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Southern California air board rejected pollution rules after AI-generated flood of comments
The opposition campaign, powered by an AI platform, may have swayed the powerful regulatory agency to scrap the plan to phase out gas-powered appliances.
Published on Feb. 18, 2026
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The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) in Southern California scrapped a plan to phase out gas-powered appliances after receiving more than 20,000 emails in opposition, many of which were generated by an AI-powered advocacy platform called CiviClick. The flood of comments, orchestrated by a public affairs consultant, raised suspicions internally at the AQMD, with some recipients saying they were unaware of the messages. The proposed rules would have placed fees on natural gas-powered water heaters and furnaces to encourage the use of electric alternatives and reduce air pollution. Experts say the use of AI in advocacy campaigns poses a threat to the integrity of policymaking.
Why it matters
The implications of this AI-powered advocacy campaign go beyond the specific issue of gas appliances in Southern California. For years, companies have used bots or fake 'astroturf' campaigns to create the appearance of grassroots opinion, but the introduction of AI technology could make it even harder for elected officials to engage in earnest with the public. This raises concerns about the integrity of the policymaking process and the ability of citizens to have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their communities.
The details
The proposed rules, which were nearly two years in the making, would have placed a fee on natural gas-powered water heaters and furnaces in an effort to reduce air pollution in the SCAQMD district, which includes Orange County and large parts of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. The fees were expected to prevent the release of 6 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) each day, roughly the amount released by two natural gas power plants, and avert nearly 2,500 premature deaths as well as more than 10,000 new cases of asthma. However, the SCAQMD board rejected the proposal 7-5 after receiving the flood of emails, many of which were generated by the AI-powered CiviClick platform.
- The proposed rules were nearly two years in the making.
- The SCAQMD board rejected the proposal on June 6, 2026.
The players
South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)
The air pollution authority for the Southern California region that was considering the rules to phase out gas-powered appliances.
CiviClick
A Washington, D.C.-based company that bills itself as 'the first and best AI-powered grassroots advocacy platform' and was used to orchestrate the opposition campaign against the SCAQMD's proposed rules.
Matt Klink
A Southern California-based public affairs consultant who took credit for using CiviClick to wage the opposition campaign against the SCAQMD's proposed rules.
Dylan Plummer
The acting deputy director of building electrification at the nonprofit Sierra Club, who supported the proposed rules and described the use of AI-powered campaigns as an 'emerging fossil fuel industry playbook' that threatens the integrity of policymaking.
Bill Essayli
A Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney in California who warned the SCAQMD board that any effort to enact bans or penalties on gas appliances would face a legal challenge from his office.
What they’re saying
“CiviClick's engagement at South Coast is deeply disturbing and calls into question the validity of the opposition to the agency's common sense clean air rules.”
— Dylan Plummer, Acting Deputy Director of Building Electrification, Sierra Club (latimes.com)
“To hit these numbers, we conducted aggressive omni-channel outreach to an audience of over half-a-million people in the region from our database of advocates. It was grueling work at times, and required meticulous planning and execution.”
— Chazz Clevinger, Chief Executive Officer, CiviClick (Campaigns & Elections)
“There's no rule that we have discussed that will have as much impact on the air that people are breathing in this region than this rule that we are considering. It would be a grave error not to move this forward.”
— Nithya Raman, Board Member and City Councilwoman, SCAQMD (latimes.com)
What’s next
The implications of this case are likely to be felt beyond Southern California, as the use of AI-powered advocacy campaigns becomes more widespread. Policymakers and regulators will need to grapple with how to ensure the integrity of the public input process and prevent the distortion of grassroots opinion.
The takeaway
This case highlights the growing threat of AI-powered 'astroturfing' campaigns that can create the false impression of widespread public opposition to policies, undermining the democratic process. It underscores the need for stronger regulations and safeguards to protect the integrity of policymaking from the manipulative use of emerging technologies.
