BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
SB 551 (Wolk) - State water policy: water and energy efficiency.
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|Version: February 26, 2015 |Policy Vote: N.R. & W. 8 - 0 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
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|Hearing Date: May 11, 2015 |Consultant: Marie Liu |
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This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: SB 551 would declare it the state's policy that water
use and water treatment shall be as energy efficient as is
feasible and that energy use and generation shall be as water
efficient as is feasible.
Fiscal
Impact: Cost pressures, potentially in the millions of dollars
to the General Fund and various special funds to increase grant
awards, reprioritize programs, and change state operations to
increase electricity and water efficiency.
Background: The Warren-Alquist State Energy Resources Conservation and
Development Act establishes the state's policy to promote all
feasible means of energy and water conservation and all feasible
uses of alternative energy and water supply sources. (PRC
§25008)
SB 551 (Wolk) Page 1 of
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The Water Measurement Law contains Legislative findings and
declarations that state that the waste or unreasonable use of
water imposes unnecessary and wasteful consumption of energy to
deliver or furnish the water therefore, water usage should be
measured in order to reduce energy consumption. (WC §522)
Proposed Law:
This bill would declare it the state's policy that water use
and water treatment shall be as energy efficient as is feasible
and that energy use and generation shall be as water efficient
as is feasible.
Relevant state agencies would be required to consider this
policy in their policies, regulations, and grant criteria.
Staff
Comments: This bill sets a state policy regarding water and
energy efficiency and directs the state agencies to consider
this policy in their various activities. No actual actions are
required; however various agencies may see cost pressures to
implement the policy. More specifically, the state offers of
number of water and energy related financial assistance
programs. The policy adopted by this bill could implore the
granting agencies to consider more expensive projects. For
example, the State Water Resources Control Board offers grants
from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to assist
communities in enhancing and upgrading drinking water supplies.
Incorporating additional water and energy efficiencies upgrades
into a grant for water treatment and delivery could increase
project costs. Staff notes that energy and water efficiency
projects can require more upfront costs in order to reduce
ongoing operational costs. That said, the State Water Resources
Control Board believes there would be no costs to just consider
water and energy efficiencies.
The state itself operates water systems that require energy,
such as the State Water Project which uses considerable amount
of energy to move water resources around the state. This bill
would impose cost pressures for energy efficiency upgrades.
SB 551 (Wolk) Page 2 of
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This bill is trying to promote actions that are as energy and
water efficient "as is feasible." Staff notes that what is
"feasible" could be beyond what is cost effective.
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