BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 1028
Page 1
Date of Hearing: June 29, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
SB 1028
(Hill) - As Amended May 31, 2016
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|Policy |Utilities and Commerce |Vote:|15 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
No
SUMMARY:
This bill requires electric utilities to construct, maintain and
operate their electric lines and equipment in a manner to
minimize the risk of catastrophic wildfire, and to prepare and
submit wildlife mitigation plans. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires electrical corporations regulated by the Public
Utilities Commission (PUC) to develop and submit wildfire
mitigation plans, and requires the PUC to act expeditiously,
as defined, on each plan submitted, and to conduct audits to
ensure electrical corporations are satisfactorily complying
SB 1028
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with accepted plans.
2)Authorizes the PUC to determine the content of an electrical
corporation's wildlife mitigation plan if it determines an
electrical corporation will not be able to prepare an
acceptable one.
3)Requires publicly-owned utilities to file wildfire mitigation
plans with their governing boards, at an interval to be
determined by the board. Fire prevention plans prepared
pursuant to the Federal Power Act and approved by federal
government may be used to meet this requirement
FISCAL EFFECT:
1)Increased costs of approximately $620,000 Utilities
Reimbursement Account) to the PUC for staffing, training, and
equipment costs.
2)Increased contracting costs of approximately $250,000 annually
for three years for the PUC to contract with a fire mitigation
consultant.
3)Publicly-owned utility requirements will not result in
reimbursable state-mandates because the utilities have the
authority to charge fees and generate revenue to offset their
costs.
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COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. Traditionally, fire prevention efforts have focused
on measures to prevent utilities' equipment and infrastructure
from sparking fires. This bill, modeled after a similar
effort in Victoria, Australia, is intended to provide a
different approach to fire prevention by requiring utility to
prepare wildlife management plans.
2)Background. In October of 2007, a series of large wildfires
ignited and burned hundreds of thousands of acres in several
counties in Southern California. The fires displaced nearly
one million residents, destroyed thousands of homes, and took
the lives of seventeen people. The Witch Fire, one of the
nation's most damaging, was ignited by power lines.
More recently, the September 2015 Butte Fire burned more than
70,000 acres in Amador and Calaveras Counties, destroyed 818
structures, and caused two fatalities. This fire may have
been caused by contact between an electric overhead line and a
tree.
In 2008, the PUC initiated a rulemaking proceeding to address
fires related to utility poles. The PUC's efforts have
resulted in additional requirements on utilities to reduce the
likelihood of fires started by or threatening utility
facilities, including improved vegetation management.
Utilities are now also required to develop electric utility
fire prevention plans.
The first phase also adopted fire hazard maps of high-risk
areas in Southern California. In May 2015, the PUC opened a
new rulemaking proceeding to develop and adopt fire-threat
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maps and fire-safety regulations (R. 15-05-006).
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081