BILL NUMBER: AB 69	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Wright

                        DECEMBER 13, 2000

   An act to amend Section 12078 of the Government Code, relating to
environmental quality.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 69, as introduced, Wright.  Environmental quality.
   Existing law establishes the Governor's Clean Energy GREEN TEAM,
which provides assistance to persons proposing to construct
powerplants.
   This bill would require the GREEN TEAM to make the repowering of
existing powerplants a top priority, and would require it to ensure
that any expedited repowering is subject to conditions that ensure a
reduction in the environmental impacts of the facility.  The bill
would also require the GREEN TEAM to encourage regulatory agencies to
promote and accelerate the repowering of existing powerplants within
their existing authority.
   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.  (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of
the following:
   (1) The state has an abundance of aging fossil-fuel powerplants.
   (2) New technologies exist that are more efficient and that
provide superior protection to the environment.
   (3) These new technologies can substantially reduce air emissions
and other pollutants emitted by aging powerplants.
   (4) Repowering aging powerplants helps minimize the environmental
damage caused by those powerplants, and conserves land by utilizing
existing powerplants rather than constructing new plants.
   (5) Repowering aging powerplants could save residents of the state
as much as $1.5 billion per year by reducing wholesale electric
costs.
   (b) It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature to encourage
the repowering of existing powerplants in a manner that accomplishes
all of the following:
   (1) Subjects the repowering to conditions that would ensure
reductions in the air emissions and water discharge impacts of those
powerplants.
   (2) Increases the power production of those powerplants, without
compromising existing environmental protections.
   (3) Yields a net improvement in environmental quality.
  SEC. 2.  Section 12078 of the Government Code is amended to read:
   12078.  (a) There is hereby established the Governor's Clean
Energy GREEN TEAM, which shall consist of a chairperson and not more
than 15 members as follows:
   (1) The Chair of the Electricity Oversight Board.
   (2) The President of the California Public Utilities Commission.
   (3) The Chair of the Energy Resources Conservation and Development
Commission.
   (4) The Secretary for Environmental Protection.
   (5) The Secretary of the Resources Agency.
   (6) The Secretary of the Trade and Commerce Agency.
   (7) The director of the Governor's Office of Planning and
Research.
   (8) Representatives from the United States Environmental
Protection Agency, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and
other affected federal agencies appointed by the Governor.
   (9) Representatives of local and regional agencies, including, but
not limited to, air pollution control districts and air quality
management districts appointed by the Governor.
   (b)  Within 90 days of the effective date of this section
  Prior to December 6, 2000  , the GREEN TEAM shall
do all of the following:
   (1) Compile and, upon request, make available to persons proposing
to construct powerplants, all available guidance documents and other
information on the environmental effects associated with powerplants
proposed to be certified pursuant to Division 15 (commencing with
Section 25000) of the Public Resources Code, and including
state-of-the-art and best available control technologies and air
emissions offsets that could be used to mitigate those environmental
effects.
   (2) Upon request, provide assistance to persons proposing to
construct powerplants in obtaining essential inputs, including, but
not limited to, natural gas supply, emission offsets, and necessary
water supply.
   (3) Upon request, provide assistance to persons proposing to
construct powerplants pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section
25500) of Division 15 of the Public Resources Code in identifying the
environmental effects of such powerplants and any actions the person
may take to mitigate those effects.
   (4) Upon request, provide assistance to persons proposing to
construct powerplants in working with local governments in ensuring
that local permits, land use authorizations, and other approvals made
at the local level are undertaken in the most expeditious manner
feasible without compromising public participation or environmental
protection.
   (5) Develop recommendations for low- or zero-interest financing
programs for renewable energy, including distributed renewable energy
for state and nonprofit corporations.
   (c)  The GREEN TEAM shall do all of the following:
   (1) Make the expedited repowering of existing powerplants in the
state a top priority consistent with ensuring that those plants
operate in a manner that lessens their impact on the environment.
   (2) Encourage all regulatory agencies in the state with
jurisdiction over those powerplants to take all actions within their
respective authority to promote and accelerate the repowering of
existing powerplants and to do so in a manner that lessens their
impact on the environment.
   (d)  This section shall remain in effect only until January
1, 2004, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2004, deletes or extends
that date.