Existing law provides that the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation serves the Governor and the Governor's Cabinet as staff for long-range planning and research, and constitute the comprehensive state planning agency. In that capacity, existing law requires the office to, among other things, assist local governments in land use planning. Existing law, the California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989, establishes the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to administer an integrated waste management program. Existing law establishes a goal that statewide landfill disposal of organic waste be reduced from the 2014 level by 75% by 2025. This bill, on or before June 1, 2027, would require the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, in consultation with the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, to develop and post on the office's internet website, a technical advisory, as provided, reflecting best practices to facilitate the siting of composting facilities to meet the organic waste reduction goals. The bill would require the office to consult with specified entities throughout the development of the technical advisory. The Planning and Zoning Law requires each county and city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for its physical development, and the development of certain lands outside its boundaries, that includes, among other mandatory elements, a land use element that designates the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of the land for housing, business, solid and liquid waste disposal facilities, and other categories of public and private uses of land, as prescribed. This bill, upon a substantive revision of the land use element, as specified, on or after January 1, 2029, would require a city, county, or city and county to consider, among other things, the best practices, sample general plan, and model ordinance reflected in the technical advisory and to consider updating the land use element to identify areas where composting facilities may be appropriate as an allowable use. By increasing duties on a city, county, or city and county, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law establishes the Clean Cars 4 All Program, which is administered by the State Air Resources Board, to focus on achieving reductions in the emissions of greenhouse gases, improvements in air quality, and benefits to low-income state residents through the replacement of high-polluter motor vehicles with cleaner and more efficient motor vehicles or a mobility option. Existing law requires the implementing regulations to ensure that the program complies with certain requirements. This bill would require the implementing regulations for the Clean Cars 4 All Program to additionally ensure that, among other things, incentives provided under the program are available in all areas of the state and that, in those areas where a local air district has not elected to participate in the program to manage the distribution of incentives within its jurisdiction, the state board manages the distribution of incentives to eligible residents of those areas, as specified. The bill would make certain conforming changes in that regard. The bill would require, as one of the program goals for replacement of passenger vehicles and trucks, the state board to prioritize vehicle retirement in areas of the state that meet specified criteria. The bill would also require the state board to update the guidelines for the program no later than July 1, 2027, as specified. Existing law requires the state board to annually post on its internet website a performance analysis of the replacement and mobility options component of the Clean Cars 4 All Program that includes an evaluation of the funding for targeted outreach in low-income or disadvantaged communities, as specified. This bill would require that analysis to additionally include an evaluation of the funding for targeted outreach in low-income or disadvantaged communities with the highest number of vehicles manufactured before 2004 or that are at least 20 years old, as specified. Existing law requires the state board to consider certain metrics in allocating funding under the program to local air districts participating in the program, and to the statewide program, including the number of vouchers deployed and the population in eligible program ZIP Codes. This bill would require the state board, in allocating funding to local air districts participating in the program and to the portion of the program managed by the state board, to consider additional metrics, including the total value of vouchers deployed and a specified metric for retired vehicles, and would delete the requirement to consider the population in eligible ZIP Codes. The bill would also require the state board, in coordination with local air districts and specified organizations, to establish a means-based strategy to identify potential recipients of incentives under the Clean Cars 4 All Program that meet certain criteria and, as part of that strategy, require an increased incentive to be provided under the program to those individuals.
Under existing law, the State Water Resources Control Board and the 9 California regional water quality control boards regulate water quality and prescribe waste discharge requirements in accordance with the federal national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit program established by the federal Clean Water Act and the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act. Existing law requires each regional board to formulate and adopt water quality control plans for all areas within the region, as provided. The bill would require the state board, after making the necessary residual designation authority findings, to establish a statewide commercial, industrial, and institutional NPDES order for properties with 5 acres or more of impervious surface, as provided. The bill would require the state board to publish a draft order of the statewide order for public comment on or before December 31, 2028, or 18 months after the reissuance of a specified statewide permit, as specified. The bill would require the state board to contemporaneously establish rules for offsite compliance agreements to issue with the publication of the draft statewide order for public comment that details the necessary components of an agreement between commercial, industrial, and institutional permittees and local municipalities for achieving offsite stormwater capture and use within the adopted final statewide commercial, industrial, and institutional NPDES order. The bill would require the NPDES order to include multiple compliance options for discharges to select and comply with to be deemed in compliance with applicable water quality based effluent limitations, including, but not limited to, compliance options incentivizing green infrastructure onsite or offsite stormwater capture and use.
