The California Air Resources Board (CARB) invites California tribes to participate in a listening session focused on the Drive Forward Initiative, which is the next phase of policies to support clean transportation. During this listening session, CARB staff will hold a discussion about CARB’s Drive Forward initiative, clean transportation incentives, and listen to tribes regarding clean transportation needs, concerns, and questions.

The meeting will be held via Zoom on:

Date:               Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Time:              10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time (PT) 
Remote:         Zoom Registration (https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/wZXLiIJDQDeI8cFVt0kVyg)
Call-in:           A call-in number will be provided upon registration.

Download the flyer (https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2026-01/TLS_flyer_021726.pdf)

All interested California tribes, tribal representatives, tribal-serving organizations, and interested parties are invited to attend. Please register above to participate. Once registered, you will receive an email with instructions on how to join the meeting using a digital/computer device or by telephone, on the day of the meeting.

Meeting materials will be available on this webpage approximately one week prior to the webinar being held. For more information about this and other CARB tribal activities, visit the Tribal Relations webpage (https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/tribal-relations).

Agenda

10:00 a.m. - Welcome & Opening
10:10 a.m. - Drive Forward Presentation (https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2026-02/Drive%20Forward%20Tribal%20Listening%20Session%20Presentation.pdf) and Discussion
11:20 a.m. - Tribal Transportation Electrification Spotlight
11:35 a.m. -  Next Steps and Tribal Engagement
11:45 a.m. - Tribal-Only Convening

All times are approximate — if a topic concludes early, CARB will proceed with the next item.

Background

Working closely with California Native American tribes is an essential part of CARB’s mission to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through the effective and efficient reduction of air pollutants. Governor Brown signed Executive Order B-10-11 (https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A//www.ca.gov/archive/gov39/2011/09/19/news17223/index.html&data=05%7C02%7CLarry.Rillera%40arb.ca.gov%7C1db1c1520c584f1cb4cc08de552d580b%7C9de5aaee778840b1a438c0ccc98c87cc%7C0%7C0%7C639041850408539494%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=K3Yn8Z8J4MF4zj7jlDItQ9dgqZMgZP/me59tBSZxfIc%3D&reserved=0) on September 19, 2011, directing State agencies and departments, including CARB, to engage in effective government-to-government cooperation, collaboration, communication, and consultation with both federally recognized and non-federally recognized tribes when developing legislation, regulations, rules, and policies on matters that may affect tribal entities. CARB is committed to strengthening its communications and relationships with tribes across the State, recognizing that each tribe is distinctly different in its geography, culture, history, governance structure, and language.

In spring 2025, the federal government took unprecedented actions claiming to cancel California’s Clean Air Act waivers (https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/California-Waiver-Background-Legal-091719A.pdf) for enforcement of three vehicle-related clean air and climate programs.   

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Executive Order N-27-25 (https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CRA-Response-EO-N-27-25_-bl-formatted-GGN-Signed-6-11-954pmFinal.pdf) on June 12, 2025, reaffirming the state’s commitment to cut harmful air pollution from transportation and protect public health. This includes directing CARB to begin work on its next round of vehicle emissions standards to cut smog-forming, greenhouse gas, and toxic emissions, especially in communities disproportionately impacted by pollution.    

Drive Forward Initiative

The Drive Forward initiative reaffirms California’s leadership in clean air and climate policy, setting the course for the next phase of the state’s light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicle program.  

Drive Forward continues California’s commitment to meet state and national air quality standards, achieve climate and clean air goals, and protect public health through strong vehicle standards. Drive Forward will support the development of light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicle regulations, incentive programs, outreach and education, and supportive programs and policies that enable clean transportation use.   

For more information about CARB’s Drive Forward initiative, visit the Drive Forward (https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/drive-forward) webpage.

Contact

If you have questions about the meeting, please contact Larry Rillera (mailto:Larry.Rillera@arb.ca.gov?subject=February%2017%20-%20Tribal%20&Community_Listening_Session=) or (279) 208-7026. If you require a special accommodation or need this document in an alternate format (i.e., Braille, large print) or another language, please contact Noemi Vitela (mailto:Noemi.Vitela@arb.ca.gov?subject=February%2017%20Tribal%20and%20Community%20Listening%20Session) or (279) 208-7193, as soon as possible. TTY/TDD/Speech to Speech users may dial 711 for the California Relay Service.