BILL NUMBER: SJR 17	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 25, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Corbett
    (   Coauthor:   Senator   Evans
  ) 
    (   Coauthors:   Assembly Members 
 Ammiano,   Buchanan,   Gordon,  
Huffman,   and Wieckowski   ) 

                        FEBRUARY 13, 2012

   Relative to the San Francisco Bay Restoration Act.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SJR 17, as amended, Corbett. Coastal resources: San Francisco Bay.

   This measure would declare the Legislature's endorsement of S. 97
and H.R. 3034, and would urge the United States Congress to enact the
San Francisco  Bay  Restoration Act at the earliest
possible time.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, San Francisco Bay is the largest estuary on the west
coast of the United States; and
   WHEREAS, San Francisco Bay is an ecologically rich and productive
estuary, but its ecological values have declined significantly as a
result of physical alteration and pollution over the past 160 years;
and
   WHEREAS, San Francisco Bay is the hub of commercial activity and
is home to the third largest commercial port on the west coast of the
United States, has three international airports, and is vital to the
economic vitality of California and of the United States; and
   WHEREAS, Low-lying developed areas along the shore of San
Francisco Bay, such as Silicon Valley, contribute immeasurably to the
economic vitality of California and the United States; and
   WHEREAS, The sea level rose approximately eight inches in San
Francisco Bay between the years 1900 and 2000; and
   WHEREAS, The California Ocean Protection Council estimates the sea
level will rise an additional 14 inches by the year 2050 and will
rise to 55 inches by the year 2100; and
   WHEREAS, A one meter sea level rise would threaten commercial,
residential, and industrial structures around San Francisco Bay
valued at $48 billion (in year 1990 dollars); and
   WHEREAS, A 1.4 meter sea level rise will put 480,000 people living
in coastal California at risk of a 100-year flood event, given the
size of the population (in year 2000). Populations in San Mateo and
Orange Counties are especially vulnerable. In each, an estimated
110,000 people are at risk. Large numbers of residents (66,000) in
Alameda County are also at risk; and
   WHEREAS, Nearly $100 billion (in year 2000 dollars) worth of
property along California's coast, measured as the replacement value
of buildings and contents, is at risk of flooding from a 100-year
event with a 1.4 meter sea level rise if no adaptation actions are
taken. An overwhelming two-thirds of that property is concentrated on
San Francisco Bay; and
   WHEREAS, Building or strengthening levees and seawalls simply to
protect existing high?value development along the San Francisco Bay
shoreline was estimated to require an immediate capital investment of
approximately $1 billion (in year 1990 dollars) and would require an
additional $100 million per year in ongoing maintenance; and
   WHEREAS, The San Francisco Estuary Partnership, part of the
National Estuary Program of which the State of California is an
official partner and sponsor, developed a Comprehensive Conservation
and Management Plan for San Francisco Bay in 1993 that, among other
programs, recommended a large-scale restoration of San Francisco Bay
wetlands to restore the estuary and improve flood protection of the
developed shoreline; and
   WHEREAS, The largest coastal wetland restoration program in the
nation has been underway in San Francisco Bay since 1993; and
   WHEREAS, Restoration of San Francisco Bay wetlands can
dramatically improve the effectiveness of flood management efforts in
San Francisco Bay by performing the functions of manmade structures
in key locations; and
   WHEREAS, Restoration of San Francisco Bay wetlands can
dramatically reduce the costs of providing flood protection for the
developed shoreline by supplanting the need for manmade structures in
key locations; and
   WHEREAS, San Francisco Bay wetlands will provide more effective
flood protection benefits the more quickly they are restored; and
   WHEREAS, California Senator Dianne Feinstein has introduced S. 97
and California Congresswoman Jackie Speier has introduced H.R. 3034,
the San Francisco Bay Restoration Act, to provide federal matching
funds to accelerate the restoration of San Francisco Bay's wetlands
for, among others, the purpose of adapting to ongoing sea level rise;
now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature endorses S. 97 and H.R.
3034, and respectfully urges the United States Congress to enact the
San Francisco Bay Restoration Act promptly; and be it further
   Resolved,That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to each Senator and Representative from California in the
Congress of the United States, and to the author for appropriate
distribution.