refer to Plaintiff-

    Appellants and Plaintiff-Intervenor collectively as "the Regulated

    Industry."

    ARGUMENT I. Regulatory Authority Cannot be Inferred From

    Statutory Silence

    A. State Agencies Have No Authority, Except What is Expressly Delegated

    Agencies are creatures of statute. Am. Fed'n of Labor v.

    Unemp't Ins. Appeals Ed., 13 Cal.4th 1017, 1042 (1996) ("It is well

    settled that administrative agencies have only the powers conferred

    on them."). They mdst solely by virtue oflegislative enactments. For

    this reason they have no inherent powers or prerogatives. See, e.g.,

    Bearden v. U.S. Borax, Inc., 138 Cal.App.4th 429, 435-36 (2006);

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    Water Replenishment Dist. of S. Cal. v. City of Cerritos, 202

    Cal.App.4th 1063, 1072 (2012).

    Agencies have no inherent powers, only delegated ones.

    That is why they are called 'administrative agencies'-

    they are created to administer programs established by

    [the Legislature], and in doing so they act as the

    [Legislature's] agents. As Professor Monaghan noted,

    "[T]he universe of each agency is limited by the

    legislative specifications contained in its organic act."

    This means that [the Legislature] must delegate an

    agency power to act. If [the Legislature] [does] not act,

    the agency [has] no authority.

    Nathan Sales & Jonathan H. Adler, The Rest is Silence: Chevron

    Deference, Agency Jurisdiction, and Statutory Silences, 2009 U. Ill.

    L. Rev. 1497, 1504 (2009) (quoting Henry P. Monaghan, Marbury

    and the Administrative State, 83 Colum. L. Rev. 1, 14 (1983)).

    Accordingly, the agency bears the burden of demonstrating

    that it has been affirmatively authorized to undertake a challenged

    action. See First Indus. Loan Co. of Cal. v. Daugherty, 26 Cal.2d 545,

    549-550 (1945) (explaining that an agency must demonstrate that a

    regulation "falls within the power specifically conferred upon the

    [agency]"). In keeping with the understanding that an agency's

    lawful authority is limited by the text of the governing statute, ,.;'1,

    California courts hold that no deference is owed to an agency's

    interpretation of jurisdictional language. Physicians & Surgeons

    Labs., Inc. v. Dep 't of Health Servs., 6 Cal.App.4th 968, 982 (1992)

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  • ("Thus, the first task of the reviewing court is to decide [whether]

    the agency reasonably interpreted its legislative mandate as

    regulations that alter or amend the statute or enlarge or impair its

    scope are void."); Enutl. Prat. Info. Ctr. u. Dep 't of Forestry & Fire

    Prat., 43 Cal.App.4th 1011, 1022 (1996). In the absence of a clear

    and unambiguous textual grant of authority, the agency bears a

    heavy burden to justify an assertion of regulatory authority. See W.

    States Petroleum Ass'n u. Ed. of Equalization, 57 Cal.4th 401, 415

    (2013) (affirming that courts exercise independent judgment "when

    an implementing regulation is challenged on the ground that it is 'in

    conflict with the statute' ... or does not 'lay within the lawmaking

    authority delegated by the Legislature"') (quoting Yamaha Corp. of

    Am. u. State Ed. of Equalization, 19 Cal.4th 1, 10-11 & n.4 (1998)).

    vVhere the statute is seemingly silent on a specific matter for

    which an agency asserts regulatory authority, it is necessary to

    engage in a critical analysis of the statutory framework-employing

    the canons of construction to ascertain the meaning of jurisdictional

    language. See Envtl. Prat. Info. Ctr, 43 Cal.App.4th at 1022. In some

    cases, authority is implicitly derived from an express authorization

    to carry out a given act because a specific authorization necessarily

    entails authorization to carry out those actions necessary to

    a~d~_9.1.1:~t~~rc~1:?1J2lete the task. See Morris v. William[!, 67 Qal]

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    demonstrating that its proffered interpretation is the most

    reasonable-taking into account the structure of the act as whole,

    pertinent legislative history, and all of the canons of construction.

    See Ass'n of Cal. Insurance Cos. v. Jones, 235 Cal.App.4th 1009

    (2015) ("[N]either the trial court nor we are required to give

    deference to an administrative agency's interpretation of the scope of

    its own authority.").

