Bill Text: CA AB580 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

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

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Bill Title: Zero-emission energy infrastructure: fallowed farmland.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2024-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB580 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB580-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 580

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Introduced by Assembly Member Bennett

February 09, 2023

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An act to add Section 913.2 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to energy.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 580, as introduced, Bennett. Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program: solar farms: report.

Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, while local publicly owned electric utilities are under the direction of their governing boards. Under existing law, the Legislature appropriated $40,000,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Conservation to implement the Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program for groundwater sustainability projects that reduce groundwater use, repurpose irrigated agricultural land, and provide wildlife habitat, as specified.

This bill would require the commission, on or before July 1, 2024, to consult with the Department of Conservation to assess challenges that exist when connecting a recipient of Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program grant moneys who wishes to repurpose their land into a solar farm to the electrical grid. The bill also would require the commission, on or before July 1, 2025, to publish on its internet website information to assist these grant recipients in navigating the above-mentioned challenges, and would require the commission to identify best practices to navigate those challenges.

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 913.2 is added to the Public Utilities Code, to read:

913.2.

 (a) As used in this section, “grant recipient” means a recipient of Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program grant moneys who wishes to repurpose their land into a solar farm.

(b) On or before July 1, 2024, the commission shall consult with the Department of Conservation to assess challenges that exist when connecting grant recipients to the electrical grid.

(c) On or before July 1, 2025, the commission shall publish on its internet website information to assist grant recipients in navigating the challenges identified pursuant to subdivision (b) and shall identify best practices to navigate those challenges.