Southern California's top air pollution authority rejected a proposal to phase out gas-powered appliances after being flooded with more than 20,000 public comments, many of which were generated using artificial intelligence technology.
Public records requests reviewed by the Los Angeles Times and confirmed by staff at the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) revealed that a Washington, D.C.-based company called CiviClick, which bills itself as "the first and best AI-powered grassroots advocacy platform," was behind the campaign.
The proposed rules, which were nearly two years in development, would have placed fees on natural gas-powered water heaters and furnaces to encourage a shift toward electric appliances. The measures aimed to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx), key pollutants in smog formation, across Orange County and large portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
The AQMD board voted 7-5 against the proposal on June 6, 2025, despite staff estimates that the rules could have prevented nearly 2,500 premature deaths and more than 10,000 new cases of asthma by reducing pollution equivalent to that produced by two natural gas power plants.