BILL NUMBER: AB 1205 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 8, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 26, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Gomez
FEBRUARY 27, 2015
An act to add Section 39719.5 to the Health and Safety
Code, Chapter 10.5 (commencing with Section 5845) to
Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, relating to
parks. rivers.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1205, as amended, Gomez. Park access.
The California River Revitalization and Greenway Development Act of
2015.
Existing law establishes various plans and programs to preserve,
protect, and rehabilitate lands adjacent to rivers in the state.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the
State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with
monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases.
The state board is required to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas
emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions
level in 1990 to be achieved by 2020.
This bill would require the Natural Resources Agency to establish
a grant program for eligible applicants to develop projects on or
adjacent to riparian corridors that assist the state in implementing
the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and that provide
for specified cobenefits. The bill would create the CalRIVER Fund in
the State Treasury, with moneys in the fund to be available upon
appropriation to implement the grant program.
Existing law provides various sources of funds for community
parks. Existing law creates the Active Transportation Program in the
Department of Transportation for the purpose of encouraging increased
use of active modes of transportation, including biking and walking,
and provides for funding of various types of projects, including
recreational trails, trailheads, and park projects that facilitate
trail linkages or connectivity to nonmotorized corridors.
Existing law requires all moneys, except for fines and penalties,
collected by the State Air Resources Board from the auction or sale
of allowances as part of a market-based compliance mechanism relative
to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, commonly known as cap and
trade revenues, to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund,
and to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for specified
purposes.
This bill would create a program in the Department of
Transportation to develop pathways between community parks, including
local parks and state parks, and to connect those parks to public
transportation systems, for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas
emissions. The bill would provide for moneys to be available to the
department for the program from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
The bill would also state the intent of the Legislature to create a
park access program to increase access to community parks.
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) Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance carbon
sequestration on river systems will have significant economic,
social, and environmental cobenefits and can aid progress on efforts
to prepare for climate change risks.
(b) Investing in river systems allows for cobenefits, including
protection of water supply and water quality, air quality, species
habitat, recreation, jobs, flood protection, reduced heat-island
effects, and reduced energy use.
(c) To ensure resilience and proper carbon management of these
river systems, an integrated program must be developed to maximize
the carbon management of the systems as well as effectively use
existing state and regional funding.
SEC. 2. Chapter 10.5 (commencing with Section
5845) is added to Division 5 of the Public Resources Code
, to read:
CHAPTER 10.5. THE CALIFORNIA RIVER REVITALIZATION AND GREENWAY
DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2015
5845. This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as CalRIVER.
5846. It is the intent of the Legislature that, in an effort to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase greenhouse gas
sequestration, the state shall protect, restore, and enhance a
network of river systems and their riparian corridors to increase
water retention, improve water quality, improved urban greening and
urban reforestation, reduce the heat-island effect, and improve
mobility by decreasing vehicle miles traveled.
5847. (a) The Natural Resources Agency shall establish a grant
program for eligible applicants to develop projects on or adjacent to
riparian corridors that assist the state in implementing the
California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5
(commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code) and
that provide for the following cobenefits:
(1) Recreational access and improved human interactions,
especially in urban corridors and park-starved communities.
(2) Transportation mobility, especially pedestrian, bicycle, and
public transit.
(3) Economic viability by promoting appropriate development,
especially in an urban setting.
(4) Development of visitor-serving and interpretive facilities.
(5) Access and development of pocket parks, community gardens,
demonstration gardens, and other urban greening.
(6) Species protections and the protection of habitat strongholds,
including improved wildlife corridors.
(7) Improved resiliency in the face of unavoidable impacts from
climate change.
(8) Improved water supply and water quality.
(9) Job training and workforce development, especially projects
that involve disadvantaged youth and veterans.
(10) Improved stormwater retention.
(11) Improvements along impaired water bodies.
(b) Projects receiving funding pursuant to this chapter shall be
consistent with all of the following:
(1) The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division
25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code).
(2) The California Water Action Plan published by the Governor.
(3) The Safeguarding California Plan published by the Natural
Resources Agency.
(4) Chapter 830 of the Statutes of 2012.
(c) The Natural Resources Agency shall prioritize awarding moneys
to projects with the following characteristics:
(1) Are consistent with a parkway, greenway, or urban greening
plan.
(2) Leverage moneys from the Water Quality, Supply, and
Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014, approved by the voters as
Proposition 1 at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election.
(3) Provide recreational access to a major metropolitan area of
the state.
5848. The CalRIVER fund is hereby created in the State Treasury
to be administered by the Natural Resources Agency. The moneys in the
CalRIVER Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be
expended by the Natural Resources Agency in accordance with this
chapter. The Legislature may transfer moneys to the fund from bond
proceeds and special funds, including, but not limited to, river
parkway and urban creek programs and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Fund, created by Section 16428.8 of the Government Code.
SECTION 1. Section 39719.5 is added to the
Health and Safety Code, to read:
39719.5. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature to create a park
access program to increase access to community parks.
(b) A program is hereby created in the Department of
Transportation to develop pathways between community parks, including
local parks and state parks, and to connect those parks to public
transportation systems, for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas
emissions. Upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act, moneys from
the fund shall be available to the department for the program.