BILL NUMBER: SB 511	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 30, 2013
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 1, 2013

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Lieu

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2013

   An act to add Part 6 (commencing with Section 71450) to Division
34 of the Public Resources Code, relating to natural resources.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 511, as amended, Lieu. Natural resources: climate change:
grants.
   Existing law establishes the Natural Resources Agency consisting
of various entities, departments, and boards.
   This bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources
Agency, in coordination with the State Air Resources Board, to
develop guidelines for the awarding of grants, upon appropriation by
the Legislature, for projects that enhance greenhouse gas emissions
avoidance and sequestration associated with natural resources, as
specified.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


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

  SECTION 1.  Part 6 (commencing with Section 71450) is added to
Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, to read:

      PART 6.  Greenhouse Gas Emissions Avoidance and Sequestration


   71450.  (a) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in
coordination with the State Air Resources Board, shall develop
guidelines for the awarding of grants, upon appropriation by the
Legislature, for projects that enhance greenhouse gas emissions
avoidance and sequestration associated with natural resources.
   (b) The guidelines developed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall do
all of the following: 
   (1) Promote climate benefits from reducing or sequestering
greenhouse gas emissions associated with reductions in transportation
emissions, improvements in energy conservation or efficiency,
promoting development of sustainable communities, improving the
siting of environmentally sensitive distributed generation, improving
regional water supply from regional water filtration and watershed
enhancements, improving forest management, or increasing the urban
forestry canopy.  
   (1) Promote climate benefits from reducing greenhouse gas
emissions associated with transportation emissions and from reducing
or sequestering greenhouse gas emissions associated with improvements
in energy conservation or efficiency, promoting development of
sustainable communities, improving the siting of environmentally
sensitive distributed energy generation, improving regional water
supply from regional water filtration and watershed enhancements,
improving forest management, or increasing the urban forestry canopy.

   (2)  Incentivize   Provide incentives for
 innovative pilot projects that can act as statewide models for
enhancing natural resources emission reductions and sequestration
from a portion of the grant awards.
   (3) Leverage  ,  or maximize  , 
the use of other public and private funding to either improve the
 climate value   benefits to the climate 
of existing conservation projects or assist in the implementation of
conservation projects that  have important climate values
  provide important benefits to the climate  .
   (4) Promote investments in projects that include cobenefits,
including adaptation, improved water supply and quality, and public
health improvements.
   (5) Ensure that appropriate funding levels will be dedicated to
conservation projects in disadvantaged communities.
   (c) To minimize administration costs associated with implementing
this part, the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency shall use
existing programs, including, but not limited to, programs
administered pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 4799.06)
of Part 2.5 of Division 4, Chapter 3.8 (commencing with Section 5750)
of Division 5, Division 10.4 (commencing with Section 10330),
Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31100) of Division 21, Chapter 1
(commencing with Section 32600) of Division 22.8, and Chapter 3
(commencing with Section 33200) of Division 23, for competitive
grants in forestry, open space, sustainable agriculture, and
watershed enhancements to further the goals of this part. Funds also
may be administered pursuant to Division 22.3 (commencing with
Section 32300), Division 22.5 (commencing with Section 32500),
Division 22.7 (commencing with Section 32550), Division 22.9
(commencing with Section 32630), Division 23.3 (commencing with
Section  33320),   33300)  and Division
23.5 (commencing with Section 33500).
   (d) The Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with
Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government
Code) shall not apply to the development and adoption of guidelines
adopted pursuant to this part. 
   (e) The development and adoption of the guidelines pursuant to
this part shall provide for public participation.