BILL ANALYSIS Ó ----------------------------------------------------------------- |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 317| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- THIRD READING Bill No: SB 317 Author: De León (D), et al. Amended: 5/5/15 Vote: 27 - Urgency SENATE NATURAL RES. & WATER COMMITTEE: 7-1, 4/28/15 AYES: Pavley, Allen, Hertzberg, Hueso, Jackson, Monning, Wolk NOES: Stone NO VOTE RECORDED: Vidak SENATE GOVERNANCE & FIN. COMMITTEE: 5-1, 5/6/15 AYES: Hertzberg, Beall, Hernandez, Lara, Pavley NOES: Moorlach NO VOTE RECORDED: Nguyen SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 5-1, 5/28/15 AYES: Lara, Beall, Hill, Leyva, Mendoza NOES: Nielsen NO VOTE RECORDED: Bates SUBJECT: The Safe Neighborhood Parks, Rivers, and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2016 SOURCE: Author DIGEST: This bill enacts the Safe Neighborhood Parks, Rivers, and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2016 which, if approved by the voters at the November 8, 2016 general election, authorizes the sale of general obligation bonds to benefit state and local parks in the amount of $2.45 billion. ANALYSIS: Existing law (Government Code §16727) provides that SB 317 Page 2 general obligation bonds are to be used for capital purposes. This provision aims to ensure that the benefits of a project at least roughly match the period during which the bond must be repaid. Bonds are best used for large, discrete capital projects that would ordinarily not be able to be supported by ongoing funding mechanisms and that meet a need over several decades. Using bond funds to pay for operations and maintenance or for short-lived projects in essence dramatically increases the cost of that project compared to using non-bond funds. This bill is divided into four areas of emphasis: 1)Parks ($1.45 billion) a) $800 million to the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) for the creation of neighborhood parks in park poor communities; b) $200 million to DPR for local park rehabilitation, allocated on a per capita basis; c) $200 million to DPR for restoration, preservation and protection of regional parks; d) $200 million to DPR for the restoration and preservation of existing state parks; and e) $50 million to DPR for revenue generation activities at state parks. 2)Rivers, Lakes, and Streams ($370 million) a) $100 million to the Natural Resources Agency for the protection, restoration, and development of river parkways; b) $100 million for implementation of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program; c) $100 million for protection, restoration, and development of Los Angeles River parkway projects; d) $50 million for the Salton Sea Restoration Fund; and SB 317 Page 3 e) $20 million for urban stream restoration. 3)Coast and Ocean Protection ($350 million) a) $300 million to the Coastal Conservancy for protection of beaches, bays and coastal watersheds, including protection of coastal agricultural land and California Coastal Trail projects; and b) $50 million to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy for the protection of coastal watersheds of the Santa Monica Mountains. 4)Climate Resilience ($280 million) a) $100 million to the Strategic Growth Council for the development or implementation of regional or local greenprints or climate adaptation plans and for the protection of open space and agricultural resources; b) $150 million to the Wildlife Conservation Board for the protection and expansion of wildlife corridors; and c) $30 million for the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for urban forestry grants. In its general provisions, the following criteria will apply to all grants made with bond funds: 1)All funds will be required to promote the state's planning priorities and the sustainable communities strategies. 2)The wildlife conservation objectives would occur on public lands or through voluntary projects on private lands. 3)Priority would be given to wildlife and habitat projects that implement natural community conservation plans or endangered species recovery plans. 4)Restoration projects would include the planning, monitoring, and reporting necessary to ensure successful implementation of SB 317 Page 4 the project objectives. Further explanation of the four major funding categories: 1)Parks. The largest single funding source in the proposed bond is for the creation and expansion of safe neighborhood parks in park-poor neighborhoods pursuant to AB 31 (De Leon, Chapter 623, Statutes of 2008) that is called "The Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Act of 2008." Although it does not have a dedicated funding source, AB 31 was major legislation that highlighted the need for new and expanded local parks in critically underserved communities. This need was recently re-emphasized by the Parks Forward Commission final report. These communities are defined as communities with less than three acres of usable parkland per 1,000 residents or a disadvantaged community which is defined in Section 75005(g) of the Public Resources Code as a community with a median household income less than 80% of the statewide average. Eligible entities that could receive grants under AB 31 include local governments, regional parks district, local recreation and parks districts, joint powers authorities, community service districts, nonprofit organizations, and others. Grants could be used to establish places for organized team sports, outdoor recreation, nonmotorized