BILL NUMBER: AB 416	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Gordon

                        FEBRUARY 15, 2013

   An act to add Chapter 3.6 (commencing with Section 39680) to Part
2 of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to
greenhouse gases.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 416, as introduced, Gordon. California Air Resources Board:
Local Emission Reduction Program.
   Existing law designates the State Air Resources Board as the state
agency with the primary responsibility for the control of vehicular
air pollution, and air pollution control districts and air quality
management districts with the primary responsibility for the control
of air pollution from all sources other than vehicular sources.
   This bill would create the Local Emission Reduction Program and
would require money to be available from the general fund, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of providing grants to
develop and implement greenhouse gas emission reduction projects in
the state. The bill would require the state board to award moneys
under the program to eligible recipients, as specified, and would
permit the state board to give consideration to the ability of a
project to, among other things, create local job training and job
creation benefits and provide opportunities to achieve greenhouse gas
emission reduction in ways that increase localized energy resources.

   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is critical to
public health, safety, the economy, and the natural environment that
California residents rely on.
   (b) State investments in local and regional greenhouse gas
emission reduction projects in this state help local communities
thrive, support the state's emission-reduction and clean-energy
targets, lower the statewide unemployment rate, and spur new job
growth.
   (c) Incentivizing local governments to plan and implement their
own greenhouse gas emission reduction efforts will assist the state
to reach its emission-reduction targets faster and more efficiently.
   (d) Local greenhouse gas emission reduction initiatives best
recognize the particular reduction opportunities at the local level
and provide an opportunity to enhance the environment and economy of
local and regional places through multibenefit projects.
   (e) Local governments are well-suited to coordinate and aggregate
micro-, small-, community-, and regional-scale projects that will
help the state reach its environmental targets while incentivizing
investments and job growth at the local level.
   (f) It is the intent of the Legislature to promote investments in
local and regional greenhouse gas emission reduction projects.
  SEC. 2.  Chapter 3.6 (commencing with Section 39680) is added to
Part 2 of Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:
      CHAPTER 3.6.  LOCAL EMISSION REDUCTION PROGRAM


   39680.  (a) The Local Emission Reduction Program is hereby
created.
   (b) Moneys shall be available from the general fund, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of carrying out this
chapter.
   (c) (1) The state board, in coordination with other state
entities, as appropriate, shall establish the Local Emission
Reduction Program to provide local assistance grants to eligible
recipients for the purposes of developing and implementing greenhouse
gas emission reduction projects in this state.
   (2) The state board shall administer the Local Emission Reduction
Program.
   (d) For purposes of this chapter "eligible recipient" means a
city, county, city and county, charter city, metropolitan planning
organization, regional climate authority, special district, joint
powers authority, air pollution control and air quality management
district, regional collaborative, or nonprofit organization working
in coordination with a local government.
   (e) The state board shall award local assistance grants on a
competitive basis based on the potential for greenhouse gas emission
reductions, including sequestration, projects that demonstrate
innovation and that result in replicable models with consideration of
geographic and socioeconomic context. Consideration may also be
given to the ability of a project or projects to do any of the
following:
   (1) Create local job training and job creation benefits.
   (2) Decrease air or water pollution.
   (3) Reduce the consumption of natural resources or energy.
   (4) Provide opportunities to achieve greenhouse gas emission
reductions in ways that increase localized energy resources.
   (5) Increase the reliability of local water supplies.
   (6) Increase solid waste diversion from landfills.
   (7) Achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions in ways that reduce
vehicle miles traveled.
   (8) Prevent conservation of agricultural, forest, and open space
lands to uses that result in higher greenhouse gas emissions.
   (f) The state board shall ensure that the Local Emission Reduction
Program provides opportunities for both small and large population
participants.
   39681.  The state board, in coordination with other state
agencies, as appropriate, shall develop standards and guidelines to
ensure projects funded pursuant to this chapter maximize funds
appropriated, provide environmental and economic benefits, and do not
conflict with other areas of law.