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AB-80 Coastal resources: ocean research: West Coast Offshore Wind Science Entity.(2023-2024)

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Date Published: 07/03/2023 09:00 PM
AB80:v96#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Senate  July 03, 2023
Amended  IN  Assembly  April 17, 2023
Amended  IN  Assembly  March 23, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 80

Introduced by Assembly Member Addis
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Pellerin and Zbur)
(Coauthor: Senator Laird)

December 15, 2022

An act to add Section 35623 to the Public Resources Code, relating to coastal resources.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 80, as amended, Addis. Coastal resources: ocean research: West Coast Offshore Wind Science Entity.
Existing law establishes the Ocean Protection Council in state government to, among other things, establish policies to coordinate the collection, evaluation, and sharing of scientific data related to coastal and ocean resources among agencies.
This bill would require the council, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to establish and oversee, oversee the establishment of, in coordination with other unspecified state and federal agencies, a nonprofit West Coast Offshore Wind Science Entity for the purpose of ensuring that directing comprehensive baseline and ongoing monitoring of the California current ocean ecosystem as well as targeted research are research, and oversee that the research is available and used to inform state and federal decisions, as provided. The bill would require the entity to perform specified functions, including reviewing and incorporating existing research, monitoring, and data standardization. data standardization methods, and data portals. The bill would require require, by no later than July 1, 2024, the council to develop form a steering committee to provide governance and oversight on the processes and procedures of the entity, as specified.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares that a West Coast Offshore Wind Science Entity is needed to ensure coordinated research and monitoring of the effects of offshore wind energy development to establish baseline conditions and identify and assess potential environmental effects.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Ocean Protection Council shall do both of the following:
(1) Initiate the development of an independent nonprofit West Coast Offshore Wind Science Entity to guide comprehensive baseline and ongoing monitoring and research of the environmental impacts of offshore wind energy development.
(2) Convene representatives from appropriate parties, including California Native American tribes and Indigenous peoples, and to establish the West Coast Offshore Wind Science Entity, which will be self-governed by a steering committee consisting of those representatives and managed by independent staff.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that the West Coast Offshore Wind Science Entity shall be open to participation by parties and tribes from other west coast states that share the California current ocean ecosystem.

SECTION 1.SEC. 2.

 Section 35623 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:

35623.
 (a) The council, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, shall establish and oversee, in coordination with other state and federal agencies, a shall oversee the establishment of a nonprofit West Coast Offshore Wind Science Entity for the purpose of ensuring that directing comprehensive baseline and ongoing monitoring of the California current ocean ecosystem as well as targeted research are research, and oversee that the research is available and used to inform state and federal decisions about offshore wind development in federal waters and the management of any impacted affected marine resources.
(b) The entity shall collaboratively support and recommend science and research pathways to ensure that inform decisions about offshore wind development and wildlife are made in an environmentally responsible manner that safeguards to safeguard coastal and marine resources.
(c) (1) The No later than July 1, 2024, the council shall assemble representatives from relevant groups to develop form a steering committee to provide governance and oversight on the processes and procedures of the West Coast Offshore Wind Science Entity and to be the final decisionmaking body on process and procedural governance of the entity.
(2) The steering committee shall be composed of at least two representatives and with equal representation from each of the following: state agencies, federal agencies, California tribes including federally recognized tribes or California Native American tribes identified on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission, the offshore wind industry, and environmental protection or environmental justice nonprofit organizations.
(3) The steering committee and the entity shall be supported informed by subcommittees of scientists, traditional independent scientific organizations, local and knowledge holders, fishery organizations, and other stakeholders. rights holders and affected parties.
(d) The entity shall perform all of, but not be limited to, the following functions:
(1) Reviewing and incorporating existing research, monitoring, and data standardization. data standardization methods, and data portals.
(2) Ensuring Obtaining appropriate data and establishing data standards are in place to support science priorities.
(3) Identifying research needs or data gaps and recommending how to coordinate and prioritize research to address these gaps.
(4) Identifying tools, methods, and technologies that may be used to support needed monitoring and research and recommending applications.

(5)Hosting a data portal and housing publicly available information to support transparency in decisionmaking.

(5) Recommending data management practices to support data sharing and analysis, accessibility, and transparency.
(6) Allocating funds Receiving and allocating funds from any source to address science priorities.

(e)(1)Members of the steering committee, the West Coast Offshore Wind Science Entity, and any subcommittee shall serve without compensation, except members who are participating on behalf of a Native American tribe, who shall receive compensation.

(2)Members of the West Coast Offshore Wind Science Entity shall receive reimbursement for travel, per diem, and other expenses.

(e) Participants in the West Coast Offshore Wind Science Entity who are Indigenous peoples and local knowledge holders, as well as others, as appropriate, shall receive compensation and expense reimbursement pursuant to criteria developed by the steering committee.