BILL NUMBER: SB 246 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
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:
SECTION 1. Part 4.5 (commencing with Section 71350) is added to
Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, to read:
PART 4.5. Climate Action Team
71350. The Legislature finds and declares:
(a) The state has been a leader in climate mitigation efforts.
However, the state's efforts alone will not prevent global climate
change from occurring, as noted in the 2014 Safeguarding California
Plan. Due to the inevitability of climate change impacts on the
state, the state must invest in building resiliency and strengthening
adaptation efforts at the state, regional, and local levels using
the best-available science.
(b) Improved coordination of existing adaptation planning efforts
and funding by the state, as well as increased implementation and
support of adaptation programs, can directly protect the state's
infrastructure, communities, environmental quality, public health,
natural resources, and economy from the unavoidable impacts of
climate change for decades to come.
(c) The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division
25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code)
directs the Climate Action Team established by the Governor to
coordinate the overall climate policy as provided in Executive Order
S-3-05 and directs all state agencies to consider and implement
strategies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Given the
Climate Action Team's experience in coordinating climate change
research, vulnerability assessments, and resiliency and adaptation
planning documents, it is well-suited to lead the collaborative
efforts across state government to enhance the state's planning,
investment, and implementation of adaptation and resiliency
guidelines and programs.
71352. (a) The Climate Action Team is hereby established in state
government and shall consist of the following members:
(1) The Secretary for Environmental Protection, who shall serve as
the chairperson of the Climate Action Team, who shall coordinate
oversight of the efforts made to meet the greenhouse gas emissions
reduction targets established pursuant to the California Global
Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section
38500) of the Health and Safety Code), and who shall coordinate the
state's adaptation efforts to increase California's resiliency to
climate change impacts.
(2) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency.
(3) The Chair of the State Air Resources Board.
(4) The Chair of the State Energy Resources Conservation and
Development Commission.
(5) The President of the Public Utilities Commission.
(6) The Secretary of the Transportation Agency.
(7) The Secretary of Food and Agriculture.
(8) The Secretary of State and Consumer Services.
(9) The Secretary of California Health and Human Services.
(10) The Director of the Office of Planning and Research.
(11) The Secretary for Labor and Workforce Development.
(b) Upon the determination of the Secretary for Environmental
Protection, ex officio representatives from other state departments
and representatives from academic research institutions may be added
to the Climate Action Team as necessary to provide assistance and
expertise in particular subject areas.
(c) Multiagency staff working groups may be formed by the Climate
Action Team to provide technical support for the work of the team in
administrative domains, including, but not limited to, public health,
environmental quality, agriculture, biodiversity and habitat,
forestry, energy, land use, recycling and waste management, coastal
and delta resources, regional and international policy development,
state operations, water, and climate change research.
71354. The Climate Action Team, under the direction of the
Secretary for Environmental Protection, shall coordinate the climate
policy of the state to achieve the state's climate change goals and
all of the following:
(a) The identification of unavoidable climate change impacts to
the state's natural resources, environmental quality, public health,
and infrastructure.
(b) The development and implementation of mitigation and
adaptation plans to protect the public health, environmental quality,
natural resources, and economy of the state.
(c) The coordination of climate change policies with state
agencies and departments, other states, the federal government, and
other nations to identify the most effective strategies and methods
to reduce greenhouse gases, adapt to ongoing and future climate
change, coordinate climate change research efforts, and facilitate
the development of integrated and cost-effective regional, national,
and international climate change programs.
(d) The coordination and efficient use of existing state
resources, programs, and funds, as well the recommendation of
additional policies and investment strategies, to achieve the
requirements of this section.
(e) The identification and dissemination of information to local
governments and regional bodies that will assist in meeting the
requirements of this section.