Amended in Assembly September 1, 2015

Amended in Assembly July 1, 2015

Amended in Senate June 2, 2015

Amended in Senate May 5, 2015

Amended in Senate April 13, 2015

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 amended, Wieckowski. Climate change adaptation.

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. An executive order establishes a climate action team consisting of specified ex officio members and requires the team to make a specified biannual report to the Legislature and Governor.

This bill would establish the Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program to be administered by the Office of Planning and Research to coordinate state, regional, and localbegin delete agencyend delete efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as specified.begin delete The bill would require the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Natural Resources Agency, and the office, no later than January 1, 2017, and every 3 years thereafter, to update the 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy, as specified.end delete The bill also wouldbegin delete require the office, no later than January 1, 2018, and every 3 years thereafter,end deletebegin insert require, within one year of an update to the Safeguarding California Plan, the Office of Emergency Services, in coordination with the Natural Resources Agency, the Office of Planning and Research, and relevant public and private entities,end insert tobegin delete updateend deletebegin insert review and update, as necessary,end insert the Adaptation Planning Guide, as specified. The bill would establish an advisory council, as specified, to supportbegin delete thoseend deletebegin insert theend insert goals of thebegin delete office.end deletebegin insert Office of Planning, and Research as identified by the bill.end insert The bill would require thebegin delete officeend deletebegin insert Office of Planning, and Researchend insert to establish a clearinghouse for climate adaptation information, as specified.

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 Adaptation and Resiliency
5Program

6

 

7

71350.  

For purposes of this part, “office” means the Office of
8Planning and Research.

9

71352.  

The Legislature finds and declares:

10(a) The state has been a leader in climate mitigation efforts.
11However, the state’s efforts alone will not prevent global climate
12change from occurring, as noted in the update to the 2009
13California Climate Adaptation Strategy issued in July 2014. Due
14to the inevitability of climate change impacts on the state, the state
15must invest in building resiliency and strengthening adaptation
16efforts at the state, regional, and local levels using the
17best-available science.

P3    1(b) Improved coordination of existing adaptation planning efforts
2and funding by the state, as well as increased implementation and
3support of adaptation programs, can directly protect the state’s
4infrastructure, communities, environmental quality, public health,
5natural resources, and economy from the unavoidable impacts of
6climate change for decades to come.

7(c) In order to have a cohesive and comprehensive adaptation
8response to climate change impacts, the state must have integrated
9planning with coordinated strategies across state, regional, and
10local governments and agencies.

11(d) The office is established as the comprehensive state planning
12agency that shall engage in the formulation, evaluation, and
13updating of long-range goals for factors that shape statewide
14development patterns and significantly influence the quality of the
15state’s environment, in addition to assisting state, regional, and
16local agencies in a variety of research and planning efforts, pursuant
17to Section 65040 of the Government Code. Therefore, the office
18is well-positioned to work with state, regional, and local entities
19across the state in coordinating climate adaptation strategies.

20(e) It is the intent of the Legislature, therefore, that adaptation
21strategies to build resiliency to the risks and impacts from climate
22change be integrated in state policies, projects, and permitting
23 processes, and that the office serve as a coordinating body for
24adaptation projects and goals across California.

25

71354.  

The Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program is
26hereby established to be administered by the office. No later than
27January 1, 2017, the Director of State Planning and Research shall
28establish the program to coordinate state, regional, and localbegin delete agencyend delete
29 efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change with, to the extent
30feasible, an emphasis on climate equity considerations across
31sectors and regions and strategies that benefit bothbegin delete reductionsend delete
32 greenhouse gas emissionsbegin insert reductionsend insert and adaptationbegin delete efforts.end deletebegin insert efforts,
33in order to facilitate the development of holistic, complimentary
34strategies for adapting to climate change impacts.end insert
The program
35shallbegin delete includeend deletebegin insert include, but is not limited to,end insert all of the following:

begin delete

36(a) Assisting state agencies in coordinating the planning and
37preparation of regular updates to the 2009 California Climate
38Adaptation Strategy, pursuant to Section 71356, and maintain
39copies of the updates on the office’s Internet Web site.

