California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have established the Climate Innovation Grant Program, administered by the Strategic Growth Council, to award grants funded by voluntary tax contributions for the development and research of new innovations and technologies that either reduce emissions of greenhouse gases or address the impacts of climate change.  Was not heard in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee.

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Summary

Ensures that existing consumer protections for electrical service provided to master-metered customers are also explicitly provided to sub-metered residents and tenants of mobile home parks, apartment buildings, or similar residential complexes, regardless of whether the electrical generation is provided by an entity other than an electrical corporation.  This bill also explicitly requires that any credit to customers from the revenues from the sale of GHG allowances directly allocated to electrical corporations must also be distributed to sub-metered customers by a master-metered customer.

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Summary

Would have amended State law to enhance fire prevention efforts by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) through improving vegetation management and home hardening, expanding the area where fire safety building standards apply, and increasing the eligible activities under CAL FIRE’s local assistance grant program.  This bill would have required CAL FIRE, in consultation with CARB and the California Forest Management Task Force, to report specified outcomes of the funds spent on healthy forest and fire prevention programs and projects to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2022.  Was not heard on the Assembly Floor.

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Summary

Would have made appropriations to support CARB activities and programs from various funds.  This bill also would have made re-appropriations for the purposes of extending encumbrance, expenditure, and liquidation dates for certain Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund appropriations, including those to CARB.  Was not heard by the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee.

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Summary

Would have, among other provisions, increased local planning requirements and guidelines for permitting development in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, and directed local governments to develop retrofit strategies for structures in their communities that need fire hardening.  The bill would have also established a grant program for small jurisdictions, as defined, that contain very high fire risk areas.  Administered by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, this grant program would have funded wildfire risk reduction planning activities.  This bill would have required CARB to compile the greenhouse gas quantification data for the grant program if the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund was identified as the funding source for the program.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 182 without my signature.

This bill would impose certain fire hazard planning responsibilities on local governments and would require cities and counties to make specified findings on fire standards prior to permitting development in the very high fire hazard severity zone.

I strongly support strengthening land use planning requirements in order to better protect our communities from wildfire.  The importance of reducing the number and impact of fires in our communities cannot be overstated.  However, this bill creates inconsistencies, duplicates existing requirements, creates a loophole for regions to not comply with their housing requirements, fails to account for consequences that could increase sprawl and places significant cost burdens on the state.

New state laws and policies are already directing housing to communities near transit, jobs and urban centers and away from fire risk areas, including integration into the current housing planning cycle.  Additionally, the 2019-20 Budget requires the California Department of Housing and Community Development, in collaboration with the Governor's Office of Planning and Research, to develop recommendations to improve the regional housing need allocation process to promote and streamline housing development to address California's housing shortage.

Wildfire resilience must become a more consistent part of land use and development decisions.  However, it must be done while meeting our housing needs.

For these reasons, I am returning Senate Bill 182 without my signature.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary

Would have made appropriations to support CARB activities and programs from various funds.  This bill also would have made re-appropriations for the purposes of extending encumbrance, expenditure, and liquidation dates for certain Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund appropriations, including those to CARB.  Was not heard in the Assembly Budget Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to adopt regulations by January 2022 to develop a loan, grant, and incentive payment program to improve California’s statewide recycling and composting infrastructure.  This bill would have created the California Recycling and Composting Infrastructure Fund in the State Treasury to support the regulations.  Remains in the Senate Rules Committee.

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Summary

Would have created the Sea Level Rise Revolving Loan Program (Program) within the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank) to provide low-interest loans to local jurisdictions for the purchase of coastal properties in their jurisdictions identified as vulnerable coastal property.  This bill would have also required the California Coastal Commission to determine criteria and guidelines for the identification of vulnerable coastal properties eligible for participation in the program by January 2022.  The bill would have authorized specified cities and counties to apply for, and be awarded, a low‑interest loan under the Program if the city or county develops and submits to the bank a vulnerable coastal property plan.  Remains in the Senate Rules Committee.

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Summary

Would have enacted the California Climate Technology and Infrastructure Financing Act to require the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank), in consultation with CARB, to administer the Climate Catalyst Revolving Fund (Catalyst Fund), to provide financial assistance to eligible projects.  The bill would have required IBank to administer the continuously appropriated Catalyst Fund for climate catalyst projects for any improvement, technology, service, or measure that avoids greenhouse gas emissions.  CARB would have had a consultation role to help IBank establish project eligibility and program guidelines, and CARB’s Chair would have served as a member of the advisory body for the development of a three-year funding guidance document.  Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have established the Electrical Infrastructure Revolving Loan Program (Program), to be developed and implemented by the California Energy Commission (CEC).  The Program would have provided loans to electrical corporations to fund activities that minimize the risk of catastrophic wildfires due to electrical lines and equipment or that reduce the need for public safety power shutoffs.  This bill would have required the High-Speed Rail Authority to transfer any unencumbered moneys appropriated from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to CEC as a loan to be deposited in the Electrical Infrastructure Revolving Loan Fund (Fund), which the bill would have established in the State Treasury.  The bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature, would have required CEC to expend the moneys from the Fund for purposes of the Program.  Was not heard in the Senate Transportation Committee.

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