(1)Existing law requires the Natural Resources Agency, by July 1, 2017, and every 3 years thereafter, to update the states climate adaptation strategy to identify vulnerabilities to climate change by sectors and priority actions needed to reduce the risks in those sectors. Existing law requires the agency to explore, and authorizes the agency to implement, options within the agencys jurisdiction to establish a more coordinated and efficient regulatory review and permitting process for coastal adaptation projects that use natural infrastructure.This bill would require the agency, on or before July 1, 2023, in coordination with the California Environmental Protection Agency, to convene the Interagency Working Group comprised of regulatory agencies under the auspices of the agency and the California Environmental
Protection Agency that are responsible for permitting environmentally beneficial projects, that include procedures and ongoing management for the protection of the environment and that serve the primary purposes of aquatic, riparian ecosystem, or upland habitat restoration, enhancement, or establishment, to coordinate efficient regulatory review and permitting mechanisms, as provided. The bill would authorize the Interagency Working Group to establish and consult with a panel of stakeholders of no more than 15 members, as specified. The bill would require the meetings of the Interagency Working Group and the stakeholder panel to be publicly held with appropriate advance public notice. The bill would require the Interagency Working Group to, among other things, identify existing programmatic and other efficient permitting mechanisms, coordinate actions to expedite permitting for those projects, and develop and implement, as specified, robust internal training procedures, including manuals, guidelines, and
other materials, to ensure that each state entity involved in permitting projects uses the same standards to evaluate permit applications, and would require those training manuals, guidelines, and other materials to be readily and publicly available on each applicable state entitys internet website. The bill would require the agency, on or before July 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, to submit a comprehensive report, as specified, to the Legislature evaluating regulatory and permitting mechanisms that meaningfully accelerate those projects. The bill would require the agency to provide funding for the participation of state entities within its jurisdiction in carrying out these provisions. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2028.(2)ExistingExisting law authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board, on behalf of itself or a regional board, to accept donations of moneys from a permittee for the purpose of updating a water quality control plan.
This bill would also authorize the state board, on behalf of itself or a regional board, to accept moneys from donations, grants, or contributions, or through contractual agreements, given for the purpose of planning, permitting, or providing technical support for projects of public benefit within the state board or regional boards jurisdiction. The bill would require these moneys and the above-described donations from a permittee to be deposited, and separately accounted for, in the State Water Pollution Cleanup and Abatement Account, for expenditure in accordance with the terms of the donation, grant,
contribution, or contractual agreement, to be available for expenditure upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2028.