    B. CARB's Theory of Unbounded "Gap-Filling Authority" is Untenable

    In the absence of any specific statutory authorization for its

    conduct, CARE contends that the Legislature has conferred "gap-~

    filling authority" in the general charge to reduce greenhouse gas

    emissions, and in the broad authorization to create a market-based

    cap-and-trade system. 2 But this invocation of the "gap-filling"

    2 As a threshold matter, CARE argues that the statutory authorization to "design" a system for the "distribution of emissions allowances" constitutes a direct authorization to auction emission allowances. But that argument still infers authority from silence. CARE assigns meaning to this language that is neither plain nor compelled from context. The most natural reading of this authorization is that the Legislature intended to make explicit what was already implicit-i.e., that the Legislature has given CARE the tools necessary to establish a cap-and-trade program, which necessarily requires a system for distributing emission allowances. Indeed, every cap-and-trade program must include some program for distributing credits among regulated entities. But as the Regulated Industry has demonstrated, there are many cap-and-trade programs that distribute emission allowances without auctioning credits. See E.g., Cal. Envtl. Protection Agency, South Coast Air Quality Mgmt. Dist., Rule Book (outlining rules for a cap-and-trade program predating AB 32, which distributed credits without charge), online at http://www.arb.ca.gov/drdb/sc/cur.htm.

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    doctrine is misplaced. CARB's approach must be rejected because it

    would give administrative agencies free-wielding powers to do

    anything not expressly prohibited by the statute, so long as the

    agency's interpretation seems consistent with the spirit, or the

    purpose, of the regime.

    Indeed, a presumption of "gap-filling authority" would turn

    first principles of administrative law on their head. State ex rel. Nee

    v. Unumprovident Corp., 140 Cal.App.4th. 442, 452-53 (2006)

    (reaffirming the principle that "[a] ministerial officer may not ...

    under the guise of a rule or regulation vary or enlarge the terms of a

    legislative enactment or compel that to be done which lies without

    the scope of the statute and which cannot be said to be reasonably

    necessary ... ") (quoting First Indus. Loan Co., 26 Cal.2d at 550); see

    also Ry. Labors Execs. Ass'n v. Nafl 111ediation Ed., 29 F.3d 655, 659

    (D.C. Cir. 1994) (reasoning that a presumption of delegated power

    absent an express withholding of such power "comes close to saying

    that the [agency] has power to do whatever it pleases merely by

    virtue of its existence .... "). An agency's authority simply cannot be

    presupposed. Such an assumption runs contrary to the basic precept

    that agencies have only those powers expressly delegated-and

    contrary to the doctrine that agencies are not entitled to deference

    on questions of their own jurisdiction. Physicians & Surgeons Labs.,

    6 Cal.App.4th at 982.

    13

  • i. Agencies Have Authority to Act Only Within the Scope a Statutory Charge-· to Directly Advance the Legislature's Regulatory Goals

    CARB cites Ford Dealers Ass'n u. Dept. of Motor Vehicles, 32

    Cal.3d 34 7 (1982), in support of its assertion that the Legislature

    has delegated authority for it to "'fill up the details'" of AB 32's

    "complex and multi-pronged regulatory program." (Resp.'s Br. of Cal.

    Air Resources Bd. at 29.) But that decision does not stand for the

    proposition that an agency may fill-in gaps on matters for which the

    governing statute is utterly silent, where-as in this case-the

    contested act is not germane to any explicit authorization. Ford

    Dealers did not endorse an untethered theory of "gap-filling

    authority" that would enable an agency to write text into a statute.

    On the contrary, that case explains that, when confronted with

    vague language, an agency may promulgate regulations to clarify its

    meaning-consistent with the agency's statutory charge. Id. at 362-

    63. That rule is consistent with the first rule of administrative law:

    that agencies only have those powers that the Legislature has

    affirmatively delegated.

    In Ford Dealers, a trade association contested the Department

    of Motor Vehicle's authority to promulgate regulations defining

    certain communications as deceptive because the Legislature had

    not specifically identified those communications as deceptive in the

    governing statute. Icf,. at 356-57. But the Supreme Court rejected

    those arguments because DMV was vested with the authority to

    promulgate regulations as necessary to regulate deceptive

    advertisements; the Court reasoned that this charge to enforce a

    14

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  • prohibition on deceptive advertisements required the agency to

    interpret what the Legislature intended to be covered. Id. at 363

    ("DMV clearly has the discretion to decide that statements such as

    -those at issue here are inherently misfeading."). Thus the Court

    recognized that DMV had authority to "fill up the details" of that

    regulatory regime-but only because it determined that DMV was

    drawing within the statutory lines. Id. at 362 (quoting Kugler u.

    Yocum, 69 Cal.2d 371, 376 (1968)).

