BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
AB 2139 (Williams) - Ocean Protection Council: ocean
acidification
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|Version: June 20, 2016 |Policy Vote: N.R. & W. 7 - 2, |
| | E.Q. 6 - 1 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
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|Hearing Date: August 8, 2016 |Consultant: Narisha Bonakdar |
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This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary:1) AB 2139 states that the Ocean Protection Council (OPC), subject
to the availability of funding, may develop an ocean
acidification and hypoxia (OAH) science task force (group), and
outlines required activities for the group.
Fiscal
Impact: Approximately $1.65 million (special and private funds)
for OPC to implement the specified tasks. OPC indicates that
funds have already been allocated for the specified activities
as follows:
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|OAH science task |$25,000 (special fund, OPC grant to CA Ocean |
|force: |Science Trust (Trust), matching funds from |
| |Oregon and Washington, and B.C.) |
| | |
|-----------------------+----------------------------------------------|
|(A) Adaptation |Minor costs (special fund) |
|measures: | |
|-----------------------+----------------------------------------------|
|(B) Predictive models: |$1.3 million (Proposition 84) |
| | |
|-----------------------+----------------------------------------------|
|(C) Coastal Health |$300,000 (Proposition 84) |
|Criteria: | |
|-----------------------+----------------------------------------------|
|(D) Inventory |$50,000 (special fund, OPC grant to the |
AB 2139 (Williams) Page 1 of
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|vulnerable areas: |Trust) |
| | |
|-----------------------+----------------------------------------------|
|(E) Establish joint |Unknown (will be implemented as private funds |
|priorities: |are available) |
| | |
|-----------------------+----------------------------------------------|
|(F) Identify gaps: |Minor costs (special fund) for coordination |
| | |
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Background:
Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia. Ocean acidification refers to a
reduction in the pH of the ocean over an extended period of
time. It is caused primarily by uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2)
from the atmosphere, and can result in more corrosive seawater
and a lower concentration of dissolved carbonate ions that many
marine organisms use to grow their shells and skeletons. Ocean
hypoxia refers to low or depleted oxygen in the ocean, which
often leads to 'dead zones'-regions where life cannot be
sustained. The two phenomena are often coupled for a variety of
biological and oceanographic reasons. Though significant gaps in
knowledge remain, evidence indicates that OAH threatens coastal
ecosystems, marine-dependent industries, and human communities,
and has become a priority for many state, federal, and private
entities.
OAH and the West Coast. Although OAH is a global phenomenon,
research indicates that the West Coast of North America will
face some of the earliest, most severe changes in ocean carbon
chemistry. The threats posed by OAH's progression will be
further compounded by other dimensions of global climate change,
and, according to some research, may also serve to exacerbate
global warming.
The West Coast Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Science Panel
(Panel) was established at the request of OPC in an effort to
develop the scientific foundation necessary for West Coast
managers to take informed action. The 20-person panel of
scientific experts was charged with summarizing the current
state of knowledge and developing scientific consensus about
available management options to address OAH on the West Coast.
The resulting document, "Major Findings, Recommendations, and
AB 2139 (Williams) Page 2 of
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Actions" summarizes the Panel's work and presents Actions that
can be taken now to address OAH.
According to the report, OAH endangers not only the biological
health of marine organisms but also the numerous economic and
societal benefits that stem from the West Coast's dependence on
its coastal waters. The Panel unanimously affirms that
acidification of coastal waters is an undeniable, pervasive
issue whose impacts have only begun to be felt. The report
further cautions that delayed action could render future
management interventions far less effective.
OAH and the OPC. According to the OPC's website, OPC has
committed support to improve scientific understanding of
acidification and hypoxia and the impacts to biological
resources. The OPC is funding research through California Sea
Grant to provide insights into the effects of the upwelling of
acidic waters along the California coast, and recently approved
funding for scientists to perform integrated modeling of
acidification, hypoxia, and nutrient inputs in the ocean. The
project will enhance current regional oceanographic modeling
systems enabling a more comprehensive and consistent evaluation
of both anthropogenic and climatic perturbations on near-shore
physical, chemical, and biological conditions.
This bill cites the Panel's report in its findings and
declarations, and states intent for OPC, to ''address the
challenge of ocean acidification''.
Proposed Law:
This bill:
1) Makes findings and declarations regarding about the West
Coast Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Science Panel and its
recent findings and recommendations, and the OPC's mission.
2) Authorizes OPC, subject to the availability of funding, to
develop an OAH science task force.
3) Requires, subject to the availability of funding, that the
OPC implement the following measures: (1) facilitate climate
change adaptation in the ocean; (2) develop, refine, and
integrate predictive models of OAH; (3) work with other
agencies to ensure efforts to address OAH are informed by the
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best available science; (4) develop a comprehensive inventory
of OAH-vulnerable areas in California; (5) Establish and
advance joint priorities for OAH research with other
governmental and private entities; and (6) identify gaps
between OAH monitoring efforts and management needs, and the
actions necessary to address these gaps.
4) Requires OPC, beginning on January 1, 2018, and annually
thereafter, to adopt recommendations for further actions that
may be taken to address ocean acidification and hypoxia at
its first meeting of the year.
Related
Legislation: SB 1363 (Monning, 2016) requires, to the extent
that funding is available, the OPC, in consultation with the
State Coastal Conservancy and other relevant entities, to
establish and administer the Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia
Reduction Program, and specifies approaches that must be
considered. This bill is pending consideration in Assembly
Appropriations.
Staff
Comments:1)
Purpose. According to the author, "many studies point to the
harmful effects of ocean acidification, but the state does not
currently have enough data at its disposal to evaluate the scope
of the problem or make educated policy decisions. Key strategies
to address this deficiency include generating an inventory of
ocean acidification 'hot spots,' developing predictive models of
ocean acidification, and defining gaps between monitoring
efforts and management needs. Up to this point there has been
very little focus on ocean acidification at the state level, and
this measure codifies ocean acidification as a priority for the
Legislature and the Ocean Protection Council."
Funding? AB 2139 is explicitly subject to funding availability,
and does not appropriate any funds or designate a funding source
for the activities outlined in the bill. The OPC indicates that
addressing ocean hypoxia is a top priority for which funds have
been made available from various sources including bond funds,
grant funds, foundation monies, and in-kind contributions. This
bill codifies expectations and activities that should be
undertaken to further this effort.
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