BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1482
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Date of Hearing: May 20, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
1482 (Gordon) - As Amended May 5, 2015
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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
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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
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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:
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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
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