trails, permanent play structures, landscaping, community gardens, and many other activities including activities tailored for youth, seniors, and other population groups. Grants would be awarded on a competitive basis. Joint partnership projects between two or more agencies (including school districts, nonprofits, and local governments) would be encouraged. DPR is authorized to provide technical assistance to grant applicants, which is important to communities that do not have professional staff savvy in the ways of grant applications. Projects would also be designed to provide for efficient use SB 317 Page 5 of water, including storm water capture and reuse, reduced uses of pesticides and fertilizers, permeable surfaces, and uses of recycled materials. This section of the bond will also fund a $200 million per capita grants program for which all local governments may apply for purposes of local park rehabilitation and improvements. It will also fund $200 million in grants for restoration, preservation, and protection of regional parks, including state parks that are operated by and managed by regional or local entities. DPR will receive $200 million for its deferred maintenance projects that will "increase public access and to protect natural resources." Lastly, this article of the bond provides $50 million to DPR for its enterprise activities that increase revenue generation in state parks. This is also a key recommendation of the recent Parks Forward Commission and builds on earlier legislation that created the revenue generation program at DPR. 2)Article 5 of the proposed bond will fund categories related to rivers, lakes, and streams. The Natural Resources Agency will receive $100 million for grants for the river parkways program. The California Tahoe Conservancy will receive $100 million for California's partial fulfillment of its share of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program. (Nevada recently fully funded its share in its current legislative session.) The protection and restoration of the LA River will receive $100 million to complement the aggressive plans of the affected local governments in that region. The final two categories in this article are $50 million for assisting with the state's statutory obligations as the Salton Sea, and $20 million for urban stream restoration grants pursuant to Section 7048 of the Water Code. 3)Article 6 of the proposed bond will allocate $300 million for coast and ocean protection projects at the State Coastal SB 317 Page 6 Conservancy, with the provisos that this funding include projects to protect coastal agricultural resources as well as projects to complete the California Coastal Trail. The existing statute requires the Conservancy to focus its conservation efforts on agricultural lands threatened by development. Additionally, $50 million will be allocated to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy for the protection of coastal watersheds of the Santa Monica Mountains. 4)The article entitled "Climate Resilience" will allocate $100 million to the Strategic Growth Council for a wide variety projects that will reduce vulnerability to climate change across the state's water, forest, and agricultural resources. These funds could also be used to develop local greenprints which are defined as those plans for providing parks, greenspace, and urban forestry within an urbanized area to enhance climate resilience, improve public health, and protect open-space lands around a developed area to support an adopted sustainable communities strategy. The Wildlife Conservation Board will receive $150 million for protecting and expanding wildlife corridors, for climate adaptation projects, and for projects to protect and improve existing open space corridors and trail linkages related to utility or transportation infrastructure that provides habitat connectivity and public access or trails. Finally, $30 million will go to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for urban forestry projects that are not eligible for funding from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The final provisions of the bond contain the procedural requirements that apply to the State Treasurer who will sell these general obligation bonds, establish the committee that will determine whether or not it is necessary or desirable to issue bonds, and other fiscal provisions. FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.:YesLocal: No According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, there are estimated annual costs of $159 million for 30 years to the General Fund for a total of $4.781 billion in current dollars. SB 317 Page 7 SUPPORT: (Verified6/17/15) Amigos de Bolsa Chica Amigos de los Rios Anahuak Youth Sports Association Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association Anza-Borrego Foundation Association of California Water Agencies Audubon California Bear Yuba Land Trust Benicia State Parks Association Benicia Tree Foundation Big Sur Land Trust Bolsa Chica Land Trust California Association of Local Conservation Corps California Association of Park and Recreation Commissioners and Board Members California Association of Recreation and Park Districts California Climate and Agriculture Network California Council of Land Trusts California League of Conservation Voters California League of Parks Associations California Park and Recreation Society California ReLeaf California State Parks Foundation California State Railroad Museum Foundation California