BILL NUMBER: AB 511	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 13, 2011
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 31, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Yamada

                        FEBRUARY 15, 2011

   An act to add Section 21417 to the Public Utilities Code, relating
to aviation.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 511, as amended, Yamada. Aeronautics:  anemometer
  meteorological  towers.
   (1) Existing law, the State Aeronautics Act, governs aeronautics
in this state. One of the purposes of the act is to further and
protect the public interest in aeronautics and aeronautical progress
by fostering and promoting safety in aeronautics.
   This bill would require  an anemometer   a
meteorological  tower, as defined, to be marked as prescribed.
    Because any violation of the State Aeronautics Act is a crime and
the provisions of the bill would be within the act, this bill would
impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime.
   (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 21417 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to
read:
   21417.  (a) As used in this section, the following terms have the
following meanings:
   (1)  "Anemometer"   "Meteorological
instrument"  means an instrument for measuring and recording the
speed of the wind.
   (2)  "Anemometer   "Meteorological 
tower" means a structure, including all guy wires and accessory
facilities, on which  an anemometer   a
meteorological instrument  is mounted for the purposes of
documenting whether a site has wind resources sufficient for the
operation of a wind turbine generator.
   (b)  An anemometer tower  A meteorological
tower below 200 feet in height and above 50 feet in height 
shall be marked as follows:
   (1) The  top one-half of the anemometer  
full length of the meteorological  tower shall be painted
 in   seven  equal, alternating bands of
aviation orange and white, beginning with orange at the top of the
tower and ending with orange at the bottom of the marked portion of
the tower.
   (2) Two marker balls shall be attached to and evenly spaced on
each of the outside guy wires.
   (3) The area surrounding each point where a guy wire is anchored
to the ground shall have a contrasting appearance with any
surrounding vegetation. If the adjacent land is grazed, the area
surrounding the anchor point shall be fenced. For the purposes of
this paragraph, "area surrounding the anchor point" means an area not
less than 64 square feet whose outer boundary is at least four feet
from the anchor point.
   (4) One or more seven-foot safety sleeves shall be placed at each
anchor point and shall extend from the anchor point along each guy
wire attached to the anchor point. 
   (5) A red flashing obstruction light shall be affixed to the
highest point on the tower and operate continuously, or at a minimum,
when the northern sky illuminance reaching a vertical surface falls
below 35 foot-candles (367.7 lux). 
  SEC. 2.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.