BILL ANALYSIS �
ACR 160
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Date of Hearing: June 23, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
Wesley Chesbro, Chair
ACR 160 (Gordon) - As Introduced: June 10, 2014
SUBJECT : Sea level rise
SUMMARY : Encourages the Ocean Protection Council (OPC), to work
with state agencies and non-state partners to consider
establishing coastal climate adaptation goals and planning
principles to help prepare the state's shoreline and coastal
communities for the impacts of climate change, including sea
level rise, coastal erosion, and extreme storm-related events.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Authorizes the State Coastal Conservancy (SCC) to address the
impacts and potential impacts of climate change on coastal
resources and to award grants to public agencies and nonprofit
organizations for this purpose.
2)Requires a local trustee of granted public trust lands whose
annual gross public trust revenues exceed $250,000 to prepare
and submit to the State Lands Commission (SLC) an assessment
of how it proposes to address sea level rise.
3)Pursuant to Executive Order S-13-08 (Schwarzenegger), ordered
the Natural Resources Agency (NRA), through the Climate Action
Team, to coordinate with local, regional, state and federal
public and private entities to develop, by 2009, a state
Climate Adaptation Strategy. Ordered the strategy to
summarize the best known science on climate change impacts to
California, assess California's vulnerability to the
identified impacts, and outline solutions that can be
implemented within and across state agencies to promote
resiliency.
THIS BILL .
1)Makes the following findings and declarations:
a) The sea is rising and weather is becoming more extreme.
In fact, the county's longest continuously operating gauge
of sea level, at Fort Point in San Francisco Bay, recorded
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a seven-inch rise in sea level over the 20th century.
b) As a result of California's changing climate, sea level
rise is projected to accelerate during this century. A
2012 report from the National Research Council found that
the average sea level rise projections for California are
an additional six inches by 2030, 12 inches by 2050, and 36
inches by 2100.
c) Three quarters of the state's 38 million people live
near California's 1,100 miles of coastline and San
Francisco Bay's additional 500-mile shoreline.
d) Among those affected by sea level rise are large numbers
of low-income people and communities of color who are
especially vulnerable.
e) Coastal waters, waterfronts, bays, ports, harbors,
marinas, wetlands, estuaries, riparian areas, and beaches
are important environmental and economic resources of
California.
f) Sea level rise and other extreme events threaten water
supply and California's agriculture by causing saltwater
intrusion into the state's freshwater sources, including,
but not limited to, the Delta and coastal aquifers.
g) Critical existing infrastructure in California,
including, but not limited to, roads, hospitals, schools,
emergency facilities, wastewater treatment plants, and
power plants, and new development on the coast and on the
San Francisco Bay is vulnerable to sea level rise.
h) Sea level rise threatens public access to the coast and
its recreational areas.
i) Beaches, wetlands, streams, and other natural habitats
that benefit wildlife and communities along the coast
require protection, restoration, and enhancement due to the
effects of sea level rise.
j) The Assembly Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the
California Economy (Select Committee) was established last
year to thoroughly review the challenges ahead in
addressing the expected impacts of sea level rise on the
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state and its economy.
aa) The Select Committee held four hearings throughout the
state to examine the effect of sea level rise on various
sectors and industries. Topics at those hearings included
projected impacts on coastal agricultural, fishing and
aquacultural industry, tourism, ports, airports, roads and
bridges, and water and power infrastructure, and an
examination of the existing authority of state agencies
regarding the state's preparedness and response to
anticipated sea level rise.
bb) State agencies have already begun to address this
critical issue. For example, in December 2013, NRA released
a draft of the Safeguarding California Plan for reducing
climate risk that identified climate risks to California's
oceans, coastal ecosystems, and coastal resources and
provided state guidance for reducing those risks.
cc) State, local, and private action is needed to plan and
design for coastal resiliency and long-term coastal
sustainability.
dd) State, local, and private action is needed to protect
public health and safety and public and private coastal and
San Francisco Bay infrastructure, ports, public facilities
and services, jobs, and economic assets.
ee) State, local, and private action to protect coastal
resources from the impacts of climate change may provide
additional public benefits, including, but not limited to,
flood protection, improved water quality, and increases in
fish and wildlife for food and recreation.
ff) Although adapting to sea level rise and other extreme
impacts of climate change will be expensive, that price
will be far lower than the alternative of waiting and
reacting to these impacts as they occur.
gg) Extensive cooperation between state, local, and private
entities is needed to adequately respond to the effects sea
level rise and climate change.
2)Encourages OPC, in its convening role, to work with the
California Coastal Zone Management Agencies (the Coastal
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Commission, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development
Commission, and SCC), SLC, other state agencies, and non-state
partners to consider establishing coastal climate adaptation
goals and planning principles to help prepare the state's
shoreline and coastal communities for the impacts of climate
change, including sea level rise, coastal erosion, and extreme
storm-related events. The establishment of these goals and
planning principles would implement a recommendation from the
Safeguarding California Plan to form a state coastal
leadership group on sea level rise to help guide state
activities, enhance agency coordination, and facilitate
adaptation strategies.
3)Encourages state agencies to engage and communicate with the
public; local, regional, and federal agencies; and nonprofit
organizations and businesses regarding the risks of sea level
rise and the development and implementation of adaptive and
protective measures.
4)Directs the Chief Clerk of the Assembly to transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS :
1)Author's Statement .
ACR 160 would encourage state agencies and non-state
partners to consider establishing coastal climate
adaptation goals and planning principles to help prepare
for the impacts sea-level rise. The resolution would
also encourage state agencies to communicate with the
public and other entities regarding the risks of sea
level rise and the development and implementation of
adaptive and protective measures to address those risks.
2)Background . The sea is rising and weather is becoming more
extreme. The country's longest continuously operating gauge
of sea level, at Fort Point in San Francisco Bay, recorded a
seven-inch rise in sea level over the 20th century. As a
result of California's changing climate, sea-level rise is
projected to accelerate during the next century. A 2012
report from the National Research Council found that the
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average sea-level rise projections for California are an
additional six inches by 2030, 12 inches by 2050, and 36
inches by 2100
The Select Committee was established last year to thoroughly
review the challenges ahead in addressing the expected impacts
of sea-level rise on California and its economy. The Select
Committee held four hearings throughout the state to examine
sea-level rise's effect on various sectors and industries.
Topics at the four hearings included projected impacts on
coastal agriculture, fishing and aquaculture industry,
tourism, ports, airports, roads and bridges, water and power
infrastructure, as well as the examination of existing
authority granted to state agencies in regards to the
preparedness and response to anticipated sea-level rise.
The Select Committee found that coordination and collaboration
especially at the state level is essential in preparing for
sea-level rise as this threat spans multiple sectors and
agencies. In addition, the Select Committee found that
various entities were looking to the state to provide guidance
and standards to adequately respond to the effects of climate
change and sea-level rise. Therefore, according to the
author, the establishment of climate adaptation goals and
planning principles would provide the benefit of guiding state
activities, enhancing agency coordination, and arguably the
most important, facilitating adaptation strategies.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Mario DeBernardo / NAT. RES. / (916)
319-2092
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