Bill Text: CA AB1091 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Natural resources: climate change.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-02 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB1091 Detail]

Download: California-2009-AB1091-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 1091	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 6, 2009
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 26, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Ruskin

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2009

   An act to add Section 71410 to the Public Resources Code, relating
to natural resources.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1091, as amended, Ruskin. Natural resources: climate change.
   Existing law establishes in state government the Natural Resources
Agency consisting of various departments including the Department of
Conservation, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the
Department of Fish and Game, and the Wildlife Conservation Board.
   This bill would  require   authorize 
the Natural Resources Agency to  coordinate with other state
agencies to review projects, generally and by region, that have been
developed to address unavoidable climate change impacts, including
those required by a specified executive order and any subsequent
climate change adaptation planning required by the state 
 develop and amend as necessary a climate change adaptation
strategy to assess the state's vulnerability to impacts of climate
change, including the impacts of projected sea-level rise, on the
state's physical and natural infrastructure. The agency would be
permitted to develop or augment the strategy by region.  The
bill would specify  what the coordination requirement shall
include and  how the agency may designate regions. 
   This bill would provide that the strategy is subject to a
multidisciplinary review process prior to adoption or approval to
ensure that, among other things, ecosystems, sensitive species, or
other environmentally sensitive resources or habitats are not
inadvertently put at risk or subject to unacceptable, adverse
impacts. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  yes
  no  . State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 71410 is added to the Public Resources Code, to
read:
   71410.  (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms
have the following meanings:
   (1) "Region" means a geographic area defined by the Secretary of
the Natural Resources Agency pursuant to subdivision  (d)
  (e)  .
   (2) "State conservancy" means any of the conservancies established
within the Natural Resources Agency. 
   (b) The Natural Resources Agency shall coordinate with other state
agencies to review projects, generally and by region, that have been
developed to address unavoidable climate change impacts, including
those required by Executive Order S-13-08 and any subsequent climate
change adaptation planning required by the state.  
   (c) Coordination shall include, but is not limited to, all of the
following:  
   (1) Identification of major infrastructure projects required to
address climate change adaptation.  
   (2) Identification of multiagency projects and programs required
to address climate change adaptation to assure the resiliency of
ecosystems and critical habitat.  
   (3) Communication with state, federal, regional, and local
agencies to identify synergies or conflicts between adaptation plans.
 
   (4) A process to evaluate the need for region-specific adaptation
plans to maximize the protection of natural resources.  

   (b) The Natural Resources Agency may develop and amend as
necessary a climate change adaptation strategy to assess the state's
vulnerability to impacts of climate change, including the impacts of
projected sea-level rise, based on a range of scenarios, on the state'
s physical and natural infrastructure, such as roads and bridges,
levees, wetlands, floodplains, wastewater treatment plants,
pipelines, power plants, transmission lines, and other public or
critical facilities. The strategy may also address the resilience or
adaptive capacity of this infrastructure to absorb or adjust to the
impacts of climate change.  
   (c) The Natural Resources Agency may develop or augment the
strategy by region.  
   (d) The strategy shall be subject to a multidisciplinary review
process prior to adoption or approval to ensure that, among other
things, ecosystems, sensitive species, or other environmentally
sensitive resources or habitats are not inadvertently put at risk or
subject to unacceptable, adverse impacts. The review process shall
occur as early in the strategy's development as feasible. 

   (d) 
    (e)  For the purposes of this section, the Natural
Resources Agency may designate regions based on the following:
   (1) Hydrologic regions, as defined by the Department of Water
Resources.
   (2) Regions, as defined by the Department of Fish and Game,
including regional delineations based on flora and fauna
distributions.
   (3) Other considerations based on ecosystem function and natural
processes. 
   (e)
    (f)  The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency may
designate a state conservancy to implement subdivision (b) in a
region where a conservancy exists.