BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 515
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 26, 2005

                   ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE
                                  Lois Wolk, Chair
                    AB 515 (Richman) - As Amended:  April 6, 2005
           
          SUBJECT  :   State Water Project: Solar Energy Facilities

           SUMMARY  :   Authorizes placement of solar energy generating  
          facilities along the State Water Project.  Specifically,  this  
          bill  :  

          1)Establishes a program within the Department of Water Resources  
            (DWR) to lease space above State Water Project (SWP)  
            conveyance facilities for placement of solar photovoltaic  
            panels for generation and transfer of electricity.

          2)Authorizes DWR to negotiate lease rates equal to, or greater  
            than, DWR costs.

           EXISTING LAW authorizes DWR to construct and operate the State  
          Water Project, which includes an aqueduct and adjacent lands  
          stretching from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to Southern  
          California.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   Allowing DWR to collect more than the costs of  
          installing such solar electricity facilities may reduce the  
          State's bond obligations arising out of the cost of SWP  
          construction.

           COMMENTS  :   DWR now leases sites along the SWP aqueduct for cell  
          phone towers and other private uses that are consistent with SWP  
          uses.  AB 515 expands the purposes for which DWR can generate  
          revenue for use of SWP lands.  It is not clear, however, whether  
          DWR needs any additional legal authority to lease space for  
          solar facilities.  This author introduced a similar bill last  
          session (AB 426), which ultimately transformed into a bill  
          related to the Public Utilities Commission.   

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :   

           Support 
           
          E2 Environmental Entrepreneurs
          Natural Resources Defense Council








                                                                  AB 515
                                                                  Page  2

          Northern California Community Technologies, Inc.

           Opposition 
           
          None submitted.
           
          Analysis Prepared by  :    Alf W. Brandt / W., P. & W. / (916)  
          319-2096