California Senate Bill SB511 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 511AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 30, 2013 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 1, 2013 INTRODUCED BY Senator Lieu FEBRUARY 21, 2013 An act to add Part 6 (commencing with Section 71450) to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, relating to natural resources. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 511, as amended, Lieu. Natural resources: climate change: grants. Existing law establishes the Natural Resources Agency consisting of various entities, departments, and boards. This bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in coordination with the State Air Resources Board, to develop guidelines for the awarding of grants, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for projects that enhance greenhouse gas emissions avoidance and sequestration associated with natural resources, as specified. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Part 6 (commencing with Section 71450) is added to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, to read: PART 6. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Avoidance and Sequestration 71450. (a) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in coordination with the State Air Resources Board, shall develop guidelines for the awarding of grants, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for projects that enhance greenhouse gas emissions avoidance and sequestration associated with natural resources. (b) The guidelines developed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall do all of the following:  (1) Promote climate benefits from reducing or sequestering greenhouse gas emissions associated with reductions in transportation emissions, improvements in energy conservation or efficiency, promoting development of sustainable communities, improving the siting of environmentally sensitive distributed generation, improving regional water supply from regional water filtration and watershed enhancements, improving forest management, or increasing the urban forestry canopy.   (1) Promote climate benefits from reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation emissions and from reducing or sequestering greenhouse gas emissions associated with improvements in energy conservation or efficiency, promoting development of sustainable communities, improving the siting of environmentally sensitive distributed energy generation, improving regional water supply from regional water filtration and watershed enhancements, improving forest management, or increasing the urban forestry canopy.  (2)  Incentivize   Provide incentives for  innovative pilot projects that can act as statewide models for enhancing natural resources emission reductions and sequestration from a portion of the grant awards. (3) Leverage  ,  or maximize  ,  the use of other public and private funding to either improve the  climate value   benefits to the climate  of existing conservation projects or assist in the implementation of conservation projects that  have important climate values   provide important benefits to the climate  . (4) Promote investments in projects that include cobenefits, including adaptation, improved water supply and quality, and public health improvements. (5) Ensure that appropriate funding levels will be dedicated to conservation projects in disadvantaged communities. (c) To minimize administration costs associated with implementing this part, the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency shall use existing programs, including, but not limited to, programs administered pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 4799.06) of Part 2.5 of Division 4, Chapter 3.8 (commencing with Section 5750) of Division 5, Division 10.4 (commencing with Section 10330), Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31100) of Division 21, Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 32600) of Division 22.8, and Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 33200) of Division 23, for competitive grants in forestry, open space, sustainable agriculture, and watershed enhancements to further the goals of this part. Funds also may be administered pursuant to Division 22.3 (commencing with Section 32300), Division 22.5 (commencing with Section 32500), Division 22.7 (commencing with Section 32550), Division 22.9 (commencing with Section 32630), Division 23.3 (commencing with Section  33320),   33300)  and Division 23.5 (commencing with Section 33500). (d) The Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) shall not apply to the development and adoption of guidelines adopted pursuant to this part.  (e) The development and adoption of the guidelines pursuant to this part shall provide for public participation.