BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair


          AB 2595 (Hall) - Desalination.
          
          Amended: August 6, 2012         Policy Vote: NR&W 7-0
          Urgency: No                     Mandate: No
          Hearing Date: August 16, 2012                     Consultant: 
          Bob Franzoia  
          
          SUSPENSE FILE.


          Bill Summary: AB 2595 would require the Ocean Protection Council 
          to report to the Legislature on opportunities for improving 
          permitting processes for seawater desalination facilities. The 
          bill would convene the Seawater Desalination Permit Improvement 
          Task Force.

          Fiscal Impact: Significant General Fund costs to the OPC through 
          December 2014.
              Significant General Fund and special fund costs to state 
              agencies participating in the task force.

          Background: The OPC is authorized to coordinate activities of 
          state agencies that are related to the protection and 
          conservation of coastal waters and ocean ecosystems to improve 
          the effectiveness of state efforts to protect ocean resources 
          within existing fiscal limitations.

          Proposed Law: The task force will review the current permitting 
          processes required by state agencies for the planning, design, 
          construction, monitoring, and operation of seawater desalination 
          facilities and identify opportunities for improving the 
          permitting process.  The task force will make recommendations to 
          on the following:

          (1) Establishing a clear permit process.
          (2) Defining the regulatory scope for each permitting agency.
          (3) Eliminating redundant requirements between California 
          permitting agencies.
          (4) Describing the data needed to complete each permit.
          (5) Developing best practices for communication among regulatory 
          agencies and the regulated community.
          (6) Ensuring that any recommended changes do not negatively 








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          affect current regulatory protections or the independent review 
          of an independent agency.

          The task force will report to the Legislature not later than 
          December 31, 2014 on opportunities for improving the current 
          statewide permitting processes for seawater desalination 
          facilities in California.