BILL NUMBER: SB 984 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 4, 2005
INTRODUCED BY Senator McClintock
FEBRUARY 22, 2005
An act to amend Section 25730 25305
of the Public Resources Code, relating to powerplants.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 984, as amended, McClintock. Greenhouse gas emissions
reductions: powerplants.
Existing law establishes the State Energy Resources Conservation
and Development Commission (Energy Commission), and requires the
Energy Commission, among other things, to analyze the social,
economic, and environmental consequences of trends in the consumption
of energy. Existing law also requires the Energy
Commission to perform assessments to address public interest
energy strategies. The assessments must include identification of
emerging trends in energy efficiency in various sectors of the state'
s economy, identification of emerging trends in the renewable energy
industry, identification of emerging trends in energy research,
development, and demonstration activities, and identification of
progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing the
effects of climate change. This bill would also require an
assessment of identification and comparative analysis of the
life-cycle costs and environmental impacts of existing and proposed
electric generation technologies, including fossil, nuclear,
renewable, and hydroelectric technologies. The bill would require
that the analysis be based on a survey of available data from
government, academic, industry, and public sources. ,
in consultation with various entities, to update, by January 1, 2002,
the inventory of greenhouse gas emissions from all sources located
in the state, as identified in a specified report, and to acquire and
develop data and information on global climate change and provide
state, regional, and local agencies, utilities, business, industry,
and other energy and economic sectors with information on the costs,
technical feasibility, and demonstrated effectiveness of methods for
reducing or mitigating the production of greenhouse gases from
in-state sources. Existing law requires the Energy Commission to
update its inventory every 5 years, and to report on the updated
inventory to the Governor and the Legislature.
This bill would require the Energy Commission to establish an
inventory of existing zero emission powerplants, including
powerplants located in the state that produce electricity using wind,
solar, or nuclear technology. The inventory is required to include
information that compares the annual emissions of zero emission
powerplants, including the amount of greenhouse gases that are
avoided by zero emissions powerplants, with the annual emissions of
powerplants using state-of-the-art current gas generation technology
to produce electricity.
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. Section 25305 of the Public
Resources Code is amended to read:
25305.
The commission shall rely upon forecasting and assessments
performed in accordance with Sections 25301 to 25304, inclusive, as
the basis for analyzing the success of and developing policy
recommendations for public interest energy strategies. Public
interest energy strategies include, but are not limited to, achieving
energy efficiency and energy conservation; implementing load
management; pursuing research, development, demonstration, and
commercialization of new technologies; promoting renewable generation
technologies; reducing statewide greenhouse gas emissions and
addressing the impacts of climate change on California; stimulating
California's energy-related business activities to contribute to the
state's economy; and protecting and enhancing the environment.
Additional assessments to address public interest energy strategies
shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
(a) Identification of emerging trends in energy efficiency in the
residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and transportation
sectors of the state's economy, including, but not limited to,
evaluation of additional achievable energy efficiency measures and
technologies. Identification of policies that would permit fuller
realization of the potential for energy efficiency, either through
direct programmatic actions or facilitation of the market.
(b) Identification of emerging trends in the renewable energy
industry. In addition, the commission shall evaluate progress in
ensuring the operation of existing facilities, and the development of
new and emerging, in-state renewable resources.
(c) Identification of emerging trends in energy research,
development, and demonstration activities that advance science or
technology to produce public benefits.
(d) Identification of progress in reducing statewide greenhouse
gas emissions and addressing the effects of climate change on
California.
(e) Identification and comparative analysis of the life-cycle
costs and environmental impacts of existing and proposed electric
generation technologies, including fossil, nuclear, renewable, and
hydroelectric technologies. The analysis shall be based on a survey
of available data from government, academic, industry, and public
sources and shall include a comparison of each of the following
aspects of the various technologies:
(1) Production of fuel and other raw materials.
(2) Project construction.
(3) Energy costs.
(4) Operating emissions, including greenhouse gases and water
discharge.
(5) Transportation, storage, and disposal of waste products.
(6) Feasible methods to reduce costs and environmental impacts.
SECTION 1. Section 25730 of the Public Resources Code is amended
to read:
25730.
The commission, in consultation with the State Air Resources
Board, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Department
of Transportation, the State Water Resources Control Board, the
California Integrated Waste Management Board, and other state
agencies with jurisdiction over matters affecting climate change,
shall do all of the following:
(a) (1) On or before January 1, 2002, update the inventory of
greenhouse gas emissions from all sources located in the state, as
identified in the commission's 1998 report entitled, "Appendix A:
Historical and Forecasted Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories for
California." Information on natural sources of greenhouse gas
emissions shall be included to the extent that information is
available. The inventory shall include information that compares
emissions from similar inventories prepared for the United States and
other states or countries, and shall include information on relevant
current and previous energy and air quality policies, activities,
and greenhouse gas emissions reductions and trends since 1990, to the
extent that information is available.
(2) Establish an inventory of existing zero emission powerplants,
including powerplants located in the state that produce electricity
using wind, solar or nuclear technology. The inventory shall include
information that compares the annual emissions of zero emission
powerplants, including the amount of greenhouse gases that are
avoided by zero emissions powerplants, with the annual emissions of
powerplants using state-of-the-art current gas generation technology
to produce electricity.
(b) Acquire and develop data and information on global climate
change, and provide state, regional, and local agencies, utilities,
business, industry, and other energy and economic sectors with
information on the costs, technical feasibility, and demonstrated
effectiveness of methods for reducing or mitigating the production of
greenhouse gases from in-state sources, including net reductions
through the management of natural forest reservoirs. The commission,
in consultation with the State Air Resources Board, shall provide a
variety of forums for the exchange of that information among
interested parties, and shall provide other state agencies with
information on cost-effective and technologically feasible methods
that can be used to reduce or mitigate the emissions of greenhouse
gases.
(c) Update its inventory every five years using current scientific
methods, and report on the updated inventory to the Governor and the
Legislature.
(d) Conduct at least one public workshop prior to finalizing each
updated inventory. The commission shall post its report and inventory
on the commission's Web page on the Internet.
(e) Convene an interagency task force consisting of state agencies
with jurisdiction over matters affecting climate change to ensure
policy coordination at the state level for those activities.
(f) Establish a climate change advisory committee, to the extent
that the commission determines that it can do so within existing
resources. This advisory committee shall make recommendations to the
commission on the most equitable and efficient ways to implement
international and national climate change requirements based on cost,
technical feasibility, and relevant information on current energy
and air quality policies and activities and on greenhouse gas
emissions reductions and trends since 1990. The commission shall
designate one of its commissioners as chair, and shall include on the
advisory committee members who represent business, including major
industrial and energy sectors, utilities, forestry, agriculture,
local government, and environmental groups. The meetings of the
advisory committee shall be open to the public, and shall provide an
opportunity for the public to be heard on matters considered by the
advisory committee.