Environment and Natural Resources Publications

Letter to Honorable Cristina Garcia Regarding Oversupply of Allowances in the Cap-and-Trade Program

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June 26, 2017 -

Provides various analyses related to an oversupply of allowances in the state's cap-and-trade program. Specifically, the letter:

• Estimates the range of the cumulative allowance oversupply in the cap-and-trade program through 2020.
• Assesses the impact of allowing this oversupply to carry over into a post-2020 program on (1) future greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and (2) near- and long-term allowance prices.
• Assesses the impact of alternative approaches to addressing the oversupply of allowances and the connection between the current program and a post-2020 program.

Overview of California Climate Goals and Policies

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June 14, 2017 - Presented to Joint Committee on Climate Change Policies

Overview of Oroville Dam Spillway Incident

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May 11, 2017 - Presented to Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife; Assembly Committee on Accountability and Administrative Review; and Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Resources and Transportation

Federal Funding for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection

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May 10, 2017 - In this post, we provide more detail on federal funding for the state’s natural resources and environmental protection programs, with a focus on the five state departments that receive the most federal funds last year.

Cap-and-Trade

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May 10, 2017 - Presented to: Senate Environmental Quality Committee

Overview of State’s Water Conservation Efforts

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May 3, 2017 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Resources and Transportation

Overview of State’s Water Conservation Efforts

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April 25, 2017 - Presented to: Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife

Lessons From Other States to Address California’s Redemption Center Closures

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April 10, 2017 - Since January 1, 2016, over 300 “convenience zone” (CZ) recycling centers—those generally located within a half mile of supermarkets—have closed. CZ recycling centers are an important part of California’s Beverage Container Recycling Program (BCRP). They provide a convenient location for consumers to recycle beverage containers and have their deposit—the California Redemption Value, or “CRV”—repaid. This post examines the closures by reviewing programs in other states and identifying options to improve convenient recycling options in California.

Department of Toxic Substances Control: Performance Improvement Initiatives Merit Oversight

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April 4, 2017 - In light of concerns about the Department of Toxic Substances Control’s execution of its responsibilities in recent years, the Legislature has held numerous hearings to monitor the performance of the department’s programs. The Legislature has also approved additional funding and positions for the department to address deficiencies in some of these programs. In this web post, we discuss the department’s progress to date in addressing these deficiencies, as well as provide questions for legislators to ask the department in future budget and policy hearings to determine the degree to which the department is improving program performance.

Letter to Honorable Vince Fong Regarding Potential Future Effects of Fuels in Cap-and-Trade Program

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April 3, 2017 - Answers two questions regarding the potential future effects of having fuels in California’s cap-and-trade program: 1) How much would gas prices increase under different cap-and-trade allowance price scenarios included in the administration’s regulatory analysis documents? and 2) What would be the additional costs borne by consumers under these allowance price scenarios?

Managing Floods in California

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March 22, 2017 - This report is intended to provide basic information about floods and flood management in California. (Whereas previous generations referred to “flood control” or “flood prevention” activities, experts now prefer the term “flood management” in acknowledgement that floodwaters are recurring and inevitable.) We begin by summarizing the history, causes, and risk of floods across the state. We then describe flood management agencies, infrastructure, and strategies, as well as how governmental agencies typically respond when floods occur. Next, we describe the spending levels and funding sources currently supporting flood management efforts, as well as estimates for how much additional funding may be needed to improve those efforts. We conclude by highlighting some key challenges confronting the state in contemplating how best to manage floods in California.

Implementation of Past Natural Resources Bonds

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March 21, 2017 - Presented to: Assembly Water, Parks, and Wildlife Committee

Overview of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act

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March 16, 2017 - Presented to Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 2 on Resources, Environmental Protection, Energy, and Transportation

Overview of Proposition 1 2014 Water Bond

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March 16, 2017 - Presented to Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 2 on Resources, Environmental Protection, Energy, and Transportation

Residential Water Use Trends and Implications for Conservation Policy

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March 8, 2017 - For the past two years, urban water agencies in California have been submitting monthly data on residential water use to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The monthly update covering December 2016 was recently published on the board’s website, providing a full year of data for 2016. This web post discusses trends in residential water use and what these data imply for policymakers in the coming year.