BILL ANALYSIS ------------------------------------------------------------ |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1006| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ------------------------------------------------------------ THIRD READING Bill No: SB 1006 Author: Pavley (D) Amended: 6/1/10 Vote: 21 SENATE NATURAL RES. & WATER COMMITTEE : 6-3, 4/13/10 AYES: Pavley, Kehoe, Lowenthal, Padilla, Simitian, Wolk NOES: Cogdill, Hollingsworth, Huff SENATE ENV. QUALITY COMMITTEE : 4-2, 4/19/10 AYES: Simitian, Corbett, Lowenthal, Pavley NOES: Runner, Strickland NO VOTE RECORDED: Hancock SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 7-3, 5/27/10 AYES: Kehoe, Alquist, Corbett, Leno, Price, Wolk, Yee NOES: Denham, Walters, Wyland NO VOTE RECORDED: Cox SUBJECT : Natural resources: climate change: Strategic Growth Council SOURCE : Audubon California Defenders of Wildlife The Nature Conservancy DIGEST : This bill requires the Strategic Growth Council to provide guidelines and information to local governments to assist with the development of climate change adaptation CONTINUED SB 1006 Page 2 strategies and projects, and expands the eligible recipients of existing bond funds for sustainable community planning to include special districts, councils of governments, metropolitan planning organizations, and joint powers authorities. This bill also specifies guidelines and clarifies information to be provided to local governments. ANALYSIS : The Strategic Growth Council (Council) was created by SB 732 (Steinberg), Chapter 729, Statutes of 2008, and consists of the Director of State Planning and Research, the Secretary of the Resources Agency, the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing, the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, and one public member. The purpose of the Council is to coordinate the activities of the member agencies in order to more effectively and efficiently achieve the following goals: improve air and water quality, protect natural resource and agriculture lands, increase the availability of affordable housing, improve infrastructure systems, promote public health, and assist state and local entities in the planning of sustainable communities. The Council is charged with the following responsibilities: 1. Identify and review activities and funding programs of member state agencies to meet the council's goals. 2. Recommend policies and investment strategies and priorities to encourage the development of sustainable communities. 3. Provide, fund, and distribute date and information to local governments and regional agencies that will assist in the development and planning of sustainable communities. 4. Manage and award grants and loans from Proposition 84 to support the planning and development of sustainable communities. On November 7, 2006, the voters approved the voter initiative titled "The Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection CONTINUED SB 1006 Page 3 Bond Act of 2006" (also known as Proposition 84). One provision of Proposition 84 provided $90 million for urban greening projects that "reduce energy consumption, conserve water, improve air and water quality, and provide other community benefits." The Council was directed to administer two grant programs to with the urban greening monies- one for projects and one for urban greening planning in Section 75129 of the Public Resources Code. Eligible applicants for these funds are specified as cities, counties, or nonprofit organizations for the urban greening projects and councils of governments, countywide authorities, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, or nonprofit organizations for the urban greening planning projects. This bill requires the Council to provide guidelines and distribute information to local governments that will assist with the development of climate change adaptation strategies and projects. The strategies and projects are intended to protect natural ecosystem functions, protect communities, and avoid environmental degradation and greenhouse gas emissions. This bill expands the eligible recipients of Proposition 84-funded grants and loans for sustainable communities. In addition to the currently eligible cities, counties and nonprofit organizations, this bill authorizes special districts, councils of governments, metropolitan planning organizations, and joint powers authorities to receive financial assistance for sustainable communities. This bill clarifies information provided to local governments, including information regarding climate change adaptation strategies, projects, or activities that do all of the following: 1. Protect, conserve, restore, or enhance natural ecosystem functions. 2. Use effective approaches to protect communities, including practices that utilize, enhance, or mimic natural processes and functions. 3. Avoid environmental degradation and emission of CONTINUED SB 1006 Page 4 greenhouse gases. FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No According to the Senate Appropriations Committee: Fiscal Impact (in thousands) Major Provisions 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 Fund Guideline development $300 General Cost pressure on bond funds Unknown Bond* * Proposition 84 SUPPORT : (Verified 6/1/10) Audubon California (co-source) Defenders of Wildlife (co-source) The Nature Conservancy (co-source) California Coastkeeper Alliance California Outdoor Heritage Alliance California ReLeaf Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority Tree People Watershed Conservation Authority OPPOSITION : (Verified 6/1/10) California Central Valley Flood Control Association Department of Finance ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The author, regarding the proposed expansion of the council's responsibilities, states, "California is at the forefront of climate change solutions that achieve significant, near-term reductions in the carbon pollution that is causing global warming. Notwithstanding these essential mitigation measures, California is already experiencing dramatic, unavoidable climate change impacts due to carbon pollution already committed to the atmosphere and oceans. These climate change impacts include documented sea-level rise, increased CONTINUED SB 1006 Page 5 erosion, increased weather severity, altered water cycles, reduced snowpack and earlier snow melt, increased wildfire occurrence and severity, altered rainfall patterns, disrupted food supply, and migration of plant and animal species. These impacts could expose the state and local governments to trillions of dollars in costs. Thus, in addition to mitigation, state and local governments must strategically plan to adapt to these and other unavoidable climate change impacts." The Watershed Conservation Authority in support of the bill, regarding the eligibility expansion, "Currently JPAs and special districts, such as Water or Parks and Recreation Districts, are not included under the list of eligible applicants. Based on the demonstrated performance of JPA's and special districts in green projects, the incorporation of these additional groups to the eligible applicant list is critical." ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : The California Central Valley Flood Control Association, in opposition to an earlier version of the bill states, "SB 1006 should be amended to preclude application of its provisions to development of the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan and the State Plan of Flood Control, as well as the Delta Levee Maintenance and Special Projects programs. There are many areas of the Central Valley and Delta where it is not feasible to use nonstructural approaches to protect communities, particularly practices that utilize, enhance, or mimic the natural hydrologic cycle process." CTW:mw 6/1/10 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE **** END **** CONTINUED