BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 796
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 796 (Muratsuchi)
As Amended April 10, 2013
Majority vote
UTILITIES & COMMERCE 12-3 NATURAL
RESOURCES 6-2
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|Ayes:|Bradford, Bonilla, |Ayes:|Chesbro, Garcia, |
| |Buchanan, Chávez, Fong, | |Muratsuchi, Skinner, |
| |Garcia, Gorell, | |Stone, Williams |
| |Roger Hernández, Quirk, | | |
| |Rendon, Skinner, Williams | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Patterson, Beth Gaines, |Nays:|Grove, Patterson |
| |Jones | | |
| | | | |
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APPROPRIATIONS 12-5
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|Ayes:|Gatto, Bocanegra, | | |
| |Bradford, | | |
| |Ian Calderon, Campos, | | |
| |Eggman, Gomez, Hall, | | |
| |Rendon, Pan, Quirk, Weber | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Harkey, Bigelow, | | |
| |Donnelly, Linder, Wagner | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Requires the California Energy Commission (CEC) to
consider the effects of sea level rise on the proposed site and
related facility during the certification process.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, the certification process workload increase is minor
and absorbable.
COMMENTS :
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1)Author's Statement . "This bill is an important step towards
preparing our coastal cities against the possible, negative
effects of climate change. Sea level rise has the dangerous
potential of wreaking havoc upon our cities' infrastructures,
and we must ensure we prepare adequately to respond to
possible future crises."
2)According to "The Impacts of Sea-Level Rise on the California
Coast," a 2009 report by the California Climate Change Center,
funded through CEC's Public Interest Energy Research Program
(PIER):
We estimate that a 1.4 meter sealevel rise will put
480,000 people at risk of a 100year flood event, given
todays population. Among those affected are large
numbers of lowincome people and communities of color,
which are especially vulnerable. Critical
infrastructure, such as roads, hospitals, schools,
emergency facilities, wastewater treatment plants,
power plants, and more will also be at increased risk
of inundation, as are vast areas of wetlands and other
natural ecosystems.
Sea levels are expected to continue to rise, and the
rate of increase will likely accelerate. In order to
evaluate climate change impacts, the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) developed future
emission scenarios that differ based on assumptions
about economic development, population, regulation,
and technology. Based on these scenarios, mean sea
level was projected to rise by 0.2 m to 0.6 m by 2100,
relative to a baseline of 19801999, in response to
changes in oceanic temperature and the exchange of
water between oceans and landbased reservoirs, such as
glaciers and ice sheets.
Based on a set of climate scenarios prepared for the
California Energy Commissions Public Interest Energy
Research (PIER) Climate Change Research Program
project that, under medium to mediumhigh emissions
scenarios, mean sea level along the California coast
will rise from 1.0 to 1.4 meters (m) by the year 2100.
3)CEC regulations currently require power plant permit
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applicants to provide a detailed description of the hydrologic
setting of the project, including a map and narrative
description that includes ground water bodies and related
geologic structures, water inundation zones, such as 100-year
flood plain and tsunami run-up zones, flood control
facilities, groundwater wells within half of a mile of the
project that includes pumping. (Title 20, Division 2, Section
2022)
4)CEC prepares environmental documentation as required by the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
5)Flood Insurance Rate Maps . In addition to Department of Water
Resources floodplain maps, Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) uses Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) to determine the
flood risk that home and business owners face. FEMA maps are
the official maps of a community on which FEMA has delineated
both the special hazard areas and the risk premium zones
applicable to the community. FEMA's Risk Analysis Division
applies engineering, planning, and advanced technology to
determine the potential impact of natural hazard events and to
develop strategies to manage the risks associated with these
hazards
6)What Is a Floodplain? A floodplain is defined as any land area
subject to inundation by floodwaters from any source and a
100-year flood is a flood having a 1% chance of being equaled
or exceeded in any given year (a 1/100th chance or 1% chance
of occurring in any year).
7)Projected Flood Impacts of Climate Change Vary . According to a
PIER report they used a medium-high scenario of 1.0 to 1.4
meters by 2100. They note however that IPCC panel projected a
rise of 0.2 to 0.6 meters by 2100.
Analysis Prepared by : Susan Kateley / U. & C. / (916)
319-2083
FN: 0000654
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