Key Points
A graphics card maker, for example, may say it cannot control the coal plants that power its suppliers' factories in distant countries; an oil company might argue that it doesn't control how its customers use its products..
In California, Wiener and others are making their second attempt at mandating more complete disclosuresthe first failed last year by a single vote in the State Assembly, after opposition from business groups..
Wiener says hewants the rules, if passed, to be implementable, and he notes that the bill allows the use of formulas and averages to assess supply chain emissions, rather than tracking down each and every supplier...
But ifwidely expected legal challenges to the SECs rulessome expected to come from Republican attorneys general waging a broader war against corporate sustainability pledgeswater down or delay that effort, Californias law could also serve as a backstop, Wiener says.. He points to other state environmental laws, such as Californias standards for automotive tailpipe emissions..
At a State Senate hearing last week, CalChamber was joined by a legion of lobbying groups representing manufacturers, banks, farmers, and other business interests, emphasizing the burden that the rules would place on smaller businesses..
