BILL NUMBER: AB 2722INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Burke FEBRUARY 19, 2016 An act to add Part 4 (commencing with Section 75240) to Division 44 of the Public Resources Code, relating to greenhouse gases, and making an appropriation therefor. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2722, as introduced, Burke. Transformative Climate Communities Program. The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms. Existing law requires all moneys, except for fines and penalties, collected by the state board from the auction or sale of allowances as part of a market-based compliance mechanism to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Existing law establishes the Strategic Growth Council and requires the council to identify and review activities and funding programs that may be coordinated to improve air and water quality, improve natural resource protection, increase the availability of affordable housing, improve transportation, meet the goals of the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, encourage sustainable land use planning, and revitalize urban and community centers in a sustainable manner. This bill would create the Transformative Climate Communities Program, to be administered by the council. The bill would appropriate $250,000,000 from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to the council to administer the program. The bill would require the council, in coordination with the California Environmental Protection Agency Assistant Secretary for Environmental Justice and Tribal Affairs, to award competitive grants to specified eligible entities for transformative climate community plans in disadvantaged communities, as defined. The bill would require the council to award at least 5 grants to execute existing, and at least 5 grants to undertake the development of, neighborhood-level transformative climate community plans that contribute to the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases and address specified project areas. Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Part 4 (commencing with Section 75240) is added to Division 44 of the Public Resources Code, to read: PART 4. Transformative Climate Communities Program 75240. The Transformative Climate Communities Program is hereby created, to be administered by the Strategic Growth Council. The program shall fund the development and implementation of neighborhood-level transformative climate community plans that include multiple, coordinated greenhouse gas emissions reduction projects that provide local economic, environmental, and health benefits that are directly connected to communities most impacted by pollution and vulnerable to climate change. By making such comprehensive public investments, it is the intent of the Legislature that private resources can more effectively be catalyzed to support innovative community and climate transformation in disadvantaged communities. 75241. (a) The council, in coordination with the California Environmental Protection Agency Assistant Secretary for Environmental Justice and Tribal Affairs, shall award competitive grants to eligible entities through an application process. An entity eligible includes any of the following: (1) A nonprofit organization. (2) A community-based organization. (3) A faith-based organization. (4) A coalition or association of nonprofit organizations. (5) A community development finance institution. (6) A community development corporation. (7) A local agency that has a demonstrated partnership with a community-based organization engaged in the climate community plan. (b) The council shall award grants for transformative climate community plans located in disadvantaged communities, as identified pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code, that have a demonstrated need and demonstrate potential climate, economic, workforce, health, and environmental benefits. (c) The council shall award the following minimum number of grants to eligible entities in the following two categories: (1) At least five grants to execute existing, neighborhood-level transformative climate community plans that have been developed through and maintain community engagement and that meet the criteria specified in this section. (2) At least five grants to undertake the development of neighborhood-level transformative climate community plans with community engagement and that meet the criteria specified in this section. (d) Transformative climate community plans shall contribute to the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases and address, at a minimum, three of the following project areas: (1) Renewable energy. (2) Commercial and residential weatherization and energy efficiency. (3) Green infrastructure and urban forestry. (4) Active transportation. (5) Low-carbon and public transit. (6) Affordable housing near transit. (7) Land use. (8) Water use efficiency. (9) Waste reduction. (10) Other appropriate areas, as determined by the council. 75242. (a) The council shall endeavor to identify additional public and private sources of funding to sustain and expand the program. (b) The council shall endeavor to identify and coordinate a network of technical assistance providers to assist in plan development, implementation, and project financing. SEC. 2. Two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000) is hereby appropriated from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, created pursuant to Section 16428.8 of the Government Code, to the Strategic Growth Council to administer the Transformative Climate Communities Program pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 75240) of Division 44 of the Public Resources Code.