BILL NUMBER: SB 1425 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 17, 2016
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 1, 2016
AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 28, 2016
INTRODUCED BY Senator Pavley
FEBRUARY 19, 2016
An act to add Part 6 (commencing with Section 71420) to Division
34 of the Public Resources Code, relating to greenhouse gases.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1425, as amended, Pavley. Water-energy nexus registry.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the
State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with
monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases.
Existing law creates the California Environmental Protection Agency,
consisting of various boards, offices, and departments, including the
state board.
Existing law, until 2008, established the former California
Climate Action Registry to carry out specified actions, including,
among others, helping various entities in the state to establish
emissions baselines, encourage voluntary actions to increase energy
efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and recognize,
publicize, and promote participants in the registry.
This bill would require the agency to oversee the development of a
registry for greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the
water-energy nexus using the best available data. The bill would
require authorize the agency to enter
into a contract with the Climate Registry a
qualified nonprofit organization to develop and administer the
registry, which would include, among other things, the above-stated
actions of the former California Climate Action Registry as those
relate to the water-energy nexus.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares
all of the following:
(a) Water and energy resources are inextricably connected. This
relationship is known as the water-energy nexus.
(b) The energy used to drive the state's water system accounts for
nearly 20 percent of the total electricity usage and 30 percent of
nonpower-related natural gas consumed and includes, among other
things, the fuels used to power groundwater pumps, transportation,
and treatment and disposal systems for water and wastewater; the
heating and cooling of water in buildings and other facilities; the
delivery of water; and end uses. There are known gaps in quantifying
greenhouse gas emissions associated with that energy usage.
(c) The water used to drive the state's energy system represents a
substantial portion of our state water demand and includes, among
other things, the water used to turn turbines for hydropower, to
produce steam and cooling systems for thermoelectric power, and to
extract and refine oil and gas.
(d) Consequently, saving water saves energy and vice versa.
(e) Because the production of energy often results in the emission
of greenhouse gases, there is substantial potential for emissions
reductions in the water system.
(f) While energy usage has historically been a fundamental element
in the planning and development of the state's water supply systems,
there are new opportunities for improving this linkage to reduce
water-related greenhouse gas emissions. New projects that best serve
water and energy investments can maximize greenhouse gas emissions
reductions.
(g) It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this measure,
to do both of the following:
(1) More closely integrate the planning for water and energy to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
(2) Recognize innovative projects and programs that reduce the
greenhouse gas intensity of our water system.
SEC. 2. SECTION 1. Part 6
(commencing with Section 71420) is added to Division 34 of the Public
Resources Code, to read:
PART 6. Water-Energy Nexus Registry
71420. For purposes of this part, the following terms have the
following meanings:
(a) "Agency" means the California Environmental Protection Agency.
(b) "The Climate Registry" means the nonprofit organization that
is a successor to the California Climate Action Registry (former
Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 42800) of Part 4 of Division 26 of
the Health and Safety Code, as added by Section 1 of Chapter 1018 of
the Statutes of 2000).
(c)
(b) "Registry" means the water-energy nexus registry
developed pursuant to this part.
71422. (a) (1) The agency shall oversee the development of a
registry for greenhouse gas emissions that result from the
water-energy nexus using the best-available data.
(2) Participation in the registry shall be voluntary and open to
any entity conducting business in the state. A participating entity
may register its emissions, including emissions generated outside of
the state, on an entitywide basis and may utilize the services of the
registry.
(b) The agency shall may enter into
a contract with the Climate Registry a
qualified nonprofit organization to do all of the following:
(1) Develop, in consultation with the agency and other relevant
state agencies, the registry through a public stakeholder process, as
determined by the agency. In developing the registry, the
Climate Registry chosen qualified nonprofit
organization shall consider greenhouse gas emissions accounting
methodologies developed as part of programs authorized pursuant to
the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5
(commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code).
(2) Help participating entities in the state to establish
emissions baselines.
(3) Encourage voluntary actions to increase water and energy
efficiency measures to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of the
state's water system.
(4) Enable participating entities to record voluntary entitywide
greenhouse gas emissions reductions in a consistent format that is
supported by third-party verification.
(5) Recognize, publicize, and promote participating entities
making voluntary reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.
(6) Recruit broad participation in the registry from all economic
sectors and regions of the state.
(7) Facilitate streamlined data reporting for relevant entities
already reporting to the Climate Registry as part of its voluntary
corporate greenhouse gas emissions reporting program.
71424. Entities participating in the registry may qualify for
financing opportunities that provide incentives to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and are consistent with Section 39712 of the Health and
Safety Code.