SB 1328: Water delivery projects: reduction of greenhouse gas emissions: funding.

The Stormwater Resource Planning Act authorizes one or more public agencies to develop a stormwater resource plan that meets specified standards to address the capture, treatment, and storage of stormwater, as defined, and dry weather runoff, as defined. The act requires the State Water Resources Control Board, by July 1, 2016, to establish guidance for these purposes.

The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The act requires the state board to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit and to adopt rules and regulations to achieve the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective greenhouse gas emissions reductions, and authorizes the state board to implement a system of market-based compliance mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state. Existing law requires that all moneys, except for fines and penalties, collected by the state board from the auction or sale of allowances as part of a market-based compliance mechanism be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes relating to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

This bill would authorize the State Water Resources Control Board to expend moneys from the fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to provide grants to public agencies, nonprofit organizations, public utilities, and mutual water companies to implement stormwater and dry weather runoff collection and treatment, wastewater, water recycling, and drinking water projects that are intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing the demand for fossil fuels needed to pump, transport, and deliver water to serve water consumers, as prescribed.