BILL ANALYSIS �
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| SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER |
| Senator Fran Pavley, Chair |
| 2011-2012 Regular Session |
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BILL NO: SB 1066 HEARING DATE: April 10, 2012
AUTHOR: Lieu URGENCY: No
VERSION: April 9, 2012 CONSULTANT: Alena Pribyl
DUAL REFERRAL: No FISCAL: Yes
SUBJECT: Coastal resources: climate change.
BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW
The State Coastal Conservancy is a state agency that purchases,
protects, restores, and enhances coastal resources, and provides
public access to the shore. The Coastal Conservancy works in
partnership with local governments, other public agencies,
nonprofit organizations, and private landowners. Since their
establishment in 1976, the Coastal Conservancy has undertaken
over 1800 projects along the California coast and San Francisco
bay.
Current law states that the Coastal Conservancy has
responsibility for implementing a program of agricultural
protection, area restoration, and resource enhancement in the
coastal zone within the guidelines established in the California
Coastal Act (PRC �31054). Current law also gives authority to
the Coastal Conservancy to undertake plans and feasibility
studies, award grants to public agencies and nonprofit
organizations for these studies (PRC �31111) and undertake
educational projects and programs for K-12 (PRC �31119).
Projects that the Coastal Conservancy currently undertakes are
primarily related to:
protecting and improving the quality of coastal wetlands,
streams, watersheds, and near-
shore ocean waters;
helping people get to coast and bay shores by building
trails and stairways and by
acquiring land and easements. The Conservancy also
assists in the creation of low-cost
accommodations along the coast, including campgrounds
and hostels;
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working with local communities to revitalize urban
waterfronts;
helping to solve complex land-use problems;
purchasing and holding environmentally valuable coastal
and bay lands;
protecting agricultural lands and supporting coastal
agriculture;
accepting donations and dedications of land and easements
for public access, wildlife
habitat, agriculture, and open space.
The majority of funding for the Coastal Conservancy is from bond
funds from Proposition 84 approved by voters. The Coastal
Conservancy manages to support a large number of projects by
leveraging their funds with federal and local governments and
private organizations. In 2011, the Coastal Conservancy
supported 79 projects with $64 million that was leveraged to
$121 million.
As of November 10, 2011, the Coastal Conservancy board updated
their climate change policies and project selection criteria to
address climate change impacts. These new policies use a risk
analysis approach to evaluate the ability of proposed projects
to adapt to projected sea level rise and extreme events over
time. Projects are also evaluated for their ability to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions during construction. Although current
projects are evaluated for their ability to withstand impacts
from climate change and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
during construction, the Coastal Conservancy has funded few
projects with a direct goal of addressing climate change
impacts. In the last four years, they have provided funds to
three San Francisco Bay Area organizations (Bay Area Ecosystems
Climate Change Consortium, PRBO Conservation, San Francisco
Planning and Urban Research Association) to support projects
related to climate change out of hundreds of projects.
California state agencies have taken the lead on addressing
issues related to climate change. In 2006, AB 32 was passed
which requires the California Air Resources Board to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. In 2008, AB
2094 was passed which authorizes the San Francisco Bay
Conservation and Development Commission to develop regional
strategies as needed for addressing the impacts of the effects
of sea level rise and other impacts of global climate change on
San Francisco Bay (GC �66646.2). AB 1225 was also passed that
same year which authorizes the Ocean Protection Council to
provide funding for necessary activities to minimize the adverse
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impacts of climate change on California's ocean ecosystem (PRC
�35650).
PROPOSED LAW
This bill would clarify the current law to authorize the State
Coastal Conservancy to engage in projects that address climate
change impacts as it relates to the stated goals of the agency.
Specifically this bill would:
1) Clarify the authority of the Coastal Conservancy to
undertake and fund
projects related to climate change such as extreme weather
events, sea
level rise, storm surge, beach and bluff erosion, salt
water intrusion, flooding and other
coastal hazards that threaten coastal communities,
infrastructure, and natural resources.
2) Require that the Coastal Conservancy prioritize projects
that would maximize public benefits such as reducing
emissions of greenhouse gas; reducing hazards to harbors
and ports and related jobs; preserving and enhancing
coastal wetlands and natural lands; conserving biodiversity
including fish and related jobs; and providing recreational
opportunities.
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT
According to the author, the consequences of climate change,
such as extreme weather events and sea level rise,
disproportionately impact 80% of California's population that
live and work within 30 miles of the coast. Coastal
infrastructure, beaches, estuaries, coastal wetlands, and other
unique coastal habitats that drive the coastal economy are all
at risk. California's coastal resources contribute over $40
billion annually to state and local funds. The consequences of
climate change could ultimately cost the state tens of billions
of dollars if not addressed. Existing law created the Coastal
Conservancy to protect and enhance coastal resources and urban
waterfronts through grants and other non-regulatory means.
However, existing law does not expressly authorize the Coastal
Conservancy to help address the adverse effects of climate
change on coastal resources. SB 1066 corrects this ambiguity in
the law by authorizing the Coastal Conservancy to address
climate change and its impacts as part of its broader mission.
Supporters of this bill also cite the need to clarify the
existing law to ensure the Coastal Conservancy can fund and
undertake projects to address climate change, and they stress
the need to address the mounting impacts of climate change.
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ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION
None received
SUPPORT
The Nature Conservancy (sponsor)
Audubon California
Bay Area Open Space Council
California Coastkeeper Alliance
East Bay Dischargers Authority
Environmental Defense Fund
Greg Cox, Supervisor, San Diego County
Heal the Bay
Marin County Board of Supervisors
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Mountains Restoration Trust
Natural Resources Defense Council
Ocean Conservancy
Ojai Valley Land Conservancy
Peninsula Open Space Trust
Point Reyes Bird Observatory
San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association
Save the Bay
Sonoma Land Trust
Steve Bennett, Supervisor, Ventura County
Surfrider Foundation
OPPOSITION
None Received
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