Bill Text: CA SB276 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2018-02-01 - Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [SB276 Detail]

Download: California-2017-SB276-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Senate  April 05, 2017

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 276

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Introduced by Senator Dodd

February 09, 2017

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An act to amend Section 16428.86 of add Section 568.5 to the Government Food and Agricultural Code, relating to greenhouse gases. water efficiency.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 276, as amended, Dodd. Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: exemptions. State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program.

Existing law law, the Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995, requires the Department of Food and Agriculture, in consultation with the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming, to establish and oversee a Healthy Soils Program to seek to optimize climate benefits while supporting the economic viability of California agriculture by providing incentives, including loans, grants, research, and technical assistance, or educational materials and outreach, to farmers whose management practices contribute to healthy soils and result in net long-term on-farm greenhouse gas benefits.

The benefits. In this connection, the department has also established the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to implement irrigation systems that reduce greenhouse gases and save water on agricultural operations.

Existing law requires the department, prior to awarding a grant using moneys from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, to review the applicant’s analysis identifying the potential adverse impacts of a proposed project. Existing law prohibits a project from receiving funding from the department unless the applicant has made certain demonstrations to the department. Existing law requires the department to prioritize projects based on the criteria pollutant emission benefits achieved by the project.

This bill would exempt from those requirements the Healthy Soils Program and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program.

Existing law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, provides for the sustainable management of groundwater basins by requiring local government agencies, including basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins by the Department of Water Resources, to take specified actions to conserve and regulate the extraction of groundwater in those groundwater basins.

This bill would require the Department of Food and Agriculture, upon appropriation of moneys by the Legislature for this purpose, to administer the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to implement irrigation management systems that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save water, and reduce energy use in agricultural operations in the state, offer technical assistance to program applicants, and perform outreach to groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins, as prescribed. The bill would require the department to consult with the State Air Resources Board to quantify the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of projects proposed to be funded under the program. The bill would further require the department to annually report to the Legislature on the accomplishments and activities of the program.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 568.5 is added to the Food and Agricultural Code, to read:

568.5.

 (a) Upon appropriation of moneys by the Legislature for the purposes of this section, the department shall administer the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program to do all of the following:

(1) Provide financial assistance in the form of grants to implement irrigation management systems that reduce greenhouse gases, save water, and reduce energy use in California agricultural operations.

(2) Offer technical assistance to program applicants.

(3) Perform outreach to agricultural operations located in groundwater basins designated as high or medium priority under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act set forth in Part 2.74 (commencing with Section 10720) of Division 6 of the Water Code. The department shall work with groundwater sustainability agencies in performing outreach pursuant to this paragraph.

(b) The department shall consult with the State Air Resources Board to quantify the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of projects proposed to be funded under the program.

(c) Notwithstanding Section 11005 of the Government Code or any other law requiring approval by a state officer of gifts, bequests, devises, or donations, the department may seek and accept on behalf of the state any gift, bequest, devise, or donation whenever the gift and the terms and conditions thereof will aid in actions undertaken pursuant to subdivision (a).

(d) (1) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department shall annually report to the Legislature on the accomplishments and activities of the program.

(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

SECTION 1.Section 16428.86 of the Government Code is amended to read:

16428.86.

(a)Prior to awarding grant funds from moneys made available from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, the Department of Food and Agriculture shall review the applicant’s analysis identifying potential adverse impacts of the proposed project, including a net increase in criteria pollutants, toxic air contaminants, and hazardous air pollutants; groundwater and surface water impacts; and truck traffic and odor.

(b)A project shall not receive funding unless the applicant has demonstrated to the Department of Food and Agriculture that the applicant has done all of the following:

(1)Conducted outreach in areas that will potentially be adversely impacted by the project.

(2)Determined potential adverse impacts of the project.

(3)Committed to measures to mitigate impacts.

(c)In making awards, the Department of Food and Agriculture shall prioritize projects based on the criteria pollutant emission benefits achieved by the project.

(d)A project funded by the Department of Food and Agriculture that results in localized impacts in disadvantaged communities shall not be considered to provide a benefit to disadvantaged communities for the purposes of Section 39713 of the Health and Safety Code.

(e)The Healthy Soils Program, established pursuant to Section 569 of the Food and Agricultural Code, and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program, established from moneys made available pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Statutes of 2014, shall be exempt from the requirements of this section.