BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1205
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Date of Hearing: April 27, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
Das Williams, Chair
AB 1205
(Gomez) - As Amended April 8, 2015
SUBJECT: The California River Revitalization and Greenway
Development Act of 2015
SUMMARY: Creates the grant program called the California River
Revitalization and Greenway Development Act of 2015 (CalRIVER),
and requires the Natural Resources Agency (NRA) to administer
the program.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Authorizes the Department of Water Resources to establish a
program of flood damage reduction and urban creek restoration
known as the Urban Streams Restoration Program.
2)Establishes the California River Parkways Program in the
office of the Secretary of NRA.
3)Requires NRA to provide grants for river parkway projects that
acquire land for river parkways or for the restoration,
protection, and development of river parkways.
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4)Requires, pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions
Act (AB 32), the Air Resources Board to adopt a statewide
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions limit equivalent to 1990 levels
by 2020 and to adopt rules and regulations to achieve maximum
technologically feasible and cost-effective GHG emission
reductions.
5)Authorizes expenditures from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
(GGRF) for investments that reduce GHG emissions associated
with water use and supply, land and natural resource
conservation and management, forestry, and sustainable
agriculture.
6)Authorizes expenditures from GGRF for investments that reduce
GHG emissions through strategic planning and development of
sustainable infrastructure projects, including, but not
limited to, transportation and housing.
7)Establishes the Active Transportation Program in the
Department of Transportation for the purpose of encouraging
increased use of active modes of transportation, such as
biking and walking.
8)Requires California Transportation Commission to adopt
guidelines for the Active Transportation Program and requires
those guidelines to include recreational trails and
trailheads, park projects that facilitate trail linkages or
connectivity to nonmotorized corridors, and conversion of
abandoned railroad corridors to trails as eligible for funding
from the program.
THIS BILL:
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1)Makes various finds regarding the GHG emission reduction
benefits and environmental cobenefits of river systems.
2)Declares it is the intent of the Legislature to protect,
restore, and enhance a network of river systems and riparian
corridors.
3)Requires NRA to establish a grant program for eligible
applicants to develop projects that assist with implementing
AB 32 and that provide the following cobenefits:
a) Recreational access and improved human interactions,
especially in urban corridors and park-starved communities.
b) Transportation mobility, especially pedestrian, bicycle,
and public transit.
c) Economic viability by promoting appropriate development,
especially in an urban setting.
d) Development of visitor-serving and interpretive
facilities.
e) Access and development of pocket parks, community
gardens, demonstration gardens, and other urban greening.
f) Species protections and the protection of habitat
strongholds, including improved wildlife corridors.
g) Improved resiliency in the face of unavoidable impacts
from climate change.
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h) Improved water supply and water quality.
i) Job training and workforce development, especially
projects that involve disadvantaged youth and veterans.
j) Improved stormwater retention.
aa) Improvements along impaired water bodies.
4)Requires projects receiving grants to be consistent with AB
32, the California Water Action Plan, The Safeguarding
California Plan, and SB 535 (deLeon), Chapter 830, Statutes of
2012.
5)Requires NRA to prioritize awarding grants to projects with
the following characteristics:
a) Are consistent with a parkway, greenway, or urban
greening plan.
b) Leverage moneys from the Water Quality, Supply, and
Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 (Proposition 1).
c) Provide recreational access to a major metropolitan area
of the state.
6)Creates the CalRIVER fund to receive appropriations from the
Legislature from bond proceeds and special funds, including
but not limited to, GGRF.
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FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
COMMENTS:
1)Author's statement:
Given the vast potential for using our river systems
to reduce and sequester greenhouse gas emissions, and
no existing integrated, statewide grant program to
deliver these benefits, this bill would establish
CalRIVER.
The program would be especially useful in
incentivizing projects that integrate stormwater,
natural resource improvements, as well as reductions
in vehicle miles travelled. Without CALRIVER, the
state would continue to miss the opportunities to
harness the climate values of our riparian corridors
for greenhouse gas reductions, as well as the many
other cobenefits associated with these projects.
2)River restoration. California has 46,166 miles of perennial
(year round) streams, which are in most parts of the state.
Currently, California has two grant programs that restore
rivers, the Urban Streams Restoration Program and the
California River Parkways Program. Both programs fund river
restoration through grants to communities throughout
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California. Various urban rivers in California already have
river plans to promote restoration, and the cobenefits
outlined in this bill including the San Joaquin River, Elk
River, American River, San Diego River, and Los Angeles River.
Urban river parkways in California are some of the most
unique, sensitive, and ecologically important conservation
areas in the state. Not only do they provide crucial riparian
habitat for endangered and threatened species, but they also
provide important open space areas for communities. Many of
these communities near urban rivers are considered "park
poor," meaning they have insufficient open space areas and
lack access to free, public opportunities for recreation and
nature based activities.
The Los Angeles River is a great example of communities coming
together to work towards a healthier river, which means a
healthier community. Organizations such as the LA River
Revitalization Corporation are working to restore and improve
51 miles of the LA River into a "greenway" by 2020, which
would be a continuous stretch of parks, bike paths, and open
spaces for recreation. CalRIVER will create a consolidated
grant program that will assist communities in restoring their
river while reducing GHG emissions.
3)Suggested amendment. The author and committee may wish to
consider an amendment with the following language:
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
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(Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and
Safety Code) and that provide for the following shall prioritize
funding for projects pursuant to this chapter that provide the
greatest level of the following cobenefits:
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
LA River Revitalization Corporation
Opposition
CalTax
Analysis Prepared by:Michael Jarred / NAT. RES. / (916) 319-2092
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