BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                      



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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                  AB 2161|
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                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  AB 2161
          Author:   Achadjian (R)
          Amended:  As introduced
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE ENERGY, UTIL. & COMMUNIC. COMMITTEE  :  11-1, 6/19/12
          AYES:  Padilla, Berryhill, Corbett, De León, DeSaulnier, 
            Emmerson, Kehoe, Pavley, Rubio, Simitian, Wright
          NOES:  Fuller
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Strickland

           SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  7-0, 8/16/12
          AYES:  Kehoe, Walters, Alquist, Dutton, Lieu, Price, 
            Steinberg

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  73-3, 5/29/12 - See last page for vote


           SUBJECT  :    Energy:  renewable energy resources

           SOURCE  :     San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors


           DIGEST  :    This bill adds San Luis Obispo to the list of 
          counties which are eligible for grants from the California 
          Energy Commission (CEC) for the development or revision of 
          rules and policies including general plan elements, zoning 
          ordinances, and natural community conservation plans, that 
          facilitate the development of renewable energy resources 
          and associated transmission facilities.

           ANALYSIS  :    Existing law requires CEC to provide up to 
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          seven million dollars in grants to 15 qualified counties 
          for the development or revision of rules and policies, 
          including general plan elements, zoning ordinances, and 
          natural community conservation plans that facilitate the 
          development of eligible renewable energy resources, and 
          their associated electric transmission facilities, and the 
          processing of permits for eligible renewable energy 
          resources.  Funding is to be made available only upon 
          appropriation by the Legislature.

           Comments
           
          According to the author's office, this bill adds San Luis 
          Obispo County to the current list of counties that are 
          deemed "qualified" to apply for renewable energy planning 
          grants (grant) from the CEC.  This grant funding allows for 
          additional opportunities for renewable energy development.  
          San Luis Obispo County demonstrated its commitment to solar 
          power by approving two large utility scale solar projects, 
          and by promoting distributed and rooftop solar.  However, 
          the efficiency at which the County can process solar energy 
          facility (SEF) projects is hampered by outdated plans, 
          policies and rules.  The County is motivated to update its 
          regulations and streamline the review process for SEF 
          projects.  As a starting point, the County would like to 
          pursue customizing the California County Planning Director 
          Association's Solar Energy Facility Permit Streamlining 
          Guide and Model SEF Ordinance for local use.  The Guide and 
          Model SEF Ordinance were developed with involvement from a 
          broad, statewide coalition of stakeholders, over 100 
          participants strong.  The goal of this project was to 
          assist counties in their effort to provide a streamlined 
          regulatory climate for the installation of SEF project 
          while protecting important farmland and sensitive habitat.  
          The County would like to build upon this model and 
          facilitate more efficient processing of these projects.  
          Concurrent to the original intent of AB 13 X1, with its 
          location on the Central Coast, San Luis Obispo is in a 
          prime location to continue and expand on its renewable 
          energy portfolio.  When the grant funding is appropriated 
          through CEC's budget, these counties, with the addition of 
          San Luis Obispo will be poised to act.

           Prior Legislation

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          AB 13 X1 (V. Manuel Perez, et al.), Chapter 10, Statutes of 
          2011-12 First Extraordinary Session, expands existing 
          provisions, enacted to facilitate permitting of solar 
          energy projects in a specified desert region, to include a 
          broader range of renewable energy projects in the desert 
          and, for specified provisions, other regions of the state.  
          The bill also establishes new provisions to support 
          planning and permitting of renewable energy projects in the 
          San Joaquin Valley and desert regions, including directing 
          the CEC to provide grants for local government 
          participation, upon appropriation of funds from the 
          Legislature.  Although major solar energy projects have 
          been proposed in San Luis Obispo, the county was not 
          included in AB 13 X1's list of eligible counties.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes   
          Local:  No

          According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, uncertain 
          cost pressures, possibly in the hundreds of thousands of 
          dollars, from the Renewable Resource Trust Fund (General 
          Fund) beginning in 2012-13 from additional applications for 
          local assistance grants.

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  8/17/12)

          San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors (source)


           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  73-3, 5/29/12
          AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Bill 
            Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford, 
            Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, 
            Carter, Chesbro, Cook, Davis, Dickinson, Eng, Feuer, 
            Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Beth Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, 
            Gatto, Gordon, Gorell, Grove, Harkey, Hayashi, Roger 
            Hernández, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, 
            Knight, Lara, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor, 
            Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell, Monning, Morrell, Nestande, 
            Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, 
            Portantino, Silva, Skinner, Smyth, Solorio, Swanson, 
            Torres, Valadao, Wagner, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, 
            John A. Pérez

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          NOES: Conway, Donnelly, Halderman
          NO VOTE RECORDED: Cedillo, Fletcher, Hagman, Hall


          RM:d  8/20/12   Senate Floor Analyses 

                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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