BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1253|
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SB 1253
Author: Sher (D)
Amended: 8/16/99
Vote: 21
SENATE ENERGY, U. & C. COMMITTEE : 6-3, 4/13/99
AYES: Bowen, Baca, Hughes, Peace, Solis, Speier
NOES: Brulte, Kelley, Mountjoy
NOT VOTING: Alarcon, Vasconcellos
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 9-4, 5/27/99
AYES: Johnston, Alpert, Bowen, Burton, Escutia, Karnette,
McPherson, Perata, Vasconcellos
NOES: Johnson, Kelley, Leslie, Mountjoy
SENATE FLOOR : 24-14, 6/2/99
AYES: Alarcon, Alpert, Baca, Burton, Chesbro, Costa, Dunn,
Escutia, Figueroa, Hayden, Hughes, Johnston, Karnette,
McPherson, Murray, O'Connell, Peace, Perata, Polanco,
Schiff, Sher, Solis, Speier, Vasconcellos
NOES: Brulte, Haynes, Johannessen, Johnson, Kelley,
Knight, Leslie, Lewis, Monteith, Morrow, Mountjoy,
Poochigian, Rainey, Wright
NOT VOTING: Bowen, Ortiz
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 50-27, 9/8/99 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Climate change
SOURCE : Author
CONTINUED
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DIGEST : This bill requires the California Energy
Commission to undertake a variety of activities to better
understand, and prepare for the impacts of greenhouse gas
emissions in California.
Assembly Amendments make numerous changes to a) further
define and clarify the requirements of the inventory update
and the date required, b) add agencies to be consulted, c)
establish an advisory committee and, d) specify a due date
for the inventory update.
ANALYSIS : The primary component of greenhouse emissions
is carbon dioxide. Methane, nitrous oxide and
chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) are other significant
contributions. Greenhouse emissions come from both natural
and human-caused sources.
Since the early 1980's, the leaders of the world's
industrialized countries, as well as leading members of the
scientific community, have become increasingly concerned
about the potential for human-generated greenhouse gas
emissions to alter the earth's atmosphere and climate.
Most scientists agree that human-generated gases, combined
with naturally occurring gases, can "thicken" the earth's
gaseous atmospheric blanket, producing a "greenhouse
effect." By holding warmth in, the effect interrupts the
flow of energy that drives the earth's climate system,
which increases global temperature.
Existing law (AB 4420 - Sher, Chapter 1506, Statutes of
1988), requires the California Energy Commission (CEC), in
consultation with the Air Resources Board (ARB), the
University of California, the State Department of Water
Resources, and the State Department of Food and
Agriculture, to conduct a study on global warming effects
on California's energy supply and demand, economy,
environment, agriculture and water supplies, and to report
its recommendations to the Legislature and Governor by June
1, 1990. That study was completed in 1990 and updated in
1998.
In December 1995, the United Nations(UN) Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change issued a report stating "the
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balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence
on global climate."
Most recently, the UN convention on climate change in
Kyoto, Japan in December 1997, industrialized nations
agreed to reduce their collective emissions of greenhouse
gases by 5.2% (with the U.S. agreeing to reduce emissions
by 7%) by 2012.
The "Kyoto Protocol" aims to lower overall emissions from a
group of six greenhouse gases by 2012. According to the UN
documents, many industrialized countries have not succeeded
in meeting their earlier non-binding agreement to reduce
emissions and, as a result, emissions have actually grown
since 1990.
This bill requires the State Energy Resources Conservation
and Development Commission, in consultation with the Air
Resources Board (ARB), the State Department of Forestry,
the State Department of Transportation, the State Water
Resources Control Board, and the Integrated Waste
Management Board, to undertake a variety of studies and
activities focused on the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions. Specifically, this bill requires the Energy
Commission to:
1.By January 1, 2001, to update its 1998 inventory of
greenhouse gas emissions. Natural sources are to be
included to extent information is available.
2.Include in the inventory update discussions comparing
California's inventory with similar inventories prepared
for the United States, other states, and other countries,
and, to the extent available, include information on
relevant energy and air quality policies and greenhouse
gas emission trends since 1990.
3.Acquire and develop data on global climate change, and
provide governmental agencies, utilities and business
sectors with information on the costs and technical
feasibility of methods for reducing greenhouse gases,
including the use of natural forest reservoirs. The bill
also requires the Energy Commission to provide for the
exchange of information, and advise state agencies on
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methods to reduce and mitigate greenhouse gases.
4.After conducting at least one public hearing, update the
inventory every five years, and report to the Governor
and the Legislature and post the inventory and the report
on the Internet after each update.
5.Convene an interagency task force to ensure policy
coordination.
6.Establishes a climate change advisory committee to make
recommendations regarding the most equitable and
efficient ways to implement international and national
climate change requirements and standards, if the Energy
Commission determines it can do so within existing
resources. The advisory committee shall be chaired by a
member of the Energy Commission and include
representation from major industrial and energy
businesses, utilities, forestry, agriculture, local
government, and environmental groups, and shall conduct
meetings open to public participation.
Related Legislation
This bill is similar to SB 1941 (Sher), which was vetoed in
1998. In his veto message, Governor Wilson concluded that
SB 1941 was unnecessary because the CEC had already
developed and updated an inventory of the sources of
greenhouse gas emissions within the state. In addition,
Governor Wilson found:
"(T)he bill's requirement that the CEC provide information
to state, regional and local agencies on cost-effective and
technologically feasible options to reduce the production
of greenhouse gases is infeasible. Because uncertainty
exists about the effects that reducing greenhouse gas
emissions in California would have on global warming
trends, there is no way to determine how one particular
measure implemented in California would have a more
positive or negative consequence than any other measure."
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
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According to the Assembly Committee on Appropriations,
moderate costs, about $250,000 in FY 2000-2001 and every
five years thereafter, to the Energy Commission to update
and expand its inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, to
develop data on global climate change, and to provide
information to the public.
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/27/99 -- Unable to reverify at
time of writing)
California Council on Environmental and Economic Balance
Planning and Conservation League
Sierra Club
Union of Concerned Scientists
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 50-27, 9/8/99
AYES: Alquist, Aroner, Bock, Cardenas, Cardoza, Cedillo,
Corbett, Correa, Cunneen, Davis, Ducheny, Dutra,
Firebaugh, Florez, Frusetta, Gallegos, Havice, Hertzberg,
Honda, Jackson, Keeley, Knox, Kuehl, Lempert, Longville,
Lowenthal, Machado, Maldonado, Mazzoni, Migden, Nakano,
Papan, Pescetti, Reyes, Romero, Scott, Shelley, Soto,
Steinberg, Strom-Martin, Thomson, Torlakson, Vincent,
Washington, Wayne, Wesson, Wiggins, Wildman, Wright,
Villaraigosa
NOES: Aanestad, Ackerman, Ashburn, Baldwin, Bates, Battin,
Baugh, Brewer, Briggs, Cox, Dickerson, Granlund, House,
Kaloogian, Leach, Leonard, Maddox, Margett, McClintock,
Olberg, Oller, Robert Pacheco, Rod Pacheco, Runner,
Strickland, Thompson, Zettel
NOT VOTING: Calderon, Campbell, Floyd
NC:cm 9/9/99 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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