Existing law generally designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency with the primary responsibility for the control of vehicular air pollution, and air pollution control districts and air quality management districts with the primary responsibility for the control of air pollution from all sources other than vehicular sources. Existing law authorizes air districts to adopt and implement regulations to reduce or mitigate emissions from indirect sources of air pollution. Existing law authorizes an air district to adopt a schedule of fees to be assessed on indirect sources of emissions to recover the costs of district programs related to these sources. Existing law requires the state board to adopt rules and regulations relating to vehicular emissions standards, as specified, that will achieve the ambient air quality standards required by federal law in conjunction with other measures adopted by the state board, air districts, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This bill would require the state board, if necessary to carry out that duty to achieve those ambient air quality standards, to adopt and enforce rules and regulations applicable to indirect sources of emissions. The bill would require the state board to establish a schedule of fees on facilities and mobile sources to cover the reasonable costs of implementing and enforcing the regulations and would require the fees to be deposited in the Air Pollution Control Fund and made available to the state board upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would require each air district, no later than 120 days after the adoption by the state board of indirect source regulations, to determine if the district or the state board will implement and enforce those regulations within its jurisdiction, as specified. The bill would require the state board to annually prepare a presentation on the impacts and effects of any indirect source regulations that it adopts and to post that presentation on its internet website. Existing law requires the state board to identify toxic air contaminants that are emitted into the ambient air of the state and to adopt airborne toxic control measures to reduce emissions of toxic air contaminants. Existing law also requires the state board to designate any substance that is listed as a hazardous air pollutant under federal law as a toxic air contaminant and to establish airborne toxic control measures applicable to the substance in accordance with specified procedures. Existing law requires each district to implement and enforce an airborne toxic control measure adopted by the state board or to propose regulations enacting airborne toxic control measures on nonvehicular sources within its jurisdiction that meets certain requirements, as specified. This bill would require the state board, for a given toxic air contaminant or airborne toxic control measure, to adopt and enforce rules and regulations applicable to indirect sources of emissions. The bill would require the state board to establish a schedule of fees on facilities and mobile sources to cover the reasonable costs of implementing and enforcing the regulations and would require the fees to be deposited in the Air Pollution Control Fund and made available to the state board upon appropriation by the Legislature. Existing law makes any violation of a rule or regulation of the state board relating to nonvehicular air pollution control a misdemeanor. Because a violation of these rules or regulations of the state board with respect to nonvehicular sources subject to those rules and regulations would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires all charges demanded or received by a public utility for a product or commodity furnished or to be furnished or a service rendered or to be rendered to be just and reasonable. Existing law, except as provided, prohibits a public utility from changing a rate unless there is a showing before the PUC and a finding by the PUC that the new rate is justified. Existing law requires the PUC to publish and maintain on its internet website particular documents regarding the PUC's agendas, actions, decisions, resolutions, rules, and other information. This bill would prohibit the PUC from placing the consideration of a decision in a ratesetting proceeding that would result in an increase in rates to customers of an electrical corporation that has a revenue requirement that exceeds $1,000,000,000 on its consent agenda. The bill would, except as provided, require the PUC to provide, at a meeting to vote on a decision of a ratesetting proceeding that increases the rates of an electrical corporation's customers by more than 5%, before its vote on the decision, a public comment period of at least 30 minutes on the decision. Under existing law, the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program requires retail sellers and local publicly owned electric utilities to procure a minimum quantity of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources during certain compliance periods up to December 31, 2030. Existing law provides that a local publicly owned electric utility is not required to procure a certain amount of eligible renewable energy resources if, during a year within those compliance periods, the local publicly owned electric utility receives more than 40% of its retail sales from large hydroelectric generation under an ownership agreement or contract in effect as of January 1, 2018. Existing law authorizes the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) to establish appropriate multiyear compliance periods for local publicly owned electric utilities beyond December 31, 2030. This bill would provide that the provision related to the procurement of eligible renewable energy resources by local publicly owned electric utilities also applies to the compliance periods established by the Energy Commission.
