BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2525
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Date of Hearing: March 29, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS, AND WILDLIFE
Marc Levine, Chair
AB 2525
(Holden) - As Introduced February 19, 2016
SUBJECT: Water-efficient landscaping
SUMMARY: Requires the Department of Water Resources to create a
program to encourage local economic incentives that promote
water efficient landscapes. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires DWR to create a program to fund the advancement of
turf rebates, jobs, and education of ecolandscaping. Requires
DWR, in creating the program, to consider specified
principles, and to give priority to areas at greatest risk of
drought.
2)Creates the Water Efficient Landscaping Fund in the State
Treasury, to fund turf rebates, purchase of tools and
materials for installation of water efficient landscapes, and
grants to local conservation corps for projects. Local
conservation corps projects may include but are not limited to
projects to protect green spaces and urban canopies in
disadvantaged and low-income communities from drought, turf
replacement projects for families that qualify for the
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and community
gardens.
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EXISTING LAW: Promotes landscape water conservation through:
1)Water Efficient landscape ordinances. Local agencies must
have a water efficient landscape ordinance or the Department
of Water Resources model water efficient landscape ordinance
applies. The model ordinance addresses water conservation and
appropriate plant use, encourages the capture and retention of
stormwater, and encourages the use of economic incentives to
promote the efficient use of water.
2)Urban water management planning. Under the Urban Water
Management Planning Act, urban water agencies are required to
develop and adopt urban water management plans. Among other
things, urban water management plans are to describe water
demand management measures including large landscape
conservation programs and incentives.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown.
COMMENTS: This bill creates the Water Efficient Landscaping
Program in the Department of Water Resources to encourage local
economic incentives that promote water efficient landscapes.
1)Author's Statement: On average Californians use over 50% of
their water on landscaping and other outdoor uses. With many
existing techniques and improvements available to increase
water efficiency and conservation, California landscapes
present a great and largely untapped opportunity for reducing
water use throughout the state. Additionally, landscaping
improvements provide many co-benefits, including greenhouse
gas emission reductions, improved stormwater management,
decreased energy use, recycling and material reuse, increased
water capture, air quality improvements, and increased
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opportunities for workforce training and job development.
2)Background: AB 1881 (Laird) Chapter 559, Statues of 2006,
established the Water Conservation in Landscaping Act. This
bill looks to build off of that act to provide greater funding
for local water efficient landscaping efforts. This bill also
emphasizes funding go toward low income and disadvantaged
communities.
Executive Order B-29-15 from April of 2015 directed the
Department of Water Resources to among other things
collectively replace 50 million square feet of lawns and
ornamental turf with drought tolerant landscapes, specifically
focused on funding for underserved communities.
The Department of Water Resources is operating a $24 million
turf replacement program with rebates of $2 per square foot
capped at $2,000 per household. The rebates are directed to
local turf replacement programs. This is estimated to benefit
more than 10,000 homes, with $12 million targeted to
disadvantaged communities hardest hit by the drought.
In recent years, a number of local governments and agencies
have established rebate programs to encourage conservation.
For example, in an effort to reduce water consumption, the
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California offers a
rebate based on each square foot of turf removed. The City of
Sacramento is currently offering cash to help customers remove
their front yard turf and replace it with native and drought
tolerant plants.
3)Double-Referral: This bill is double referred to the Assembly
Local Government Committee.
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4)Prior and Related Legislation:
a) AB 1881 (Laird), Chapter 559, Statues of 2006,
required the development and compliance with the model
water efficient landscape ordinance.
b) AB 1928 (Campos) of 2016 requires the State Energy
Resources Conservation and Development Commission to
adopt landscape irrigation equipment performance
standards and labeling requirements. AB 1928 is pending
in this committee.
5)Supporting Arguments: California landscapes present a great
and largely untapped opportunity for reducing water use
throughout the state. By taking a watershed-based approach to
landscape planning and management, the state is able to
maintain the need for landscapes for quality-of-life, while
ensuring that they are designed with the state's resources in
mind. The California Water Efficient Landscaping Program, and
complementary Water Efficient Landscaping Fund, addresses the
need for water conservation in landscaping, and provides the
resources needed to take action.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
Association of Professional Landscape Designers - California
Chapter
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Bay-Friendly Landscaping & Gardening Coalition
California Association of Local Conservation Corps
California League of Conservation Voters
Californians Against Waste
G3, Green Gardens Group
Mono Lake Committee
Sacramento Tree Foundation
Surfrider Foundation
Trust for Public Land
Yisrael Family Farm
Opposition
None on File
Analysis Prepared by:Ryan Ojakian / W., P., & W. / (916)
319-2096