Senate BillNo. 246


Introduced by Senator Wieckowski

February 18, 2015


An act to add Part 4.5 (commencing with Section 71350) to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, relating to environmental protection.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 246, as introduced, Wieckowski. Climate Action Team.

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 and to adopt rules and regulations in an open public process to achieve the maximum, technologically feasible, and cost-effective greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The act requires all state agencies to consider and implement strategies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

This bill would create the Climate Action Team, under the direction of the Secretary for Environmental Protection and consisting of representatives from specified state agencies, that would be responsible for coordinating the state’s climate policy to achieve the state’s climate change goals, identifying specified unavoidable climate change impacts, developing and implementing specified mitigation and adaptation plans, coordinating climate change policies with specified groups, and identifying and disseminating information to local governments and regional bodies.

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

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

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

Part 4.5 (commencing with Section 71350) is
2added to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, to read:

3 

4PART 4.5.  Climate Action Team

5

 

6

71350.  

The Legislature finds and declares:

7(a) The state has been a leader in climate mitigation efforts.
8However, the state’s efforts alone will not prevent global climate
9change from occurring, as noted in the 2014 Safeguarding
10California Plan. Due to the inevitability of climate change impacts
11on the state, the state must invest in building resiliency and
12strengthening adaptation efforts at the state, regional, and local
13levels using the best-available science.

14(b) Improved coordination of existing adaptation planning efforts
15and funding by the state, as well as increased implementation and
16support of adaptation programs, can directly protect the state’s
17infrastructure, communities, environmental quality, public health,
18natural resources, and economy from the unavoidable impacts of
19climate change for decades to come.

20(c) The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006
21(Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health
22and Safety Code) directs the Climate Action Team established by
23the Governor to coordinate the overall climate policy as provided
24in Executive Order S-3-05 and directs all state agencies to consider
25and implement strategies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
26Given the Climate Action Team’s experience in coordinating
27climate change research, vulnerability assessments, and resiliency
28and adaptation planning documents, it is well-suited to lead the
29collaborative efforts across state government to enhance the state’s
30planning, investment, and implementation of adaptation and
31resiliency guidelines and programs.

32

71352.  

(a) The Climate Action Team is hereby established in
33state government and shall consist of the following members:

34(1) The Secretary for Environmental Protection, who shall serve
35as the chairperson of the Climate Action Team, who shall
36coordinate oversight of the efforts made to meet the greenhouse
37gas emissions reduction targets established pursuant to the
38California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5
P3    1(commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code),
2and who shall coordinate the state’s adaptation efforts to increase
3California’s resiliency to climate change impacts.

4(2) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency.

5(3) The Chair of the State Air Resources Board.

6(4) The Chair of the State Energy Resources Conservation and
7 Development Commission.

8(5) The President of the Public Utilities Commission.

9(6) The Secretary of the Transportation Agency.

10(7) The Secretary of Food and Agriculture.

11(8) The Secretary of State and Consumer Services.

12(9) The Secretary of California Health and Human Services.

13(10) The Director of the Office of Planning and Research.

14(11) The Secretary for Labor and Workforce Development.

15(b) Upon the determination of the Secretary for Environmental
16Protection, ex officio representatives from other state departments
17and representatives from academic research institutions may be
18added to the Climate Action Team as necessary to provide
19assistance and expertise in particular subject areas.

20(c) Multiagency staff working groups may be formed by the
21Climate Action Team to provide technical support for the work of
22the team in administrative domains, including, but not limited to,
23public health, environmental quality, agriculture, biodiversity and
24habitat, forestry, energy, land use, recycling and waste
25management, coastal and delta resources, regional and international
26policy development, state operations, water, and climate change
27research.

28

71354.  

The Climate Action Team, under the direction of the
29Secretary for Environmental Protection, shall coordinate the climate
30policy of the state to achieve the state’s climate change goals and
31all of the following:

32(a) The identification of unavoidable climate change impacts
33to the state’s natural resources, environmental quality, public
34health, and infrastructure.

35(b) The development and implementation of mitigation and
36adaptation plans to protect the public health, environmental quality,
37natural resources, and economy of the state.

38(c) The coordination of climate change policies with state
39agencies and departments, other states, the federal government,
40and other nations to identify the most effective strategies and
P4    1methods to reduce greenhouse gases, adapt to ongoing and future
2climate change, coordinate climate change research efforts, and
3facilitate the development of integrated and cost-effective regional,
4national, and international climate change programs.

5(d) The coordination and efficient use of existing state resources,
6programs, and funds, as well the recommendation of additional
7policies and investment strategies, to achieve the requirements of
8this section.

9(e) The identification and dissemination of information to local
10governments and regional bodies that will assist in meeting the
11requirements of this section.



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