Environment and Natural Resources Publications

The 2016-17 Budget: California Public Utilities Commission

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February 25, 2016 - The Governor’s budget proposes $1.8 billion for CPUC in 2016-17, a net increase of $260 million (17 percent) compared to estimated expenditures in the current year. This year-over-year increase is largely the result of increased costs for the California LifeLine program, which we discuss in this budget post.

Overview of ARB’s Emission Reduction Goals and Planning Efforts in Transportation Sector

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February 22, 2016 - Presented to Assembly Committee on Transportation and Senate Transportation and Housing Committee

The 2016-17 Budget: Overview of Governor’s Proposals to Implement the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act

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February 18, 2016 - The 2016-17 Budget: Overview of Governor’s Proposals to Implement the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act

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