    This understanding is confirmed on examination of the line of

    cases that Ford Dealers relied upon. Specifically, the Court cited

    Kugler, which dealt with the question of whether the Legislature

    could constitutionally delegate powers to an agency to fill-in details

    of a regulatory regime. 69 Cal.2d at 376. There, the Court explained

    that "[t]he Legislature may, after declaring a policy and fixing a

    primary standard, confer upon executive or administrative officers

    the 'power to fill up the details' by prescribing administrative rules

    and regulations to promote the purposes of the legislation and to

    carry it into effect . ... " Id. (quoting First Indus. Loan Co., 26 Cal.2d

    at 549 (1945) (emphasis added)). Likewise, First Industrial Loan Co.

    affirmed the Legislature's power to delegate authority to an agency

    to promulgate rules and regulations consistent with a "policy" or

    "p~~~~!l st~~~~~~" fixe_~ by statute, which might in_dllde "g-ap·f~lli11,g-_ authority"-if expressly conferred. 26 Cal.2d at 549 .

    • _J\1

    Those cases stand only for the unremarkable proposition that

    an agency may be delegated the authority to fill-in the details of a

    statute within the scope of a general authorization, such that an

    15

  • authorization to regulate greenhouse gas emissions may authorize

    CARB to take a whole host of regulatory actions directly advancing

    that regulatory objective. See, e.g., Engine Mfrs. Ass'n v. Cal. Air

    Resources Bd., 231 Cal.App.4th 1022, 1039-41 (2014) (concluding

    that CARB's mandate to adopt regulations to reduce GHGs

    conferred broad enough authority to require compliance testing on

    in-use heavy-duty engines). But none of those cases support CARB's

    free-wielding assertion that an agency may invoke "gap-filling

    authority" to carry out an act that is in no way germane to the direct

    advancement of regulatory goals set forth by statute. 3 Such a rule

    would enable an agency to supplement its delegated powers to

    accomplish tangential goals that the Legislature never

    contemplated. Here CARB seeks to contort the concept of"gap-filling

    authority" in a manner that would validate any regulatory action

    that the agency thinks promotes sound policy-so long as it is not

    inconsistent with the text of AB 32. That is a perversion the "gap-

    3 In each of the cases CARB that relies on, the regulation was logically within the field of authority conferred and directly advanced the Legislature's explicit regulatory objectives-as determined by a court in review of the full statutory regime. Ralphs Grocery Co. v. Reimel, 69 Cal.2d 172, 182-83 (1968) (holding that a broad statutory authorization to "foster and encourage the orderly wholesale marketing and wholesale distribution of beer" could reasonably be construed as conferring authority to prohibit quantity discounts on the sale of beer); Credit Ins. Gen. Agents Ass'n of Cal. v .

    .•. 'j,.

    Payne, 16 Cal.3d 651, 656-57 (1976) (reading a general rulemaking. provision, in conjunction with other provisions authorizing the insurance commissioner to disapprove of insurance forms that are determined to be "unjust, unfair, inequitable,"· etc., as authorizing regulation of commission rates for insurance agents).

    16

  • filling" doctrine because it infers "gap-filling" powers from utter

    silence.

    ii. It is Improper to Assume "Gap-Filling" Authority

    Where an agency claims '1gap-filling" authority to regulate on

    a matter that is arguably within the scope of a general statutory

    charge, California courts do not defer to that assertion of authority.

    See Envtl. Prat. Info. Ctr., 43 Cal.App.4th at 1022 ("[The] standard of

    review is one of respectful nondeference."). Such deference would be

    inappropriate because jurisdictional language is, by its very nature,

    intended to limit the scope of powers conferred. Sales & Adler,

    supra, at 1541-43. Indeed, to defer to an agency on a question of the

    scope of its own powers would be to let foxes guard the hen-house.

    See Cass R. Sunstein, Interpreting Statutes in the Regulatory State

    Law and Administration After Chevron, 90 Colum. L. Rev. 2071,

    2097 (1990) (observing that, "in Anglo-American law, those limited

    by law are generally not empowered to decide on the meaning of the

    limitation.").

    Deference toward an agency's assertion of jurisdiction would

    encourage self-aggrandizement of power. Sales & Adler, supra, at

    1501-02. It would enable an agency to exploit any ambiguity in

    jurisdictional language to advance its proffered policies, and, more

    realistically, its institutional interests. Id. at 1548. For all of these

    reasons, California c@urts rightly hold that agencies are not entitled

    deference on questions of their own jurisdiction. Physicians &

    Surgeons Labs., Inc., 6 Cal.App.4th at 982; see also Sales & Adler,

    supra, at 1535 ("However much expertise agencies may have at

    17

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  • answering technical or policy questions, they have no institutional.

    advantage in resolving jurisdictional questions.").

