BILL ANALYSIS �
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
ACR 160 (Gordon)
As Amended July 2, 2014
Majority vote
NATURAL RESOURCES 6-3
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|Ayes:|Chesbro, Garcia, | | |
| |Muratsuchi, Skinner, | | |
| |Stone, Williams | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Dahle, Bigelow, Patterson | | |
| | | | |
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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.
Specifically, this resolution :
1)Makes various findings and declarations regarding sea level
rise.
2)Encourages OPC, in its convening role, to work with the
California Coastal Zone Management Agencies (the Coastal
Commission, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development
Commission, and State Coastal Conservancy (SCC)), State Lands
Commission (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
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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.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Authorizes the 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 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, 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 strategy
was updated in 2013 by the draft Safeguarding California
Plan.)
FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS : This resolution will encourage state agencies and
non-state partners to consider establishing coastal climate
adaptation goals and planning principles to help prepare for the
impacts of sea level rise. This resolution will 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.
The sea is rising and weather is becoming more extreme. The
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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 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 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 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, the 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 regard 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.
Analysis Prepared by : Mario DeBernardo / NAT. RES. / (916)
319-2092
FN: 0004216
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