Amended in Senate April 30, 2015

Amended in Senate April 21, 2015

Amended in Senate April 8, 2015

Senate Bill No. 758

Introduced by Senator Block

February 27, 2015

An act to add begin delete Section 12805.4 to the Government end delete begin insert Article 8 (commencing with Section 347) to Chapter 2.5 of Division 1 of the Water end insert Code, relating to climate change.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 758, as amended, Block. Atmospheric Rivers Research and Mitigation Program.

Existing law establishes the begin delete Natural Resources Agency, comprised of departments, boards, conservancies, and commissions responsible for the restoration, protection, and management of the state’s natural and cultural resources. end delete begin insert Department of Water Resources and requires the department to implement various water conservation and flood control programs and projects in the state. end insert

This bill would establish the Atmospheric Rivers Research and Mitigation Program in the begin delete Natural Resources Agency end delete begin insert department end insert to research the causes and effects of atmospheric rivers, and to take actions to capture water generated by atmospheric rivers to increase the water supply and reliability of water resources in the state and to operate reservoirs in a manner that improves flood protection in the state. The bill would establish the Atmospheric Rivers Research and Mitigation Fund in the State Treasury for the purposes of funding the program.

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

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

begin delete

SECTION 1.  

Section 12805.4 is added to the Government
Code, to read:

12805.4.  

end delete

begin insert

begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Article 8 (commencing with Section 347) is added
to Chapter 2.5 of Division 1 of the end insert begin insert Water Code end insert begin insert , to read: end insert

 

begin insert

Article begin insert 8. end insert   begin insert Atmospheric Rivers Research and Mitigation end insert

end insert

 

begin insert

begin insert 347. end insert   

end insert

(a) The Atmospheric Rivers Research and Mitigation
Program is hereby established in the begin delete Natural Resources Agency. end delete
begin insert Department of Water Resources. end insert

(b) Under the program, the begin delete agency end delete begin insert department end insert shall research
the causes and effects of atmospheric rivers, and shall take all
actions within its existing authority to capture water generated by
atmospheric rivers in order to increase the water supply and
reliability of water resources in the state and to operate reservoirs
in a manner that improves flood protection in the state.

(c) The Atmospheric Rivers Research and Mitigation Fund is
hereby established in the State Treasury for the deposit of moneys
to be expended by the begin delete agency end delete begin insert department end insert for the program.