BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 231
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Date of Hearing: July 13, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
Das Williams, Chair
SB
231 (Gaines) - As Amended June 2, 2015
SENATE VOTE: 36-0
SUBJECT: Transportation programs.
SUMMARY: Specifies that water-borne transit projects (e.g.,
commuter ferries) are eligible for certain cap-and-trade
funding.
EXISTING LAW, under the California Global Warming Solutions Act
of 2006 (AB 32):
1)Requires the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to adopt GHG
emissions reduction measures to achieve a reduction in
statewide GHG emsisions to the 1990 level.
2)Requires ARB to prepare and approve a Scoping Plan, on or
before January 1, 2009 and once every five years thereafter,
for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and
cost-effective reductions in GHG emissions from sources of
emissions by 2020.
3)Establishes the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities
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Program (AHSCP) to fund land-use, housing, transportation, and
land preservation projects to support infill and compact
development that reduces GHG emissions.
4)Establishes the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP)
to provide operating and capital assistance for transit
agencies to reduce GHG emissions and improve mobility, with a
priority on serving disadvantaged communities. Approved
projects support new or expanded bus or rail services, expand
intermodal transit facilities, and may include equipment
acquisition, fueling, maintenance, and other costs to operate
those services or facilities. At least 50% of the total funds
received must be expended on projects that benefit
disadvantaged communities.
5)Establishes the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) in the
State Treasury, requires all funds, except for fines and
penalties, collected pursuant to a market-based mechanism be
deposited in the GGRF, and requires the Department of Finance,
in consultation with ARB and any other relevant state agency,
to develop a three-year investment plan for the GGRF.
6)Requires that the GGRF be used to facilitate GHG emissions
reductions in this state consistent with AB 32. Requires that
annual budget appropriations from the GGRF be consistent with
the investment plan.
7)Continuously appropriates 20% of the GGRF to AHSCP and 5% to
LCTOP.
THIS BILL:
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1) Adds water-borne transit to the list of projects eligible
for funding under the AHSCP.
2) Clarifies that new or expanded water-borne transit projects
are eligible for funding under the LCTOP.
3) Makes related, technical amendments.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
COMMENTS:
1)Transit in Lake Tahoe. The Lake Tahoe Basin has a resident
population of approximately 55,000, but the area's
transportation system serves an additional 6.5 million annual
visitors. The Tahoe Basin is governed by the Tahoe Regional
Planning Agency (TRPA), a bi-state regional planning agency
established in the 1960s. TRPA is directed by the Bi-State
Compact (Compact) that, among other things, required TRPA to
reduce its dependency on automobiles by making more effective
use of existing transportation modes and public transit. To
accomplish this directive, the Tahoe Transportation District
(TTD), housed within the TRPA, has begun a major new
north-south transit effort. Specifically, the Crosslake
Passenger Ferry would provide year-round, high-speed ferry
service between South Lake Tahoe and Tahoe City (North Lake
Tahoe) and link with bus, trolley, shuttle services, water
taxies, and trails. As proposed, the ferry service would make
approximately eight trips per day carrying 120 passengers per
trip and is expected to significantly reduce vehicle trips
(both commuter and recreational travel), reduce GHG emissions,
and improve local air quality and the lake's clarity. The TTD
estimates that the project will cost $33 million with annual
operating costs of $3.4 million.
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To allow TTD to qualify for a greater range of project funding,
the author has introduced SB 231 which clarifies that
water-borne transit systems, including but not necessarily
limited to TTD's proposed ferry service, are eligible for
funding using cap-and-trade monies available through AHSCP and
LCTOP. Given that water-borne transit programs provide
essentially the same benefits of reducing vehicle miles
traveled and greenhouse gas emissions as rail and bus transit
projects, it stands to reason that AHSCP and LCTOP should be
amended to expressly include ferry services as eligible
program recipients.
2)Funding. The 2014-15 Budget Act established AHSCP under the
Strategic Growth Council to provide grants to local agencies
for projects to reduce GHG emissions through land use,
housing, transportation, and agricultural land preservation.
Eligible projects include infill housing development, transit
projects to support ridership, and active transportation
projects. The 2014-15 Budget Act provides for a continuous
appropriation of 20% of the GGRF to AHSCP beginning in
2015-16.
The 2014-15 Budget Act also established LCTOP. This program
provides operating and capital assistance to transit agencies
to reduce GHG emissions and improve mobility. Eligible
projects include expanded, new, or enhanced transit services;
conversion or retrofit of transit vehicles and equipment to
zero-emission; expanded intermodal transit facilities; and
infrastructure to support zero-emission or plug-in hybrid
vehicles. The 2014-15 Act provides for a continuous
appropriation of 5% of the GGRF to LCTOP beginning in 2015-16.
3)Author's statement:
SB 231 would permit the TRPA and the TTD to pursue
waterborne transit project funding under the LCTOP and
AHSCP.
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This bill is intended to enhance the TRPA/TTD's ability to
carry out its mission under the [Compact]? The Compact
imposes the obligation to reduce dependency on the
automobile and to increase the capacity and efficiency of
the region's transportation network through waterborne
transit systems.
4)Double referral. This bill was double referred to the
Assembly Transportation Committee and passed on a vote of 16-0
on June 29th.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
City of South Lake Tahoe
El Dorado County Supervisor Sue Novasel
International Longshore and Warehouse Union
North Lake Tahoe Resort Association
San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority
Tahoe City Public Utility District
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Tahoe Transportation District
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by:Elizabeth
MacMillan