LEGISLATION
INTEGRATED WATER CAMPAIGN
AB 224 (Wolk): Water supply planning.
Summary: This bill would enact the Climate Change and Water Resource Protection Act of 2008. The Act would incorporate analysis of potential impacts of climate change into current water planning efforts and requires a report on greenhouse gas effects of various water supply options.
Status: Passed out of senate in June 2007. Held under submission in August 2007 while work was being done on 2501 (see below), and was brought back with amendments in May. This bill is set to be heard June 23, 2008 in the Committee for Environmental Quality. If it passes this committee, it must then pass through the appropriations committee before being brought to the senate floor. In appropriations committee.
AB 2175 (Laird): Water conservation
Summary: Sets numeric water conservation targets for urban and agricultural water use and conditions water management grant funding on local agency implementation of conservation.
Status: Passed to senate may 28. assigned to committee on May 29. June 12: referred to committee on
NR and W. Hearing is set for June 24, 2008. Amended, and in appropriations.
AB 1391 (Padilla): Recycled water
Summary: The Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act establishes a
statewide goal to recycle a total of 1,000,000 acre-feet of water per year by 2010.This bill would require the State Water Resources Control Board to prepare a plan to assist California in achieving a state-wide water recycling goal, consistent with state and federal water quality laws.
Status: Passed to assembly May 8, assigned committee on May 15. Hearing was set for June 17 but was postponed by committee because various stakeholders could not reach a consensus. In appropriations.
AB 2501 (Wolk): Climate change and water resources.
Summary: Enacts the Climate Change and Water Resource Protection Act of 2008 and makes appropriations of existing bond funding for high-priority water projects.
Status: passed to senate May 28. Assigned to committee of NR and W, hearing set for June 10. June 5 Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and E.Q. In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. failed passage in committee June 24th
RISE ABOVE PLASTICS AND MARINE DEBRIS
AB 2058 (Levine): Recycling: plastic carryout bags
Summary: On and after July 1, 2011, this bill would prohibit a store from providing plastic carryout bags to customers unless the store demonstrates a 70% increase in the diversion rate of the number of plastic bags provided by that store during a specified period. A store that does not meet the diversion rate requirements would be required to provide a customer with a plastic carryout bag for not less than $0.25 per bag. This bill would, on and after July 1, 2011, permit a store to provide a paper carryout bag to a customer only if the store charges the customer not less than $0.25 per bag. Any revenue collected by stores from the sale of paper or plastic bags, excluding the cost of the bags and a reasonable financial return, must be used by the store to implement specified carryout bag recycling, cleanup, and waste reduction programs.
Status: Passed out of house of origin (Assembly) on May 28, 2008. Currently in senate awaiting assignment to a committee.
AB 899 (Simitian): Fishing gear
Summary: This bill would set new laws for derelict fishing gear. It would set requirements for the labelling and reporting of lost fishing gear so that the source of such lost gear can be identified. As the proposed statutory language suggests, Fishing gear such as commercial and recreational nets, lines, traps, pots, and other fishing equipment that is lost or abandoned may continue to catch marine organisms long after the gear is lost and may threaten sensitive marine habitats and ecosystems.
Status: Passed out of Assembly April 23, 2007. Amended and referred to committees on June 5, last action June 12. Hearing date not set yet.
SB 1625 (Corbett) Recycling: CRV containers.
Summary: This bill renames the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act as the California Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act, and makes various changes to existing provisions and definitions in order to allow a much greater variety of plastic containers to be recycled in California. This bill broadens the definition of what constitutes a beverage container and deletes an exception to the definition in the existing law. It also separates for purposes of the act (which would also be renamed by this bill) CRV (California Refund Value) containers, which include beverage containers, and other plastic bottles. Preliminary calculations indicate that this bill nearly doubles the number of plastic containers subject to the Act
Status: Passed to assembly May 29. In committee of Natural Resources on June 5. Hearing was June 16.
AB 904 (Feuer) Recycling: food containers.
Summary: Enacts the Plastic and Marine Debris Reduction, Recycling, and Composting Act, (Act) which prohibits a food provider from distributing disposable food packaging unless the packaging is compostable or recyclable. Prohibits, on an after July 1, 2012, a takeout food provider from distributing single-use disposable food service packaging to a consumer unless it is either compostable or recyclable, as defined. Requires, on and after July 1, 2011, a person who produces single-use food service packaging and who distributes that packaging in California shall maintain and provide, upon request, a list of recyclable or compostable single-use food service packaging distributed.
Status: passed to senate Jan. 29. reffered to senate committee on Feb 7th. Hearing date is set for June 16, 2008. June 5, hearing cancelled.
SB 1357 (Padilla) Beverage containers: processing payments: grants
Summary: revises the recycling rate calculation methodology and increases funding for certain beverage container recycling programs. Authorizes department to spend a significant amount of money ($20 million) from July 1, 2009, through January 1, 2012, for either grants for beverage container recycling and litter reduction programs or focused, regional community beverage container recycling and litter reduction programs that meet specified requirements, thereby making an appropriation. This bill also calls for more frequent calculation and adjustment of the cost of recycling specific categories of materials.
Status: Passed out of senate, to assembly May 29, 2008. In committee of Natural Resources, June 5. Hearing is set for June 23.
July 2, 2008: Appropriations.
SB 3025 (Lieber) Solid waste: polystyrene packaging.
Summary: Prohibits a wholesaler from selling expanded polystyrene (EPS) loosefill packaging material beginning January 1, 2012.
Status: Passed to senate May 28. hearing set for 06/23/2008
HOLD ONTO YOUR BUTTS
AB 1418 (Oropeza): Smoking bans: state parks and beaches
Summary: This bill would prohibit smoking on any state coastal beach or state park unit, except in adjacent parking lots. A violation of this section would be an infraction and punishable by a $250 fine. This bill would also authorize the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), or another state agency, to develop and post signs to provide notice of the smoking prohibition. New signs could only be posted when existing signs are being replaced.
Status: Still in house of origin. No action since March 25, when the hearing for the bill was cancelled by the author.
OTHER BILLS
SB 1165 (Kuehl): CEQA: Environmental Impact Report
Summary: This bill revises the current procedures for preparing and commenting on a draft environmental impact report or negative declaration. A couple of these changes are that the bill would requiring a draft EIR or negative declaration to be prepared directly, or under contract to, a public agency. The bill specifies that this requirement does not prohibit anyone from submitting information or comments to the public agency, which may be submitted in any format, must be considered by the public agency, and may be included in any EIR report or negative declaration.
Status: Bill failed passage in the Assembly on May 29th.
AB 1991 (Mullen): Subdivisions: tentative maps.
Summary: Dangerous Special legislation: The bill excludes the Beachwood and Glencree properties from the coastal zone and declares that the approved development doesn't require a coastal development permit under the California Coastal Act or the City's certified local coastal program. The bill also declares that the development doesn't require any permits or approvals (other than the existing approvals) under statutes for Streambed alteration permits. Significant natural areas.California Endangered Species Act.State highway encroachment permits.Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act.
Status: Passed to senate May 28. Hearing in committee June 18.
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