    In the face of this doctrine CARE contends that this Court

    should assume the agency's authority to auction emission

    allowances. The argument holds that through the general mandate

    to reduce California's GHGs, and the general authorization to create

    a cap-and-trade system, the Legislature has conferred broad "gap-

    filling authority" upon the agency to "design" the cap-and-trade

    program in whatever manner CARE thinks most prudent. CARE

    contends that the only substantive limitations on its authority were

    set forth in discrete requirements to take into account certain

    considerations in the process of promulgating its cap-and-trade

    regulations; however, by that logic an agency could convert general

    language in any statute into a free-wielding power to act in any

    manner not explicitly forbidden by the statute. 4 Accordingly, this

    Court must reject CARB's unfettered "gap-filling" view of

    administrative law by affirming that no deference is owed to an

    agency's assertion of authority. See Ass'n of Cal. Ins. Cos., 235

    Cal.App.4th at 1009 (holding that an assertion of gap-filling

    authority must be rejected in light of the canon expressio unius est

    exclusio alterius). "Whatever the force of administrative construction

    ... final responsibility for the interpretation of the law rests with

    the courts." Whitcomb Hotel v. Cal. Emp't Comm'n, 24 Cal. 2d 753,

    757 -58 (1944). .,

    4 Health & Safety Code section 38562, subdivision (b)(l) sets forth those considerations that CARE was required to weigh in designing its system for allocation of emission allowances.

    18

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  • iii. A General Grant of Authority Must be Construed Narrowly in Consideration of the Canons of Construction

    Every delegation of regulatory authority must be construed to

    have principled limitations-otherwise it would run afoul of the non-

    delegation doctrine. First Indus. Loan Co., 26 Cal.2d at 549. On a

    more fundamental level, every delegation must be understood to

    entail limits because a conferral of jurisdictional authority

    necessarily outlines the nature-and therefore the scope-of the

    authority conferred. Id. at 550. But even where the text of a statute

    suggests a seemingly broad delegation of regulatory authority, it is

    important to remember that statutory provisions are never read in

    isolation; they must be harmonized within the larger statutory

    ,regime. Ass 1n of Cal. Ins. Cos., 235 Cal.App.4th at 1009 ("We deduce

    that authority from the language of the statute itself by applying

    familiar maxims of statutory construction.") This means that in

    many cases an otherwise broad conferral of authority must be

    understood as cabined by a rational construction of the Act as a

    whole. Id.

    In this case it is especially important to keep in mind that an

    assertion of regulatory authority is highly questionable on a matter

    for which one would expect the Legislature to have spoken more

    directly or specifically. Cal. Redev. Ass'n v. Matosantos, 53 Cal.4th

    231, 260-61 (2011) (qbserving that "drafters oflegislation 'do not ...

    hide elephants in mouseholes."') (quoting Whitman v. Am. Trucking

    Ass'ns, Inc., 531 U.S. 457, 468 (2001)). For example, where a statute

    expressly authorizes an agency to regulate X and Y, but makes no

    19

  • mention of Zed, the only logical conclusion is that the Legislature

    did not intend to authorize regulation of Zed. O'Grady v. Super. Ct.,

    139 Cal.App.4th 1423, 1443 (2006) (affirming the principle that

    statutes are "presumed to exclude things not mentioned"). Even if

    the agency could point to general language that might justify its

    regulation of Zed, if read in isolation, the more specific provisions

    outlining the requirements to regulate X and Y-but neglecting any

    mention of Zed-belie any assertion that the Legislature intended to

    confer "gap-filling authority" to regulate Zed. See In re Williamson,

    43 Cal.2d 651, 654 (1954) (recognizing specific language must be

    given effect over more general language).

    Another relevant principle of construction holds that an

    interpretation should not be presumed if it would displace common

    law standards or principles. '"[U]nless expressly provided, statutes

    should not be interpreted to alter the common law, and should be

    construed to avoid conflict with common law rules."' Verdugo v.

    Target, 59 Cal.4th 312, 326 (2014) (quoting Cal. Ass'n of Health

    Facilities v. Dept. of Health Servs., 16 Cal.4th 284, 297 (1997)).

