SB 1370: Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including gas corporations. Existing law requires that moneys collected by the commission from a gas corporation serving the Los Angeles Basin, pursuant to any settlement, unless restricted by a court for another purpose, abatement order, fine, or penalty relating to the well failure at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility be deposited in the Aliso Canyon Recovery Account. Existing law authorizes moneys in the account to be allocated, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of mitigating impacts on local air quality, public health, and ratepayers resulting from the well failure at Aliso Canyon.

This bill would require that moneys collected by the commission, a state agency, or the Attorney General pursuant to any settlement, unless restricted by a court for another purpose, abatement order, fine, or penalty relating to the well failure at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility be deposited in the Aliso Canyon Recovery Account. The bill would additionally authorize moneys in the account to be allocated, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of promoting energy efficiency and decreasing reliance on fossil fuels in the Los Angeles Basin, the boundaries of which the bill would expand, as specified. The bill would require that priority be given to greenhouse gas mitigation projects that are located within the Los Angeles Basin.