BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1030
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 27, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Mike Eng, Chair
AB 1030 (Blumenfield) - As Amended: May 4, 2009
SUBJECT : Property inventory: renewable energy
SUMMARY : Requires the Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
to develop an inventory of its property that could host
renewable energy facilities. Specifically, this bill :
1)Makes findings and declarations regarding the value of solar
and other renewable energy sources, the need to use these
resources wherever feasible, such as open space along
transportation corridors, to help to achieve the state's
climate change goals and the possibility of using
public-private partnerships to use untapped sound walls and
other transit property to generate revenues that could be used
to offset maintenance costs.
2)Requires Caltrans to furnish data required by the Institute of
the Environment at the University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA), for mapping the renewable energy development potential
of state-owned real property under Caltrans' direction and
control.
3)Requires the mapping project to include, but not be limited
to, global positioning mapping to be available for public use
that indicates the solar and wind renewable energy potential
for state-owned real property owned or controlled by Caltrans.
4)Requires Caltrans to respond within 30 days to any proposal to
develop a renewable energy project as to whether the property
is available for sale, lease, or encroachment permit, and
whether the project would be compatible with the current and
projected use of that property.
EXISTING LAW : Authorizes Caltrans to purchase and maintain
property for the purpose of constructing and operating
transportation facilities.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
AB 1030
Page 2
COMMENTS : The author contends that much of Caltrans' property -
roadways, soundwalls, real estate, etc., has the potential to
host renewable energy facilities and that the development and
maintenance of an inventory of such assets would "allow
promising renewable energy opportunities and new ventures to be
developed and pursued." He cites the example of the state of
Oregon, where solar generators are being incorporated into
soundwalls, and Great Britain, which is reportedly using
piezoelectric crystals in its roadbeds to generate electricity
when vehicles drive over them.
Rather than requiring Caltrans itself to undertake a
labor-intensive and expensive inventory of its properties that
might be suitable for hosting renewable energy projects, the
bill takes a lighter approach by simply requiring Caltrans to
make its property data available to UCLA so that they might map
it. This bill would also assure that Caltrans makes timely
responses to requests to utilize its properties for such
purposes.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Union of Concerned Scientists
Opposition
None received
Analysis Prepared by : Howard Posner / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093