    Accordingly, if the statutory text is silent on a question, and there

    are two proffered interpretations, the better interpretation is that

    which protects settled expectations. Id. In such a case, it must be

    presumed that the Legislature would have spoken more clearly if it

    intended a departure from the status quo. Id. at 326-27. Thus, an

    interpretation should be rejected-especially when inferred from

    silence-if it would impose substantially greater burdens on

    individuals exercising common law rights than would be necessary

    20

  • under an alternative reading that just as well advances the same

    regulatory goal. See Reno v. Baird, 18 Cal.4th 640, 652 (1998)

    (rejecting an interpretation that would impose severe adverse effects

    on the regulated comm unity-but with only "minimal potential

    [public] benefit[s]"-on the presumption the Legislature would not

    have intended such a result).

    II. The Legislature Denied CARB Authority to Auction Emission Allowances

    A. Authority to Restrict GHG Emissions Does Not Authorize Monetary Exactions

    The Global Warming Solutions Act charges CARB with

    promulgating regulations to achieve the legislative goal of reducing

    GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Health & Safety Code §§

    38500 et seq. To that end, CARE was authorized to implement a cap-

    and-trade program utilizing a "market-based compliance

    mechanism." Id., §§ 38505(k); 38570. And the agency has decided to

    move forward with plans to implement a cap-and-trade regime-

    w herein "covered entities"5 are required to obtain "emission

    allowances"6 in order to continue emitt_ing GHGs. 7 Cal. Code Regs.,

    tit. 17, §§ 98541.

    5 Entities in specified industries-for example, the food processing industry-are considered "covered entities" if they annually emit 25,000 metric tons of GHGs. Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, §§ 95802(a); 95811; 95812.)

    .. \\ 6 Each emission allowance authorizes the holder to "emit up to one metric ton ... of any GHG specified in§ 95810, subject to ... [specified limitations]." Cal. Code Regs., tit. 17, § 95820.) 7 Each year the regulations provide that CARB will issue fewer and fewer emission allowances, therein ensuring that over time

    21

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  • To make the system work, the CARE needed to determine how

    emission allowances should be allocated among covered entities. One

    option would have been to freely distribute each year's emission

    allowances in an equitable manner. Instead, CARE decided to

    auction the remaining portion to the highest bidder-therein

    exacting billions of dollars from the regulated community. Cal. Code

    Regs., tit. 17, §§ 95830-95834, and 95910-95914.)

    CARE invokes AB 32 as its authority to conduct these

    auctions; however, AB 32 never mentions the word "auction." Nor

    does the Act include the words "proceeds" or "revenues." For that

    matter, AB 32 never gives any indication that the Legislature

    contemplated how auction proceeds might be used. 8

    CARE can only point to general language authorizing it to

    implement a cap-and-trade regime. Health & Safety Code§ 38570 (c)

    (stating CARB "shall adopt regulations governing how market-based

    compliance mechanisms may be used by regulated entities subject to

    greenhouse gas emission limits ... to achieve compliance."). But,

    whilethe statute clearly authorized CARE to impose GHG emission

    restrictions using a "market-based compliance mechanism," CARB's

    assumed authority to raise revenues in allocating emission

    "covered entities" are forced to reduce their aggregate emissions. 8 The Legislatu;re subsequently enacted statutes to appropriate any revenues collected through CARB's auctions; however, those enactment do not speak to whether CARE was authorized, under AB 32, to auction emission allowances. (Gov't Code § 16428.8 (b)-(d); Health & Saf. Code §§ 39712(a)-(c), 39716(a)-(c), 39718(a)-(b); § 39713(b).)

    22

  • allowances-through an auction-is based on a highly questionable

    inference.

    The problem is that authority to auction emission allowances

    cannot be inferreclfrom the general grant of authority to establish a

    cap-and-trade regime because it not reasonably necessary to raise

    revenues through an auction in order to either enforce compliance

    with a market-based cap-and-trade system or to meet AB 32's

    regulatory goal of reducing GHG em1ss10n levels. See

    Unumprovident Corp., 140 Cal.App.4th at 452-53 (emphasizing that

    an explicit authorization only confers implicit authority to do what is

    "reasonably necessary" to carry out the general charge); First Indus.

    Loan Co., 26 Cal.2d at 550 (same); Morris, 67 Cal.2d 733 at 737

    (same).

    When scrutinized, it is plain that ARB does not seek to color

    within the lines, but to draw outside the lines that the Legislature

    established with enactment of AB 32. ARB is authorized to create a

    cap-and-trade regime, but this authorization must be understood in

    context. See Ass'n of Cal. Ins. Cos., 235 Cal.App.4th at 1009. The

    Legislature delegated regulatory authority only for the purpose of

    effecting a statewide reduction in GHG emissions. Viewed through

    that contextual lens, ARB's asserted authority to auction emission

    allowances is misplaced because it is unrelated to the goal of

    reducing GHGs.

