BILL NUMBER: AB 2722 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 2, 2016
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 31, 2016
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 20, 2016
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 12, 2016
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Burke
FEBRUARY 19, 2016
An act to add Part 4 (commencing with Section 75240) to Division
44 of the Public Resources Code, relating to greenhouse gases.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2722, as amended, Burke. Transformative Climate Communities
Program.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the
State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with
monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases.
The state board is required to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas
emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions
level in 1990 to be achieved by 2020.
Existing law establishes the Strategic Growth Council
Council, which consists of the heads of various state
agencies and certain other members, and requires the council to
identify and review activities and funding programs that may be
coordinated to improve air and water quality, improve natural
resource protection, increase the availability of affordable housing,
improve transportation, meet the goals of the California Global
Warming Solutions Act of 2006, encourage sustainable land use
planning, and revitalize urban and community centers in a sustainable
manner.
This bill would create the Transformative Climate Communities
Program, to be administered by the council. The bill would require
the council, in coordination with the California Environmental
Protection Agency Assistant Secretary for Environmental Justice and
Tribal Affairs, to award competitive grants to specified eligible
entities for the development of transformative climate community
plans, and projects that implement plans, that contribute to the
reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases and demonstrate potential
climate, economic, workforce, health, and environmental benefits in
disadvantaged communities that have a demonstrated need for climate,
economic, workforce, health, and environmental benefits. The
bill would require the council, in coordination with the member
agencies of the council, the State Air Resources Board, and other
state entities, as needed, to develop guidelines and selection
criteria for the implementation of the program.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Part 4 (commencing with Section 75240) is added to
Division 44 of the Public Resources Code, to read:
PART 4. Transformative Climate Communities Program
75240. The Transformative Climate Communities Program is hereby
created, to be administered by the Strategic Growth Council. The
program shall fund the development and implementation of
neighborhood-level transformative climate community plans that
include multiple, coordinated greenhouse gas emissions reduction
projects that provide local economic, environmental, and health
benefits that are directly connected to communities most impacted by
pollution and vulnerable to climate change. By making such
comprehensive public investments, it is the intent of the Legislature
that private resources can more effectively be catalyzed to support
innovative community and climate transformation in disadvantaged
communities.
75241. (a) The council, in coordination with the California
Environmental Protection Agency Assistant Secretary for Environmental
Justice and Tribal Affairs, shall award competitive grants to
eligible entities through an application process. To be eligible, an
entity shall demonstrate multistakeholder partnerships with local
agencies, community-based organizations, labor groups, workforce
investment boards, and other stakeholders, as appropriate. An
eligible entity includes any of the following:
(1) A nonprofit organization.
(2) A community-based organization.
(3) A faith-based organization.
(4) A coalition or association of nonprofit organizations.
(5) A community development finance institution.
(6) A community development corporation.
(7) A local agency.
(8) A joint powers authority.
(b) (1) The council shall award grants for the development of
transformative climate community plans, and projects that implement
plans, that contribute to the reduction of emissions of greenhouse
gases and demonstrate potential climate, economic, workforce, health,
and environmental benefits located in disadvantaged communities that
have a demonstrated need for climate, economic, workforce, health,
and environmental benefits. The council shall award grants for plans
that are designed to achieve, and projects that demonstrate, an
integrated, innovative, cross-cutting project with multiple benefits
provided directly in a disadvantaged community and that demonstrate
community engagement and leadership in all phases. A plan shall
identify metrics to meet the overall goals of the Transformative
Climate Communities Program and the desired long-term changes in the
plan's region. In awarding grants, the council may
shall make grant awards for plan development contingent
on the implementation of one or more projects identified by the plan.
(2) The council may award a grant over multiple years.
(c) In awarding grants, the council shall weigh economic,
environmental, and health benefits equally with climate benefits
resulting from greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
(c) In order to be eligible for funding under the program, a plan,
and a project that implements a plan, shall demonstrate that it will
achieve a reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases.
(d) In awarding grants pursuant to subdivision (b), the council
shall prioritize plans, and projects that implement plans, that
maximize, to the extent feasible, climate, public health,
environmental, workforce, and economic benefits.
(d)
(e) (1) For purposes of this part, "economic benefits"
means high-quality, well-paid employment opportunities for residents
in the plan's region, benefits for small businesses located directly
in the relevant disadvantaged community, and benefits for minority-,
LGBT-, woman-, or disabled veteran-owned small businesses in the plan'
s region.
(2) For purposes of this subdivision, "LGBT" means lesbian, gay,
bisexual, or transgender.
75242. (a) The council and all funded entities shall endeavor to
identify additional public and private sources of funding to sustain
and expand the program.
(b) The council shall endeavor to identify and coordinate a
network of technical assistance providers to assist in plan
development, implementation, and project financing.
75243. (a) Before awarding funds under the program, the council,
in coordination with the member agencies of the council, the State
Air Resources Board, and other state entities, as needed, shall
develop guidelines and selection criteria for the implementation of
the program.
(b) Before the adoption of guidelines and selection criteria, the
council shall conduct at least three public workshops to receive and
consider public comments. The council shall conduct one workshop at a
location in a disadvantaged community in northern California, one
workshop at a location in a disadvantaged community in the San
Joaquin Valley, and one workshop at a location in a disadvantaged
community in southern California.
(c) The council shall publish the draft guidelines and selection
criteria on its Internet Web site at least 30 days before the public
workshops.
(d) In adopting guidelines and selection criteria, the council
shall consider comments, if any, from local governments, regional
agencies, and other stakeholders. The council shall conduct outreach
to disadvantaged communities to encourage comments on the draft
guidelines and selection criteria from those communities.
(e) The council may revise the program guidelines and selection
criteria to reflect changes in program focus or need. Before the
council adopts changes to the guidelines or selection criteria, it
shall conduct outreach to stakeholders as described in subdivisions
(a) to (d), inclusive, regarding the proposed changes.
(f) Upon the adoption of guidelines and selection criteria, the
council shall submit, in accordance with Section 9795 of the
Government Code, copies of the guidelines and selection criteria to
the fiscal and appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.