Bill Text: CA AB322 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Enrolled

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

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Bill Title: Energy: Electric Program Investment Charge program: biomass.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-1)

Status: (Passed) 2021-09-23 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 229, Statutes of 2021. [AB322 Detail]

Download: California-2021-AB322-Enrolled.html

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Enrolled  September 03, 2021

Passed  IN  Senate  August 30, 2021

Passed  IN  Assembly  September 01, 2021

Amended  IN  Senate  August 18, 2021

Amended  IN  Senate  June 24, 2021

Amended  IN  Assembly  April 12, 2021

Amended  IN  Assembly  March 18, 2021

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 322

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Introduced by Assembly Member Salas
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Eduardo Garcia, Quirk, and Robert Rivas)
(Coauthors: Senators Dahle, Eggman, and Rubio)

January 26, 2021

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An act to add Section 25711.9 to the Public Resources Code, relating to energy.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 322, Salas. Energy: Electric Program Investment Charge program: biomass.

The California Constitution establishes the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), with jurisdiction over all public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing decisions of the PUC institute an Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) to fund renewable energy and research, development, and demonstration programs.

Existing law creates in the State Treasury the Electric Program Investment Charge Fund to be administered by the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) and requires the PUC to forward to the Energy Commission, at least quarterly, moneys for those EPIC programs the PUC has determined should be administered by the Energy Commission for deposit in the fund.

Existing law requires the Energy Commission, in administering moneys in the fund for research, development, and demonstration programs, to develop and implement the EPIC program for the purpose of awarding funds to projects that may lead to technological advancement and breakthroughs to overcome barriers that prevent the achievement of the state’s statutory energy goals and that may result in a portfolio of projects that are strategically focused and sufficiently narrow to make advancement on the most significant technological challenges. Existing law, until January 1, 2023, requires the Energy Commission to expend certain percentages of the moneys appropriated from the fund for technology demonstration and deployment at sites that benefit certain communities.

This bill would require the Energy Commission to consider, in the investment planning process for the EPIC program, funding for eligible biomass conversion to energy projects, as specified. The bill would require the commission, in determining the appropriate amount of EPIC funding for biomass conversion, to consider the recommendations of the State Air Resources Board and the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, and to coordinate with the Natural Resources Agency, the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, and the Department of Food and Agriculture about the need for biomass conversion. The bill would also require the Energy Commission to consider opportunities to reduce short-lived climate pollutant emissions, generate carbon negative emissions, reduce wildfire impacts, and increase energy reliability.

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) Open burning of forest and agricultural waste is a significant source of air pollution and climate pollution, including short-lived climate pollutants, such as black carbon and methane.

(b) State policy to reduce wildfire risks and restore healthy forests and the Agreement for Shared Stewardship of California’s Forests and Rangelands between the State of California and the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, require forest fuel removal on one million acres per year, which will generate millions of tons of forest waste annually.

(c) According to the 2017 Integrated Energy Policy Report, the majority of California’s organic landfill waste is cellulosic biomass that must be converted to energy or mulch to meet the requirements of Section 39730.6 of the Health and Safety Code.

(d) According to the California Forest Carbon Plan adopted by the California Environmental Protection Agency and the Natural Resources Agency, bioenergy cuts black carbon, methane, and particulate matter emissions by 98 percent compared to open burning.

(e) The State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Forest Biomass Utilization Plan recommends allocating 20 percent of Electric Program Investment Charge funding to forest biomass conversion to energy, with priority going to advanced technology projects.

(f) The State Air Resources Board’s plan to phase out open burning of agricultural waste in the San Joaquin Valley calls for public investment of $15,000,000 to $30,000,000, inclusive, annually in new bioenergy facilities and other alternatives to open burning of agricultural waste.

(g) Investing Electric Program Investment Charge funding in new and emerging technologies to convert waste biomass to energy, as well as advanced technology emissions controls, will increase the ratepayer, environmental, and public safety benefits of biomass conversion.

SEC. 2.

 Section 25711.9 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:

25711.9.

 (a) The commission shall consider, in the investment planning process for the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program, funding for eligible biomass conversion, as defined in Section 40106, to energy projects using new and emerging technologies that maximize ratepayer and public benefits.

(b) In determining the appropriate amount of EPIC funding for biomass conversion, the commission shall consider the recommendations of the State Air Resources Board and the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, and shall coordinate with the Natural Resources Agency, the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, and the Department of Food and Agriculture about the need for biomass conversion.

(c) The commission shall also consider opportunities to reduce short-lived climate pollutant emissions, generate carbon negative emissions, reduce wildfire impacts, and increase energy reliability.