    To be sure, ARB would achieve its regulatory goals in the

    same manner whether emission allowances are equitably allocated

    at no charge among covered entities, or auctioned to the highest

    23

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    ·bidder.Both distribution methods yield the very same result. Either

    way, covered entities are forced to reduce their aggregate statewide

    emissions to conform with ARB's descending annual cap on GHG

    emissions-which is (either way) proportional to the number of

    emission allowances that ARB chooses to issue in any given year.

    The only difference is that in auctioning emission allowances ARB

    can exact monies from. covered entities.9

    Thus it is evident that ARB's asserted authority to auction

    emission allowances is extraneous: it falls beyond the scope of the

    general authorization to design a system for the distribution of

    emission allowances. See First Indus. Loan Co., 26 Cal.2d at 550

    (affirming that a general authorization only confers power to do that

    which is "reasonably necessary or appropriate to subserv[e] or

    promot[e] the interests and purposes of the statute."). And that

    understanding-implicit in the very structure of the Act-is only

    confirmed by the fact that ARB's interpretation would result in

    substantially greater compliance costs for the regulated comm unity,

    a result that would only make sense if the Legislature had been

    explicit in authorizing the auctioning of emission allowances.

    Indeed, the decision to auction emission allowances adds

    tremendously to the burden of compliance because covered entities

    must not only find ways to reduce emissions, but must-under

    9 Amici maintain that this exaction constitutes an illegal tax. But either way, the exaction ofm.oney-whether viewed as a fee or a tax-achieves something extraneous to the goal of forcing regulated entities to reduce GHGs. See Hugh D. Spitzer, Taxes vs. Fees: A Curious Confusion, 38 Ganz. L. Rev. 335, 343 (2003).

    24

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    ARB's regulations-pay for the right to continue emitting where

    they would otherwise be afforded that right at no cost. 10

    B. The Act Entails Textual Cues that the Legislature Did Not Intend to Authorize Auctions and Intended to Minimize the Cost of Compliance

    In the absence of clear and definitive language, it would be

    unreasonable to assume that the Legislature intended to impose

    billions of dollars in added compliance costs on the regulated

    community. 11 Cf. Verdugo, 59 Cal.4th at 326. Further, in this case

    there are firm textual clues-in the plain language of the Act-

    10 In the coming years CARE plans to auction up to half of its aggregate annual emission allowances; however, under CARB's view the agency might just as well choose to auction all of emission allowances: That would radically drive up compliance costs for the regulated community all the more. Further, CARB's theory would seemingly enable the agency to ratchet up compliance costs further by raising the floor price at which it might sell emission allowances. Simply put, CARB's construction would enable the agency to exact far greater revenues than the estimated $12-$70 billion that the current regime is anticipated to raise for the State. Amici maintain the Legislature would have spoken more clearly if it had intended to write ARB a blank check to exact unbounded revenues. 11 Clearly the Legislature intended a departure from the common law in authorizing imposition of a cap-and-trade regime because the Legislature was explicit in authorizing CARE to regulate GHG emissions that covered entities would otherwise be free to emit. But CARB's purported authority to auction emission allowances presumes a further departure from common law standards, wherein property owners must not only obtain a permission slip to continue emitting GHGs, but most now pay for that right. For this reason as well, CARB's interpretat_ion should be rejected. Reno 18 Cal.4th at 652 (emphasizing that a statutory construction should be rejected if it would impose significant added regulatory burdens without substantially advancing the statute's

    25

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    confirming that the Legislature intended ARB to choose a system of

    allocation that minimizes compliance costs. For example, AB 32

    provides that ARB should: "[d]esign ... regulations, including

    distribution of e:rnissions allowances where appropriate, in a manner

    that is equitable, seeks to minimize costs and maximize the total

    benefits to California, and encourages early action to reduce

    greenhouse gas emissions." Health & Safety Code § 38562 (b )(1)

    (emphasis added).

    ARB suggests that its decision to auction emission allowances

    is reasonable because, in charging the regulated community billions

    of dollars for those credits, the agency believes it may encourage

    early compliance by "reward[ing] those firms that reduce emissions

    in order to avoid purchasing allowances." (ARB Br. at 14.) But this

    reliance on the mandate to consider a distribution system

    "encourag[ing] early action" is misplaced. First, as an empirical

    matter, it is highly debatable whether ARB's plans to auction

    emission allowances did much-if anything-to encourage covered

    entities to reduce GHG emissions early on. Second, ARB's logic

    utterly ignores the statute's requirement that ARB should "seek to

    minimize costs and maximize the total benefits to California .... "

    Health & Safety Code§ 38562(b)(l). To be sure, ARB's rationale for

    why the regime might (theoretically) encourage early compliance is

    entirely predicated upon the fact that the auctioning of emission

    allowances results in added compliance costs that will be financially

    painful for California's business community-and ultimately

    regulatory goals).

