Amended in Assembly March 28, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2139

Introduced by Assembly Member Williams

February 17, 2016

An act to begin delete amend Section 13170.3 of the Water Code, relating to water end delete begin delete quality. end delete begin insert add Section 35618 to the Public Resources Code, relating to ocean resources. end insert

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2139, as amended, Williams. begin delete State Water Resources Control Board: California Ocean Plan. end delete begin insert Ocean Protection Council: ocean acidification. end insert

begin insert

Existing law establishes the Ocean Protection Council in state government and prescribes the membership, functions, and duties of the council with regard to the protection and conservation of ocean and coastal resources.

end insert begin insert

This bill would require the council to facilitate research and compile data on the causes and effects of ocean acidification and, no later than January 1, 2018, to adopt recommendations for further legislative and executive actions to address ocean acidification.

end insert begin delete

Under the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, the State Water Resources Control Board and the 9 California regional water quality control boards are the principal state agencies with responsibility for the coordination and control of water quality in the state. The act requires the state board to formulate and adopt state policies for water quality control and to formulate and adopt, and review at least every 3 years, a water quality control plan for the ocean waters of the state known as the California Ocean Plan.

end delete begin delete

This bill would require the state board, on or before January 1, 2018, to either amend the plan or adopt separate standards to address water quality objectives and effluent limitations that specifically relate to carbon dioxide and pH levels within the state’s coastal waters.

end delete

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

begin insert

begin insert SECTION end insert begin insert 1. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 35618 is added to the end insert begin insert Public Resources
Code end insert begin insert , to read: end insert

begin insert

begin insert 35618. end insert   

The council shall facilitate research and compile data
on the causes and effects of ocean acidification and, no later than
January 1, 2018, shall adopt recommendations for further
legislative and executive actions to address ocean acidification.

end insert

begin delete

SECTION 1.  

Section 13170.3 of the Water Code is amended
to read:

13170.3.  

(a) On or before January 1, 2013, the state board
shall either amend the California Ocean Plan or adopt separate
standards to address water quality objectives and effluent
limitations that are specifically appropriate to brackish groundwater
treatment system facilities that produce municipal water supplies
for local use.

(b) On or before January 1, 2018, the state board shall either
amend the plan or adopt separate standards to address water quality
objectives and effluent limitations that specifically relate to carbon
dioxide and pH levels within the state’s coastal waters.

end delete