BILL ANALYSIS
AB 224
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 224 (Wolk)
As Amended April 25, 2007
Majority vote
WATER, PARKS & WILDLIFE 7-5NATURAL RESOURCES 6-1
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|Ayes:|Wolk, Caballero, Charles |Ayes:|Hancock, Brownley, Laird, |
| |Calderon, Huffman, Lieu, | |Saldana, Wolk, Berg |
| |Nava, Salas | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Maze, Anderson, |Nays:|Keene |
| |Berryhill, La Malfa, | | |
| |Parra | | |
| | | | |
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APPROPRIATIONS
(vote not available)
SUMMARY : Incorporates effects of climate change into current
water planning efforts and requires report on greenhouse gas
effects of various water supply options. Specifically, this
bill :
1)Requires the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to
incorporate analysis of the potential effects of climate
change, to the extent applicable, into all reports or plans
that DWR is required to complete.
2)Requires DWR to identify available information or develop its
own information regarding climate change and water resources,
and make such information available on its Web site.
3)Prohibits DWR from approving an integrated regional water
management grant, for applications submitted after January 1,
2009, unless the underlying plan considers the information
identified by DWR or other climate change information.
4)Requires the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), in
cooperation with DWR, Air Resources Board, the Energy
Commission and the Public Utilities Commission, to complete a
study that quantifies energy savings and greenhouse gas
AB 224
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emission reductions from water recycling and water
conservation.
5)Requires the SWRCB and the regional water quality boards, in
developing water quality control plans, to consider a
reasonable range of hydrological, temperature and sea-level
rise scenarios resulting from climate change.
6)Requires water suppliers that prepare urban or agricultural
water management plans to obtain climate change information
from DWR, identify the possible effects of climate change on
water supply projections and consider such information when
developing the conclusions of such plans.
7)Makes legislative findings regarding climate change and water
resources.
EXISTING LAW requires DWR to provide local assistance to water
agencies on issues related to statewide water management. SWRCB
regulates water rights and water quality, including certain
permits for recycled water.
FISCAL EFFECT : Assembly Appropriations Committee estimates
costs of: $500,000 in 2007-08 and 2008-09, to the Department of
Water Resources to develop and analyze climate change
information; $700,000 primarily in 2008-09, to the State Water
Resources Control Board to complete study of climate change
effects from various water supply enhancement options.
COMMENTS : AB 224 begins the process to incorporate climate
change information into the water resource planning efforts of
state and local agencies. The Assembly Water, Parks, and
Wildlife Committee held a hearing on the issue of climate change
and water resources in February 2007, in which it heard about
the increasing body of evidence and scientific studies showing
how climate change has and will affect water resources
management in California. Several of the larger urban water
agencies already have begun assessing how to change their
operations to address climate change concerns. This bill would
require water agencies that already are required to prepare
water supply reports to incorporate climate change into those
reports.
1)Resolving Uncertainty By State-Identified Information: As
AB 224
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introduced, this bill inserted climate change analysis into
various statutory water planning requirements. Concerns were
raised about the uncertainty of which climate change
information was reliable enough to consider. The author
consolidated these diverse climate change analysis
requirements into a new part in the Water Code, required DWR
to identify which information should be used, and then
specified that use of DWR-specified information was
sufficient. Alternatively, a water supplier may use other
information in its possession. If DWR does not identify such
information, then local water suppliers are exempt from these
requirements. The author asserts that State specification of
information resolves any questions of uncertainty as to which
information should be used.
2)SWRCB Study of Greenhouse Gas Production: AB 224's
requirement of an SWRCB study on effects of water use on
climate change responds to a 2005 California Energy Commission
report. That report found that California's water use
consumed about 19% of its electrical energy, which creates
greenhouse gas emissions. Water recycling and conservation
were found among the least "energy-intensive," particularly
for urban areas reliant on imported water. This bill would
require the SWRCB to look at this issue in greater detail, in
coordination with certain other relevant agencies. This study
will help California learn more about the other side of the
climate change/water supply equation - the effect of water use
on climate change. The SWRCB currently is addressing recycled
water issues as part of a statewide policy, addressing
differences among the regional water quality board. This
study will contribute to the development of this State policy,
and the water boards' implementation of recycled water use
regulation.
Analysis Prepared by : Alf W. Brandt / W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096
FN: 0000971