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    consumers. Third, these provisions can be perfectly harmonized if

    interpreted as authorizing an equitable distribution of emission

    allowances at no cost to covered entities. 12 Clearly, this approach

    would further the Legislature's goal of reducing GHG emissions to '

    1990 levels without imposing unnecessary costs on the regulated

    comm unity and consumers.

    Finally, ARB's theory of broad "gap-filling authority" cannot

    justify the auctioning of emission allowances because the

    Legislature explicitly authorized ARB to exact monies from covered

    entities in the provision authorizing the exaction of fees. Health &

    Safety Code§ 38597. This demonstrates that the Legislature knows

    how to authorize the exaction of monies when it intends to confer

    · such authority. Indeed, under the maxim expressio unius est exclusio

    alterius, the inclusion of an express authorization to exact fees in

    one provision strongly implies the denial of any inferential authority

    to exact monies under a more general provision. O'Grady, 139

    Cal.App.4th at 1443; Ass'n of Cal. Ins. Cos., 235 Cal.App.4th at 1009.

    That presumption is all the greater here because the auctioning of

    emission allowances enables ARB to exact far more than is

    12 Amici maintain that one reasonable approach-and perhaps a more equitable solution-would have simply awarded proportionally more emission allowances (at no cost) to smaller entities. This would encourage larger entities-which have greater capital assets and or access to capital-to invest in green technologies. This approach would have minimized costs to Californians while achieving the same regulatory goals, and would further avoid the inequitable problems that arise with auctioning of emission allowances, whereby larger firms have an unfair competitive advantage over smaller firms.

    27

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    authorized under the provision authorizing the collection of fees.

    r Health & Safety Code § 38597. Indeed, it is unfathomable that the

    Legislature would explicitly spell out authority to exact a modest

    fee, but wo;id i;tend for an inference of authority to effect a far greater monetary exaction. 13

    13 The canon of constitutional avoidance offers yet another compelling reason to reject a construction authorizing CARB to exact billions of dollars from the regulated comm unity. People v. Chandler, 60 Cal.4th 508, 524 (2014). Regardless of whether the exaction is characterized as a "tax" or "fee"-CARB's construction raises serious constitutional problems. If understood as a tax, the auctioning of emission allowances violates the California Constitution. Cal. Const., art. XIIIA, § 3. But if understood as imposing monetary fees on the regulated community, the auctioning of emission allowances raises a constitutional problem under the Takings Clause of the United States Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court made this clear in 2013 with its decision in Koontz v. St. Johns River Management District, which held that the Takings Clause prohibits government from conditioning the right to use private property on a requirement to pay a fee-except in cases where the fee bears a nexus, and is roughly proportional, as determined on an individualized basis, to an adverse impact that the owner's conduct might have on the public. 568 U.S. ---,133 S. Ct. 2586 (2013);LukeA. Wake &JarodM. -Bona, Legislative Exactions After Koontz v. St. Johns River Management Distri'ct (forthcoming in Geo. Int'l Envtl. L. Rev., fall 2015) (observing that "Koontz calls into question permitting regimes requiring applicants to pay into special funds-regardless of which public goals they seek to advance.") (manuscript at 46, online at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm? abstract_id=2564205).

    28

  • CONCLUSION

    For the foregoing reasons, amici respectfully urge this Court

    ,i I

    I to reverse the decision of the Superior Court. I

    " ~-------------·-··········· ·········-····-···•"''----·--·-·•«•••«·-······-···-.. -·---.. --.;

    Respectfully submitted, Ii

    Dated: May 15, 2015

    29

    NFIB Small Business Legal Center Luke A. Wake

    Benbrook Law Gro~p, PC Bradley A. Benbrook

    -~.~ ~s-LukeA. Wake

    Attorneys for Amici Curiae NFIB Small Business Legal Center

  • WORD COUNT CERTIFICATION I certify, pursuant to Rule 8.204(c) of the California Rules of

    Court, that the at~9:ched brief, including footnotes, but excluding the

    caption page, tables, and this certification, as measured by the word

    count of the computer program used to prepare the brief, contains

    5,663 words.

