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SB-276 State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program.(2017-2018)



Current Version: 04/24/17 - Amended Senate

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SB276:v97#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Senate  April 24, 2017
Amended  IN  Senate  April 05, 2017

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 276

Introduced by Senator Dodd

February 09, 2017

An act to add Section 568.5 to the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to water efficiency.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 276, as amended, Dodd. State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program.
Existing law, the Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995, requires the Department of Food and Agriculture, in consultation with the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming, to establish and oversee a Healthy Soils Program to seek to optimize climate benefits while supporting the economic viability of California agriculture by providing incentives, including loans, grants, research, and technical assistance, or educational materials and outreach, to farmers whose management practices contribute to healthy soils and result in net long-term on-farm greenhouse gasbenefits. gas benefits. In this connection, the department has also established the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to implement irrigation systems that reduce greenhouse gases and save water on agricultural operations.
Existing law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, provides for the sustainable management of groundwater basins by requiring local government agencies, including basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins by the Department of Water Resources, to take specified actions to conserve and regulate the extraction of groundwater in those groundwater basins.
This bill would require the Department of Food and Agriculture, upon appropriation of moneys by the Legislature for this purpose, to administer the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to implement irrigation management systems that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save water, and reduce energy use in agricultural operations in the state, offer technical assistance to program applicants, and perform outreach to groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins, as prescribed. The bill would require the department to consult with the State Air Resources Board to quantify the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of projects proposed to be funded under the program. The bill would further require the department to annually report to the Legislature on the accomplishments and activities of the program.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 568.5 is added to the Food and Agricultural Code, to read:

568.5.
 (a) Upon appropriation of moneys by the Legislature for the purposes of this section, the department shall administer the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program to do all of the following:
(1) Provide financial assistance in the form of grants to implement irrigation management systems that reduce greenhouse gases, save water, and reduce energy use in California agricultural operations.
(2) Offer technical assistance to program applicants.
(3) Perform outreach to agricultural operations located in groundwater basins designated as high or medium priority under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act set forth in Part 2.74 (commencing with Section 10720) of Division 6 of the Water Code. The department shall work with groundwater sustainability agencies in performing outreach pursuant to this paragraph.
(b) The department shall consult with the State Air Resources Board to quantify the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of projects proposed to be funded under the program.
(c) Notwithstanding Section 11005 of the Government Code or any other law requiring approval by a state officer of gifts, bequests, devises, or donations, the department may seek and accept on behalf of the state any gift, bequest, devise, or donation whenever the gift and the terms and conditions thereof will aid in actions undertaken pursuant to subdivision (a).
(d) (1) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department shall annually report to the Legislature on the accomplishments and activities of the program.
(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(e) Moneys from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, created pursuant to Section 16428.8 of the Government Code, shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, only for the activities described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).