Existing law requires the Secretary for Environmental Protection, until January 1, 2027, to convene the Lithium-Ion Car Battery Recycling Advisory Group to review, and advise the Legislature on, policies pertaining to the recovery and recycling of lithium-ion batteries sold with motor vehicles in the state, and requires the secretary to appoint members to the committee from specified departments, vocations, and organizations. Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, establishes the Office of Emergency Services within the Governor's office, under the supervision of the Director of Emergency Services, and makes the office responsible for the state's emergency and disaster response services for natural, technological, or manmade disasters and emergencies. This bill would require the Office of the State Fire Marshal on or before December 31, 2026, to convene the Lithium-Ion Car Battery Advisory Group to review, and advise the Legislature on, policies pertaining to the safety and management of lithium-ion vehicle batteries involved in an emergency situation, as provided. The bill would require the Office of the State Fire Marshal to appoint members to the advisory group from specified departments, agencies, vocations, and organizations. The bill would require the advisory group to meet at least quarterly until July 1, 2028, and to consult with universities and research institutions that have conducted research in the area of lithium-ion batteries, with manufacturers of electric and hybrid vehicles, and both state and local first responders. The bill would require the group to develop standards, on or before July 1, 2028, based on local, state, and national guidance and research, aimed at ensuring that best standards and practices are created that allow first responders to respond to lithium-ion vehicle battery emergencies in a safe and efficient manner. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2029.
The Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995 requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to establish and oversee various programs, including an environmental farming program and the Healthy Soils Program, and requires the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to convene a 9-member Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming to advise the secretary on the implementation of the Healthy Soils Program and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program and to assist federal, state, and local government agencies, as appropriate or necessary, on issues relating to the impact of agricultural practices on air, water, and wildlife habitat, as specified. Existing law creates the Climate Smart Agriculture Account in the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund, consisting of moneys made available from federal, state, industry, philanthropic, and private sources, and continuously appropriates the moneys in the account to the department for purposes of the act. This bill would, as part of the act, authorize the department, in consultation with the panel, to establish and oversee the Managed Honeybee Health Program for the purpose of enhancing the health and well-being of managed honeybees in California, which are necessary to support the economic viability of California agriculture. The bill would authorize the department, to the extent that moneys are available, to provide grants to eligible recipients for health intervention projects that directly enhance the health and well-being of managed honeybees used in pollination services and for projects that indirectly support health interventions through research, extension, and technical assistance. The bill would authorize the department to determine priorities for the program and to consider, when awarding grants, whether a project applicant or project meets specified criteria, in addition to criteria developed to address the program priorities. The bill would authorize the department to collect nonstate, federal, and private funds for the purpose of the program, require those funds to be deposited into the Managed Honeybee Health Special Fund Subaccount, which this bill would create within the Climate Smart Agriculture Account, and continuously appropriate moneys in the subaccount to the department for the purpose of the program. The bill would make operation of these provisions contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature for the program in the annual Budget Act or another statute.
Existing law establishes the Air Quality Improvement Program that is administered by the State Air Resources Board for purposes of funding projects related to, among other things, the reduction of criteria air pollutants and improvement of air quality. Existing law establishes the Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Fleet Purchasing Assistance Program (program) within the Air Quality Improvement Program to make financing tools and nonfinancial supports available to operators of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleets to enable those operators to transition their fleets to zero-emission vehicles. This bill, for any regulation adopted to develop or implement the program, or other regulations that are regarding the procurement or use of medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles by a public or private fleet, would require the state board to consider specified things, including, among other things, the environmental and supply chain benefits of renting medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles compared to procuring them.
Existing law, the California Coastal Act of 1976, among other things, requires anyone wishing to perform or undertake any development in the coastal zone, except as specified, in addition to obtaining any other permit required by law from any local government or from any state, regional, or local agency, to obtain a coastal development permit from the California Coastal Commission or local government, as provided. This bill, upon appropriation, would authorize the commission to authorize blue carbon demonstration projects, as defined, in order to demonstrate and quantify the carbon sequestration potential of these projects to help inform the state's natural and working lands and climate resilience strategies. The bill, upon appropriation, would, among other things, authorize the commission to require an applicant with a nonresidential project that impacts coastal wetland, subtidal, intertidal, or marine habitats or ecosystems to build or contribute to a blue carbon demonstration project as mitigation for those impacts.
Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) , in consultation with specified entities, to adopt a biennial integrated energy policy report containing certain information, including an overview of major energy trends and issues facing the state. This bill would require the Energy Commission, in the next update to the biennial integrated energy policy report after January 1, 2027, and subject to available funding, to adopt a virtual power plant deployment plan. The bill would require the Energy Commission, in developing the plan, to take certain actions, and would require that the plan meet specified requirements. Existing law requires the Energy Commission, in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission and the Independent System Operator, to adopt a goal for load shifting to reduce net peak electrical demand and adjust this target in each biennial integrated energy policy report thereafter. This bill would require each electrical corporation to annually report to the Energy Commission its contribution towards meeting that load-shift goal.