Tahoe Alliance California Trout California Urban Forests Council California Yacht Brokers Association Californians for Western Wilderness Canopy Carbon Cycle Institute Central Coast Lighthouse Keepers Chino Hills State Park interpretive Association Cities of Benicia, Encinitas, Lakewood, and Torrance Clean Water Action Common Vision Community Services Employment Training Conejo Recreation and Park District SB 317 Page 8 Counties of Kern County of Placer County of Santa Clara Crystal Cove Alliance Defenders of Wildlife Ducks Unlimited East Bay Regional Park District Eco Farm Empire Mine Park Association Environment California Environmental Defense Fund Environmental Justice Coalition for Water Fiesta de Reyes Fort Tejon Historical Association Friends of Balboa Park Friends of China Camp Friends of Lakes Folsom and Natoma Friends of Mt. Tam Friends of Palomar State Park Friends of Pico State Park Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks Friends of Sutter's Fort Friends of the Folsom Powerhouse Association Friends of the Urban Forest Hills for Everyone Hollywood Beautification Team Humboldt Redwoods Interpretive Association Huntington Beach Tree Society John Marsh Historic Trust Just one Tree Keep Eureka Beautiful Koreatown Youth and Community Center Land Trust of Santa Cruz County Latino Outdoors Los Angeles Conservation Corps Malibu Creek Docents Marin Agricultural Land Trust Marina Recreation Association Mendocino Woodlands Camp Association Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Mojave River Natural History Association Mono Lake Committee SB 317 Page 9 Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District National Marine Manufacturers Association National Parks Conservation Association National Trust for Historic Preservation Natural Resources Defense Council Nature Conservancy North East Trees Occidental Arts and Ecology Center Our City Forest OutDoor Afro Outdoor Outreach Pacific Forest Trust Palos Verdes South Bay Audubon Paradise Recreation and Park District Peninsula Open Space Trust Pine Ridge Association Placer Land Trust Plumas-Eureka State Park Association Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association Poppy Reserve/Mojave Desert Interpretive Association Portola and Castle Rock Foundation Richmond Trees Roseville Urban Forest Foundation Sacramento Tree Foundation San Francisco Parks Alliance San Francisco Recreation and Park District Santa Ana River Trail and Parkway Partnership Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority Save Our Forest Save Our Shores Save the Bay Save the Redwoods League Sea and Desert Interpretive Association Sequoia Riverlands Trust Shasta historical Society Sierra Business Council Sierra Club California Sierra Foothill Conservancy Sierra State Parks Foundation Solano Advocates Green Environments Sonoma County Regional Parks SB 317 Page 10 Sonoma County Trails Council Sonoma Ecology Center Sonoma Land Trust South Yuba River Citizens League Southern California Mountains Foundation Sports Leisure Vacations, LLC State Park Partners Coalition Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods Sustainable Tahoe Tahoe Resource Conservation District Team Sugarloaf The Malibu Adamson House Foundation The Trust for Public Land Topanga Canyon Docents Torrey Pines Association Tree Davis Tree Foundation of Kern Tree Fresno Tree Lodi Tree Musketeers Tree Partners Foundation Tree People Tree San Deigo Trout Unlimited Truckee Donner Land Trust Urban Conservation Corps of the Inland Empire Urban ReLeaf Urban Tree Foundation Valley of the Moon Observatory Association Victoria Avenue Forever Waddell Creek Association Watershed Conservation Authority West Hollywood Tree Preservation Society West Marine Environmental Action Committee Western Chapter, international Society of Aboriculture Western Region, Rail-to-Trails Conservancy Will Rogers Ranch Foundation Woodland Tree Foundation Worldwide Boaters Safety Group Your Children's Trees SB 317 Page 11 OPPOSITION: (Verified5/29/15) None received ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: The very large list of supporters attests to the popularity of this proposed bond. Several large coalitions and many other single organizations are in support of this bill. There is widespread support for the focus on park-poor communities that is the centerpiece of this bond. There is also widespread support for the per capita program (which many wish to see an increase in funding), as well as the deferred maintenance projects at the DPR. Another area of the bond receiving significant mention in these letters are the programs to support working landscapes, the funding of the state conservancies, and the restoration of the Salton Sea. Environmental Defense Fund supports the use of habitat exchanges through which private landowners are compensated for making measurable improvements to critical habitats while preserving agricultural production and viability. The Nature Conservancy supports the bond and encourages the author to consider additional funding for the upper watersheds in the Sierra Nevada. Several other organizations share this concern and are identified as such in the list of supporters. Other supporters suggested more funding for DPR, although many letters were received prior the amendments that provided the department $200 million for deferred maintenance and $50 million for its enterprise activities. Prepared by: William Craven / N.R. & W. / (916) 651-4116 SB 317 Page 12 6/17/15 11:37:09 **** END ****