Environment and Natural Resources

Cap-and-Trade Expenditures: Overview of Governor’s Budget and Issues for Legislative Consideration

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February 18, 2016 - Presented to Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review

The 2016-17 Budget: Resources and Environmental Protection

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February 16, 2016 - The Governor’s budget for 2016–17 proposes a total of $9 billion in expenditures from various sources for programs administered by the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Agencies. In this report, we assess many of the Governor’s budget proposals in the resources and environmental protection areas and recommend various changes. We provide a complete listing of our recommendations at the end of this report.

The 2016-17 Budget: The State's Drought Response

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February 5, 2016 - Despite welcome storms early this winter, statewide drought conditions appear far from over. This report (1) describes the current drought and its impacts across the state, (2) summarizes the state's drought response appropriations and activities thus far, (3) assesses the Governor's drought-related budget proposals for 2016-17, and (4) recommends steps the Legislature can take to address drought both in the coming year and the future.

Cap-and-Trade Revenue: Issues for Legislative Consideration

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February 3, 2016 - Presented to Senate Committee on Environmental Quality and Select Committee on Climate Change and AB 32 Implementation

Overview of Proposition 1 Appropriations

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February 2, 2016 - Presented to: Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife and Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Resources and Transportation

Cap-and-Trade Revenues: Strategies to Promote Legislative Priorities

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January 21, 2016 - In this report, we describe and assess the relationship—from both a legal and policy perspective—between the cap–and–trade regulation and the auction revenues that are generated as a result of the program.

Proposition 39 (2012)

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January 20, 2016 - Presented to: Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications.

Crude Oil by Rail—Federal Update

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December 17, 2015 -

On December 4^th, President Obama signed into law a long-awaited federal transportation funding reauthorization bill—the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act—which provided $305 billion over five years for the nation’s transportation systems. The purpose of this report is to inform California lawmakers about additional provisions of the bill designed to address safety concerns around the transportation of crude oil by rail.

Overview of Water Management Issues in the Los Angeles County Region

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November 16, 2015 - Presented to: Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife and Select Committee on Urban Rivers and Streams

Framework For Cap-And-Trade Investment Plan Needs Further Development

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September 22, 2015 - We discuss (1) the purpose of the administration's triennial cap-and-trade Investment Plan, (2) limitations of the administration's recently released Investment Plan concept paper, and (3) several key questions we believe the administration should consider as it further develops the Investment Plan that could result in better information about the potential benefits, tradeoffs, and risks associated with different funding choices.

California WaterFix Proposal:Issues for Legislative Consideration

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August 18, 2015 - Presented to Senate Select Committee on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

Public Utilities Commission’s Zero-Based Budget

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August 17, 2015 - Presented to Assembly Committee on Utilities and Commerce

The 2015-16 Budget: Major Features of the Adopted Plan (Other Issues)

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June 19, 2015 - We have provided information on the major provisions of the budget plan passed by the Legislature on Friday, June 19. (It does not reflect potential gubernatorial vetoes.) We will provide a more comprehensive summary of the budget plan in our annual California Spending Plan later this summer.

3780—Native American Heritage Commission Implementation of New California Environmental Quality Act Requirements Resources and Transportation Agenda, Page 23

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June 5, 2015 - Presented to Conference Committee

0540—California Natural Resources Agency Expansion of Timber Regulation and Forest Restoration Funds Resources and Transportation Agenda, Page 3

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June 5, 2015 - Presented to Conference Committee