Bill Text: CA AB2593 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

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

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Bill Title: Coastal resources: coastal development permits: blue carbon demonstration projects: new development: greenhouse gas emissions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2022-08-11 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB2593 Detail]

Download: California-2021-AB2593-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2593

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Introduced by Assembly Member Boerner Horvath

February 18, 2022

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An act to add Article 9 (commencing with Section 30275) to Chapter 3 of Division 20 of the Public Resources Code, relating to coastal resources.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2593, as introduced, Boerner Horvath. Coastal resources: coastal development permits: blue carbon projects.

Existing law, the California Coastal Act of 1976, among other things, requires anyone wishing to perform or undertake any development in the coastal zone, except as specified, in addition to obtaining any other permit required by law from any local government or from any state, regional, or local agency, to obtain a coastal development permit from the California Coastal Commission, as provided.

This bill would require the commission to require an applicant with a public project, as defined, seeking a coastal development permit to, where feasible, also build or contribute to a blue carbon project, as defined. The bill would provide that, when possible, existing state grant programs may be used to fund, and give funding priority to, blue carbon projects to the extent not in conflict with the grant program, as provided.

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.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) California has set the targets to reduce carbon emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

(b) In 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Executive Order No. N-82-20, directing the Natural Resources Agency, in consultation with other state agencies, to develop a Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy that serves as a framework to advance the state’s carbon neutrality goal and build climate resilience.

(c) Executive Order No. N-82-20 also set the goal to conserve at least 30 percent of state land and coastal waters by 2030 and a recent Natural Resources Agency report on implementation recognizes the need to restore degraded coastal habitats to capture carbon and mitigate climate change impacts.

(d) Blue carbon, carbon held and stored in coastal vegetation, such as seagrasses and wetlands, holds great potential to help the state meet its climate goals. Recent studies have found that coastal wetlands capture carbon at a greater rate than tropical forests and store three to five times more carbon per equivalent area than these forests.

(e) Public agencies, with the assistance of existing grant funds, can help lead the state’s blue carbon efforts when they are developing projects in the coastal zone.

SEC. 2.

 Article 9 (commencing with Section 30275) is added to Chapter 3 of Division 20 of the Public Resources Code, to read:

Article  9. Blue Carbon Projects

30275.

 For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:

(a) “Blue carbon project” means the conservation, restoration, or creation of coastal ecosystems and vegetation, including, but not limited to, seagrasses and wetlands, which capture and store carbon.

(b) “Public project” means a project applied for or funded by any district, county, city and county, city, or town or the state, or any of the agencies and political subdivisions of those entities.

30276.

 (a) The commission shall require an applicant with a public project seeking a coastal development permit pursuant to Section 30600 to, where feasible, also build or contribute to a blue carbon project.

(b) The public project applicant shall identify the blue carbon project’s expected carbon capture as part of the permitting process.

(c) When possible, existing state grant programs may be used to fund, and give funding priority to, blue carbon projects to the extent not in conflict with the grant program. State grant programs may include, but are not limited to, grant programs established by the commission, the State Coastal Conservancy, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to restrict the commission from requiring other existing mitigation requirements for an applicant with a public project that is seeking a coastal development permit.