Bill Text: CA SCR108 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended

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

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Bill Title: Geothermal Awareness Month and Geothermal Awareness Day.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-2)

Status: (Passed) 2014-06-16 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Res. Chapter 65, Statutes of 2014. [SCR108 Detail]

Download: California-2013-SCR108-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: SCR 108	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 19, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 6, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Senators Evans and Hueso
   (Coauthors: Senators DeSaulnier and Fuller)
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Chesbro, Dahle, Jones-Sawyer, V.
Manuel Pérez, and Yamada)

                        APRIL 8, 2014

   Relative to geothermal awareness.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SCR 108, as amended, Evans. Geothermal  Awareness  Month
and Geothermal  Awareness  Day.
   This measure would recognize the month of May 2014, as Geothermal
 Awareness  Month and May 5, 2014, as Geothermal 
Awareness  Day.  The measure would urge the State Air
Resources Board, the State Energy Resources Conservation and
Development Commission, and the Public Utilities Commission to
immediately take the necessary actions to ensure the continued
viability of California's existing renewable geothermal resources and
promote the procurement of new geothermal generation. 
   Fiscal committee:  yes   no  .



   WHEREAS, California contains the largest amount of geothermal
generating capacity in the United States due to its location on the
Pacific "Ring of Fire" and the tectonic plate junctions; and
   WHEREAS, There are 25 Known Geothermal Resource Areas (KGRAs)
located in California, 14 of which have temperatures of 300 degrees
Fahrenheit or greater for commercial geothermal production of
electricity; and
   WHEREAS, There are major geothermal electrical production
locations throughout the State of California in the Counties of
Sonoma, Lake, Imperial, Inyo, and Mono; and
   WHEREAS, California currently has 2,565.5 megawatts of installed
electric generation capacity from geothermal resources with an
additional 4,000 megawatts of potential for development; and
   WHEREAS, Geothermal energy is a reliable baseload renewable energy
source that has been commercially operating in California since 1960
at the Geysers, the world's most developed geothermal resource area,
which has been providing Californians with clean, reliable, and
affordable electricity for more than 50 years; and
   WHEREAS, Geothermal energy produces electricity 24 hours a day,
seven days a week with a high availability record and is important to
balance the needs of the state's transmission grid system; and
   WHEREAS, Geothermal energy is a clean renewable energy resource.
The operation of the Geysers helps avoid the emissions of 2.4 million
tons of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to greenhouse gas
emissions from more than 432,000 cars being taken off the road, that
would otherwise be emitted by fossil fuel plants to meet baseload
energy needs; and
   WHEREAS, In comparison to other existing renewable technologies,
geothermal energy has many unique benefits, including consistent,
predictable production, a relatively small land footprint, and low
integration costs; and
   WHEREAS, Imperial County's Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resource
Area is considered to have a significant near-term growth opportunity
of over 2,000 megawatts of electric generation from additional
geothermal resource development and additional geothermal resource
development opportunities exist in the Counties of Sonoma, Modoc,
Mono, and Lake; and
   WHEREAS, The geothermal industry is a major employer in the local
communities where projects are located, providing a diverse range of
full-time employment opportunities as well as contractor jobs
throughout all phases of development and operation; and
   WHEREAS, Fully developing Imperial County's Salton Sea Known
Geothermal Resource Area could produce 5,214 construction jobs, and
up to 1,093 long-term operating and maintenance jobs, substantially
improving the economy of one of the most impoverished counties in the
state, where over 22 percent of the population is unemployed; and
   WHEREAS, Construction of the two proposed projects in Sonoma
County is expected to require about 900,000 hours of labor by 190
construction workers, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars in
materials, supplies, and services during construction. This new
construction would result in an estimated $12 million in one-time
sales tax revenue, $7 million in new annual property tax revenues,
and millions of dollars in additional royalties paid to state,
federal, and private leaseholders. Once operational, the new plants
could create up to 19 full-time jobs; and
   WHEREAS, Geothermal power contributes to the tax revenue in local
communities, representing 10 percent of all property tax revenue in
Imperial County and serving as the largest property taxpayers in the
Counties of Lake, Sonoma, and Inyo; and
   WHEREAS, Geothermal development, from exploration through
construction, spurs local economic growth through sales tax revenues,
materials and supplies purchase, and purchase of other associated
goods and services; and
   WHEREAS, California has one of the most ambitious renewable
portfolio standards (RPS) in the country with a mandate to procure 33
percent of energy from renewable sources by 2020, and geothermal
energy is a major contributor to achieving this goal; and
   WHEREAS, California is on course to meet the near-term 2020
greenhouse gas emissions reduction target under the California Global
Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with
Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code), but more emissions
reductions from the use of clean energy like geothermal and other
technological innovations will be needed to maintain and make further
reductions in carbon emissions; and
   WHEREAS, Geothermal energy is essential and complimentary to
California's environmental and economic policies, yet new fully
permitted geothermal projects have failed to keep pace with the
procurement of other renewable resources; and
   WHEREAS, According to the State Air Resources Board, the State
Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, and the
Public Utilities Commission, existing geothermal generation
production is expected to drop significantly by 2020, a result of
renewable procurement policies that have failed to fully capture the
benefits of geothermal generation and the costs associated with other
renewable technologies; and
   WHEREAS, A diverse renewable energy portfolio fits with California'
s energy demand profile and lowers costs; and
   WHEREAS, The preservation of California's existing geothermal
generation and the development of new geothermal generation could
facilitate the achievement of the state's post-2020 energy and
environmental goals; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature recognizes the month of May
2014 as Geothermal  Awareness  Month to raise awareness of
the significant contributions geothermal energy makes to California's
Renewable Portfolio Standard and towards meeting the state's
environmental goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and be it
further
   Resolved, That the Legislature recognizes May 5, 2014, as
Geothermal  Awareness  Day in California, and urges all
citizens to show their support on that day by learning more about
geothermal energy in California and supporting public events planned
by the geothermal industry; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Legislature  urges the State Air
Resources Board, the State Energy Resources Conservation and
Development Commission, and the Public Utilities Commission to
immediately take the necessary actions to ensure the continued
viability of California's existing renewable   considers
 geothermal resources  and promote the procurement of
new geothermal generation;   important to California's
future and recognizes the environmental and economic  
values of existing and future geothermal energy for the state and
local communities;  and be it further
   Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the Governor, the members of the Public Utilities
Commission, the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development
Commission, the Independent System Operator, the State Air Resources
Board, and to the author for appropriate distribution.