end delete
begin insert

P4    1(a) Working with and coordinating local and regional efforts
2for climate adaptation and resilience, including, but not limited
3to, the following:

end insert
begin insert

4(1) Developing tools and guidance.

end insert
begin insert

5(2) Promoting and coordinating state agency support for local
6and regional efforts.

end insert
begin insert

7(3) Ensuring that state planning, guidance, and guidelines reflect
8the efforts and challenges faced by local and regional entities
9pursuing adaptation and resilience.

end insert

10(b) begin deleteWorking with end deletebegin insertAssisting the Office of Emergency Services
11and other end insert
relevant state agenciesbegin delete and public and private entities
12to createend delete
begin insert with coordinatingend insert regularbegin delete updatesend deletebegin insert reviews and updates,
13as needed,end insert
to the Adaptation Planning Guide, pursuant to Section
14begin delete 71358,end deletebegin insert 71356,end insert andbegin delete maintain copiesend deletebegin insert maintaining a copyend insert of the
15begin delete updatesend deletebegin insert guide, or an electronic link to a copy of the guide hosted
16on another Internet Web site,end insert
on the office’s Internet Web site.
17begin delete One or more lead state agencies may be designated to prepare the
18updates.end delete

19(c) Coordinating and maintaining the state’s clearinghouse for
20climate adaptation information, pursuant to Sectionbegin delete 71362.end deletebegin insert 71360.end insert

21(d) Conducting regular meetings with the advisory council
22established pursuant to Sectionbegin delete 71360end deletebegin insert 71358end insert in order to have
23begin insert technical support, as well asend insert expertise and advice from regional
24and local experts working in climate adaptation throughout the
25research and planning processes, as described in this section.

begin delete
26

71356.  

No later than January 1, 2017, and every three years
27thereafter, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the
28Natural Resources Agency, and the office, in coordination with
29those agencies that have previously led sector-specific adaptation
30efforts and any relevant public and private entities, shall update
31the 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy, for which the
32first update was titled Safeguarding California: Reducing Climate
33Risk, to incorporate advances in climate science and risk
34management options regarding regional and statewide climate
35change impacts and vulnerabilities and recommended adaptation
36strategies.

end delete
37

begin delete71358. end delete
38begin insert71356.end insert  

(a) begin deleteNo later than January 1, 2018, and every three years
39thereafter, end delete
begin insertWithin one year of an update to the Safeguarding
40California Plan, the Office of Emergency Services, in coordination
P5    1with the Natural Resources Agency, end insert
the office,begin delete in coordination
2with allend delete
begin insert andend insert relevant public and private entities, shallbegin delete updateend deletebegin insert review
3and update, as necessary,end insert
the Adaptation Planning Guide to
4provide tools and guidance to regional and local governments and
5agencies in creating and implementing climate adaptation and
6community resiliency plans and projects.begin delete Theend deletebegin insert Anend insert Adaptation
7Planning Guidebegin delete updatesend deletebegin insert updateend insert shall be informed by the climate
8adaptation clearinghouse established pursuant to Sectionbegin delete 71362end delete
9begin insert 71360end insert and the scientific assessments and recommendations in the
10most recent updatebegin delete prepared pursuant to Section 71356. Theend deletebegin insert of the
11Safeguarding California Plan. Anend insert
Adaptation Planning Guide
12begin delete updatesend deletebegin insert updateend insert shallbegin delete include, at a minimum, all of the following:end delete
13begin insert provide information and planning support for assessing climate
14vulnerabilities across impact sectors and regions and developing
15 adaptation strategies that can be tailored to meet local needs.end insert

begin delete

16(1) Information concerning funding opportunities for adaptation
17research, planning, and projects.

end delete
begin delete

18(2) Regionally prioritized best-practice adaptation projects that,
19where appropriate, integrate efforts to reduce greenhouse gas
20emissions across the state.

end delete
begin delete

21(3) Recommended metrics and indicators to track the progress
22and success of adaptation efforts locally, regionally, and statewide.

end delete
begin delete

23(4) Adaptation planning templates for use by local governments
24and regional collaboratives.

end delete
begin delete

25(5) Guidelines for coordinating adaptation activities among state
26and local governments and regional collaboratives.

end delete

27(b) As part of updating the Adaptation Planning Guide, the
28office with the advisory council created pursuant to Sectionbegin delete 71360end delete
29begin insert 71358end insert shall hold public meetings and workshopsbegin delete at least annuallyend delete
30 in the northern, southern, and central regions of the state to obtain
31input from the public and leaders in local and regional climate
32preparedness.

