BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING
Senator Jim Beall, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: SB 1030 Hearing Date: 3/29/2016
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|Author: |McGuire |
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|Version: |2/12/2016 |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant|Erin Riches |
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SUBJECT: Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Authority
DIGEST: This bill removes the sunset on the Sonoma County
Regional Climate Protection Authority (RPCA).
ANALYSIS:
AB 32, Núñez and Pavley, Chapter 488, Statutes of 2006,
established a statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions goal for
2020. AB 32 requires the state Air Resources Board (ARB) to
determine the 1990 statewide GHG emissions level and approve a
statewide GHG emissions limit equivalent to that level, to be
achieved by 2020. AB 32 requires ARB to, among other things,
prepare and approve a scoping plan to achieve the maximum
technologically feasible and cost-effective reduction of GHG
emissions by 2020, to be updated every five years.
SB 375, Steinberg, Chapter 728, Statutes of 2008, requires ARB
to set regional targets for GHG emissions reductions from
passenger vehicle use. It requires each of California's
metropolitan planning organizations to prepare a sustainable
communities strategy as an integral part of its regional
transportation plan. This strategy must include land use,
housing, and transportation strategies that, if implemented,
would allow the region to meet its GHG emission reduction
targets.
AB 881, Huffman, Chapter 375, Statutes of 2009, established the
RCPA. The RPCA is stand-alone agency, but governed by the same
SB 1030 (McGuire) Page 2 of ?
board as the Sonoma County Transportation Authority. AB 881
authorized the RPCA to apply for funds and receive grants to
carry out its functions, required it to conduct meetings under
the Ralph M. Brown Act, and required an financial audit.
The RPCA coordinates with other agencies within the county to
implement programs and policies relating to GHG reduction goals
pursuant to AB 32. These activities include, but are not
limited to, reduction of energy consumption; coordination and
implementation of energy efficiency projects; increasing
efficiency of water use; utilizing carbon sequestration
opportunities; administration of grants to local entities;
alternative transportation options; and measuring and
quantifying ongoing GHG reductions.
AB 881 established the RPCA until December 1, 2015. AB 693,
Huffman, Chapter 599, Statutes of 2012, extended the sunset
until December 1, 2019.
This bill removes the sunset on the RCPA, making it permanent.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. The author states that the Authority makes it
possible for the jurisdictions of Sonoma County - including
small communities without large staff resources - to work
together to deliver a coordinated, efficient, and
comprehensive local response to climate change. The ARB
website notes that "Many of the measures in the Scoping Plan
to reduce GHG emissions rely on local government actions."
The author points out that RPCA has helped Sonoma County match
state GHG reductions on nearly a 1-to-1 basis. The 2019
sunset, however, is generating concerns among grant-making
entities; in addition, it is difficult for the RPCA to retain
highly qualified and capable staff without a long-term
guarantee. Eliminating the statutory sunset will enable the
RPCA to maintain and increase its efforts to meet AB 32 goals.
2)Why is a bill needed? The RPCA was established through
legislation because it is governed by the same board as the
Sonoma County Transportation Authority; all local
transportation authorities are established in statute.
Because the RPCA was the first of its kind to be created, the
Legislature placed a sunset date on it to provide an
SB 1030 (McGuire) Page 3 of ?
opportunity to assess its effectiveness before making it
permanent.
3)What does the RPCA do? Climate Action 2020 and Beyond, the
draft climate action plan prepared by the RPCA, includes,
among other things, an inventory of GHG emissions by sector; a
strategy for reducing GHG emissions in each section to meet
the goal of reducing emissions to 25% of 1990 levels by 2020;
and action and management plans for implementing specific GHG
reduction measures. The RPCA is also working with the Sonoma
County Transportation Authority to develop "Shift Sonoma
County," a strategic plan to promote a shift in both the mode
and fuel used for personal transportation in the county, and
with the Bay Area Regional Network (BayREN), a collaborative
that implements energy saving programs.
4)How is the RPCA funded? Statute provides that the RPCA may
only use designated transportation funds for
transportation-related activities, and prohibits the RPCA from
using local transportation tax revenues. It also authorizes
the RPCA to apply for grants. The RPCA does not receive any
state appropriations.
5)Double-referred. This bill has also been referred to the
Environmental Quality Committee.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on
Wednesday,
March 23, 2016.)
SUPPORT:
Bay Area Regional Energy Network
Center for Climate Protection
Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District
Santa Rosa; City of
Sebastopol; City of
Sonoma Clean Power
Sonoma County Water Agency
Windsor; Town of
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OPPOSITION:
None received.
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