AB 577: Biomethane: grant program.

Existing law establishes the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and requires the commission to administer various programs to award grants and other financial assistance for energy-related projects. 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 state board is required to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions level in 1990 to be achieved by 2020. The act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms. Existing law requires 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 to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and to be available upon appropriation.

This bill would require the commission to develop and implement a grant program to award grants for projects that produce biomethane, that build or develop collection and purification technology or infrastructure, or that upgrade or expand existing biomethane facilities. The bill would, upon appropriation, authorize moneys in the fund to be used to fund grants awarded pursuant to the program.