33

begin delete71360. end delete
34begin insert71358.end insert  

(a) An advisory council to the office is hereby
35established. The advisory council shall be comprised ofbegin delete 15end delete
36 members from a range ofbegin delete disciplinesend deletebegin insert disciplines,end insert in order to provide
37scientific and technical support,begin delete as well asend deletebegin insert and fromend insert regional and
38localbegin delete perspectives, toend deletebegin insert governments and entities. The advisory
39council shallend insert
support the office’sbegin delete goalsend deletebegin insert goals, asend insert identified in this
P6    1begin delete part.end deletebegin insert part, to facilitate coordination among state, regional, and
2local agency efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change.end insert

3(b) Members of the advisory council shallbegin delete be appointed based
4on theirend delete
begin insert haveend insert expertise in the intersection of climate change and
5areas that include, but need not be limited to, any of the following:

6(1) Public health.

7(2) Environmental quality.

8(3) Environmental justice.

9(4) Agriculture.

10(5) Transportation and housing.

11(6) Energy.

12(7) Natural resources and water.

13(8) Planning.

14(9) Recycling and waste management.

15(10) Local or regional government.

begin insert

16(11) Tribal issues.

end insert
begin insert

17(12) Emergency services.

end insert
begin delete

18(c) Five members of the advisory council shall be appointed by
19the Governor, five members shall be appointed by the Speaker of
20the Assembly, and five members shall be appointed by the Senate
21Committee on Rules. All members shall be appointed to four-year
22terms with the possibility of reappointment.

23(d)

end delete

24begin insert(c)end insert The advisory council shall meet with the office asbegin delete neededend delete
25begin insert needed,end insert but not less than three times a year.

begin delete

26(e) The members of the advisory council shall serve without
27compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses
28incurred in the performance of their duties.

end delete
29

begin delete71362.end delete
30begin insert71360.end insert  

(a) (1) The office shall coordinate with appropriate
31entities, including state, regional, or local agencies, to establish a
32clearinghouse for climate adaptation information for use by state,
33regional, and local entities.

34(2) The clearinghouse shall be a centralized source of
35information that providesbegin delete downscaledend deletebegin insert availableend insert climate data to
36guide decisionmakers at state, regional, and local levels when
37planning for and implementing climate adaptation projects to
38promote resiliency to climate change. The clearinghousebegin delete shall
39include allend delete
begin insert may include, but is not limited to, anyend insert of the following:

P7    1(A) A collection of the best-availablebegin delete science,end deletebegin insert resources that
2may includeend insert
projections and models,begin delete andend delete vulnerabilitybegin delete assessments
3ofend delete
begin insert assessments, and downscaled data forend insert climate change impacts
4throughout thebegin delete stateend deletebegin insert state, when available,end insert at statewide, regional,
5and local levels for both near-term and longer term timescales,
6including year 2050 and year 2100 projections. Climate change
7impactsbegin delete shallend deletebegin insert mayend insert include, but are not limited to, impacts to public
8health, natural resources, environmental quality, and infrastructure.

9(B) Tools that allow for the visualization or identification of
10regional and local impacts across the state and that integrate
11best-available data on vulnerable populations and infrastructure.

12(C) A library of relevant white papers, case studies, research
13articles, and climate adaptation best practices that are searchable
14by relevance to region, locality, and sector.

begin insert

15(D) Information concerning funding opportunities for adaptation
16research, planning, and projects.

end insert
begin insert

17(E) Regionally prioritized best-practice adaptation projects
18that, as appropriate, integrate efforts to reduce greenhouse gas
19emissions across the state.

end insert

20(b) The clearinghouse shall be regularlybegin delete updated with relevant
21information to improve its functionality as a tool to guide
22decisionmaking at state, regional, and local levels.end delete
begin insert updated.end insert



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