    Dated: May 15, 2015

    ~-£.=----LukeA. Wake

    30

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    PROOF OF SERVICE

    CASE NO. C075954 and C075930

    -----------·---··---''''''"'"-"'''""'-''"'-··-,,,,,,,,_,,,,_,,, ___ ,, __ ,,_,,,, .. ,------... -The undersigned hereby certifies as follows:

    I am an employee of the law firm of Benbrook Law Group, PC, 400 Capitol Mall, Suite 1610, Sacramento, California. I am over 18 years of age and am not a party to the within action.

    On May 15, 2015 I served a true copy of the foHowing document:

    APPLICATION TO FILE AMICI CURIAE BRIEF AND AMIC{CURIAE BRIEF OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT

    BUSINESS SMALL BUSINESS LEGAL CENTER, OWNER-OPERATED INDEPENDENT DRIVERS ASSOCIATION, INC., AND ASSOCIATED

    . . CALIFORNIA LOGGERS IN SUPPORT OF APPELLANTS

    on the party(ies) in this action by placing a true copy thereof in a sealed envelope( s ), addressed as follows:

    --Theodore Hadzi-Antich Pacific Legal F0tmdation 930 G Street Sacramento, CA 95814

    Attorney for: Morning Star Packing Co.

    Matthew Dwight Zim1 Shute Mihaly & Weinberger, LLP 396 Hayes Street San Francisco, CA 94102

    Attorney for: Environmental Defense Fund James R. Parrinello Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Gross & Leoni 2350 Kerner Boulevard, Suite 250

    -Sancl{afaelrCA.-949-01. - . --·

    Attorney for: California Ch'1mber of Commerce --~

    Gavin Geraghty McCabe Offiice of the Attorney General PO Box 70550 Oakland, CA 94612-0550

    Atiorney for: California Air Resources Board

    David Alexander Zonana Office of the State Attorney General 1515 Clay Street, 20th Floor P.O. Box 70550 Oakland, CA 94612-0550

    Attorney for: California Air Resources Board et al.

    Erica Morehouse Martin Environmental Defense Fund 1107 9th Street, Suite 1070 Sacramento, CA 95814

    Attorney for: Environmental Defense Fund Robert E. Asperger Office of the State Attorney General P.O. Box 944255 1300 I Street Suite 125 Sacramento, CA-94244 -- .. - -----· - ------ ...

    Attorney for: California Air Resources Board

    Sean A. Commons Sidley Austin LLP 555 West 5th Street Los Angeles, CA 90013

    Attorney for: National Association of Manufactures

    PROOF OF SERVICE

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    Eric D. McAlihur Paul J. Zidlicky Sidley Austin LLP Sidley Austin LLP 1501 K Street NW 1501 K Street NW Washington, DC 20005 • Washinb,ton, DC 20005

    Attorney for: National Association of Attorney for: National Association of M1:1.1,rnfactures . - - ·--- ---···-- ··-- . . Manufactures .. . .... Roger R. Martella, Jr. Matthew Dwight Zinn Sidley Austin LLP Shute Mihaly & Weinberger 1501 K Street NW 396 Hayes St Washington, DC 20005 San Francisco, CA 94102

    Attorney for: National Association of Manufactures

    Attorney for: Environmental Defense Fund

    Sean H. Donahue Erica Morehouse Martin Donahue & Goldberg Environmental Defense Fund 2000 L Street, NW, Suite 808 1107 9th Street, Suite 1070 Washington, DC 20036 Sacramento, CA 95814

    Attorney for: Environmental Defense Fund Attorney for: Environmental Defense Fund David Richard Pettit Sacramento Superior Court Natural Resources Defense Council 720 9111 Street 1314 2nd Street Sacramento, CA 95814 Santa Monica, CA 90401

    Attorney for: Resources Defense Council Supreme Court of California 350 McAllister Street San Francisco, CA 94102-4 797

    (4 CoDies)

    XX (BY MAIL) I placed such sealed envelope, with postage fully prepaid for first-class mail, for collection and mailing at Benbrook Law Group, PC, Sacramento, California following ordinary business practices. I am readily familiar with the practice of Benbrook Law Group, PC for collection and processing of correspondence, said practice being that in the ordinary course of business, correspondence is deposited in the United States Postal Service the same day as it is placed for collection. ·

    ___ (HAND-DELIVERY) by sending a true copy thereof in an envelope addressed as indicated above, and by then sealing said envelope(s) and giving the same to a messenger for personal delivery.

    I declare under pen'alty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America and the

    State of California that the foregoing is true and correct.

    Dated: May 15, 2015 Kelly McConnen

    PROOF OF SERVICE