BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1482 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 20, 2015 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Jimmy Gomez, Chair AB 1482 (Gordon) - As Amended May 5, 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Natural Resources |Vote:|8 - 1 | |Committee: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No SUMMARY: This bill requires the Natural Resources Agency (NRA), in coordination with the Strategic Growth Council (SGC), to address the impacts of climate change and climate change adaptation by reviewing and coordinating existing grant programs across all AB 1482 Page 2 state agencies to ensure funding programs maximize prescribed objectives related to climate change adaptation. This bill requires NRA, in coordination with SGC, to identify and coordinate opportunities to expend funds from AB 32 cap and trade revenues, Proposition 1 of 2014, and other sources to implement a variety of adaptation strategies. FISCAL EFFECT: 1)Increased cost pressures on the Greehouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), Prop 1 Water bond funds, and other unidentified funds, potentially in the tens of millions to hundreds of millions of dollars. 2)Increased annual costs of $175,000 for ARB to quantify and report on adaptations projects to reduce GHG reductions. COMMENTS: 1)Rationale. According to the author, current law does not create a comprehensive climate adaptation policy. In 2014, the NRA adopted the Safeguarding California Plan (an update to the 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy), which begins to lay out a statewide plan for climate adaptation. However, there is no mechanism for enforcing this plan or ensuring that state agency or department actions are consistent with the plan. The Strategic Growth Council (SGC) is tasked with implementing AB 1482 Page 3 the Sustainable Communities Strategy and other planning programs to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gases. However SCG does not have the authority to plan for climate adaptation. According to the author, these two existing state agencies are ideal to oversee and coordinate California's climate adaptation efforts as required by this bill. 2)Background. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, adaptation is the adjustments that society or ecosystems make to limit negative effects of climate change. It can also include taking advantage of opportunities that a changing climate provides. In 2009, the NRA described adaptation as a relatively new concept in California policy, and stated the term means efforts that respond to the impacts of climate change - adjustments in natural or human systems to actual or expected climate changes to minimize harm or take advantage of beneficial opportunities. Climate risks in California include sea level rise, changes in precipitation that increase the risk of both drought and flooding, and increases in temperatures that can affect air quality and habitat. 3)Governor's Executive Order. The Governor's executive order issued on April 29, 2015, requires NRA to update the state's climate adaptation strategy (The Safeguarding California plan) every three years and ensure that its provisions are fully implemented. The Safeguarding California plan will: AB 1482 Page 4 a) Identify vulnerabilities to climate change by sector and regions, including, at a minimum, the following sectors: water, energy, transportation, public health, agriculture, emergency services, forestry, biodiversity and habitat, and ocean and coastal resources, b) Outline primary risks to residents, property, communities and natural systems from these vulnerabilities, and identify priority actions needed to reduce these risks. c) Identify a lead agency or group of agencies to lead adaptation efforts in each sector. The executive order further requires each sector to prepare an implementation plan by September 2015 to outline the actions that will be taken as identified in Safeguarding California, and report back to NRA by June 2016 on actions taken. This bill is consistent with this executive order. Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 AB 1482 Page 5