BILL NUMBER: AB 289	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 14, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Galgiani

                        FEBRUARY 13, 2009

   An act to amend Section  3800   21080.13
 of the Public Resources Code, relating to  public
resources   en   vironmental quality  .


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 289, as amended, Galgiani.  Public resources:
geothermal resources: disposition.   California
Environmental Quality Act: exemptions.  
   Existing law, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA),
requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be
prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact
report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may
have a significant effect on the environment, as defined, or to
adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not
have that effect, unless the project is exempt from the act. 

   CEQA provides for various exemptions from the requirements of the
act including an exemption for certain railroad grade separation
projects.  
   This bill would specifically provide that this exemption includes
grade separation projects that are a component of the California
high-speed rail system.  
   Existing law allocates revenues, distributed to the state by the
federal government, resulting from statutory activities of certain
federal agencies with regard to the development of geothermal
resources. The revenues are allocated for certain purposes,
including, but not limited to, reduction of dependence on fossil
fuels, mitigation of certain adverse consequences of geothermal
development, and maintenance of the productivity of renewable
resources.  
   This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those
provisions. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Section 21080.13 of the  
Public Resources Code   is amended to read: 
   21080.13.  This division shall not apply to  any 
 a  railroad grade separation project  which
  that  eliminates an existing grade crossing or
 which   that  reconstructs an existing
grade separation  , including a grade   separation
project that meets these conditions and is a component of the
California high-speed rail system  . 
  SECTION 1.    Section 3800 of the Public Resources
Code is amended to read:
   3800.  The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the
allocation of revenues distributed to the state pursuant to Section
35 of the Mineral Lands Leasing Act of 1920, as amended (30 U.S.C.
Sec. 191), with respect to actions taken by the United States Bureau
of Land Management, the United States Forest Service, and other
federal agencies pursuant to the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30
U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq.) in order to accomplish the following
general objectives:
   (a) Reduction of dependence on fossil fuels and stimulation of the
state's economy through development of geothermal resources.
   (b) Mitigation of the adverse social, economic, and environmental
impacts caused by geothermal development.
   (c) Financial assistance to cities, counties, and districts to
offset the costs of providing public services and facilities required
by the development of geothermal resources within their
jurisdictions.
   (d) Maintenance of the productivity of renewable resources through
the investment of the proceeds of a depleting resource.