Bill Text: CA AB2161 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Bill 2161 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Energy: renewable energy resources.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2012-09-07 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 250, Statutes of 2012. [AB2161 Detail]

Download: California-2011-AB2161-Chaptered.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 2161	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  250
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 7, 2012
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 7, 2012
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 21, 2012
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  MAY 29, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Achadjian

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2012

   An act to amend Section 25619 of the Public Resources Code,
relating to energy.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2161, Achadjian. Energy: renewable energy resources.
   Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and
Development Commission to provide up to $7,000,000 in grants to
qualified counties for the development or revision of rules and
policies that facilitate the development of eligible renewable energy
resources, and their associated electric transmission facilities,
and the processing of permits for eligible renewable energy
resources.
   This bill would additionally include the County of San Luis Obispo
as a qualified county to receive the above grants.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 25619 of the Public Resources Code is amended
to read:
   25619.  (a) For purposes of this section, "qualified counties"
means the Counties of Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los
Angeles, Madera, Merced, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San
Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, and Tulare.
   (b) The commission shall provide up to seven million dollars
($7,000,000) in grants to qualified counties for the development or
revision of rules and policies, including, but not limited to,
general plan elements, zoning ordinances, and a natural community
conservation plan as a plan participant, that facilitate the
development of eligible renewable energy resources, and their
associated electric transmission facilities, and the processing of
permits for eligible renewable energy resources. The commission may
allocate not more than 1 percent of appropriated funds to provide
training to county planning staff to facilitate the siting and
permitting of eligible renewable energy resources. A general plan
element or zoning ordinance that is adopted or revised pursuant to
this section shall be completed within two years of receipt of the
grant and shall be consistent with the conservation strategies of any
natural community conservation plan if one has been approved, or is
under development, pursuant to the Natural Community Conservation
Planning Act (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 2800) of Division 3
of the Fish and Game Code). For counties within the Desert Renewable
Energy Conservation Plan planning area, the commission shall not
award a grant to a county that is not a "plan participant," as
defined by paragraph (1) of subdivision (j) of Section 2805 of the
Fish and Game Code, in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan.

   (c) In its initial round of grant funding, the commission shall
establish a preference for a grant to a qualified county in an amount
that is adequate to develop a renewable energy element in its
general plan that will facilitate the development and siting of
eligible renewable energy resources that utilize multiple renewable
energy technologies. The commission shall also establish a preference
for a grant for those counties that have experience in geothermal
energy development and have adopted a geothermal element, as defined
in Section 25133, to its general plan.
   (d) The commission shall only implement this section upon
receiving a specific appropriation for the purposes of this section
by the Legislature from the Renewable Resources Trust Fund or other
funds from the Energy Resources Program Account.