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Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee moves multiple energy, water and conservation bills to Appropriations
Summary
The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee advanced multiple bills affecting energy, water and public lands, moving most measures to Appropriations or placing them on call after testimony from industry, local officials and environmental groups.
The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee considered a multi‑item agenda that included bills on geothermal exploration, long‑duration energy storage permitting, groundwater governance in Tulare County, Western Joshua tree permitting, land transfers for state parks damaged by wildfire, expanded vegetation treatment programmatic CEQA coverage, offshore wind community capacity building, and a resolution urging federal funding for the National Park Service.
Highlights and committee action (motions and next steps):
- AJR 9 (Assemblymember Wallace) — Urges the president and Congress to restore full funding for the National Park Service. Multiple witnesses, including the National Parks Conservation Association and conservation groups, spoke in support. The committee adopted the resolution and left it on call during the consent process for absent members.
- AB 1089 (Assemblymember Carrillo) — Adds commercial and industrial projects to local permitting under the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act and provides exemptions to homeowners for defensible‑space removals within 100 feet. Environmental groups withdrew opposition after amendments. The committee approved the bill as amended and placed it on call for absent members.
- AB 915 (Assemblymember Petrie‑Norris) — Clarifies permitting authority for compressed air, long‑duration energy storage pond components so projects can be reviewed by the California Energy Commission (CEC). Developer witnesses said federal loan guarantees and permitting timelines create urgency. The committee moved the bill as amended to Appropriations.
- AB 568 (Assemblymember Macedo) — Establishes a functioning Groundwater Sustainability Agency for Tulare County following departures from a joint powers authority and to ensure continued SGMA compliance. Local water officials and community groups supported the legislative fix; the committee passed the bill as amended to Appropriations.
- AB 679 (Assemblymember Pellerin) — Temporarily exempts certain state parks land acquisitions in the Big Basin, Ano Nuevo and Butano areas from the standard Public Works Board calendar to speed transfers from conservation partners, with required public notice and participation prior to escrow close. Land trusts and conservation organizations supported the measure; the committee passed the bill as amended to Appropriations.
- AB 1075 (Assemblymember Brian) — Requires private firefighting resources to check in with incident command and receive approval before accessing public water supplies on an active incident; sponsors said it clarifies safety and accountability and does not prevent volunteer fire departments from responding. The committee moved the bill as amended to Appropriations.
- AB 1456 (Assemblymember Brian) — Directs the Board of Forestry to expand areas covered by the California Vegetation Treatment Program (CalVTP) and incorporate tribal ecological knowledge; supporters said the expansion is needed for year‑round wildfire risk reduction. The bill passed the committee as amended to Appropriations.
- AB 1417 (Assemblymember Stephanie / Lisa Price) — Requires offshore wind developers to disclose capacity‑building funding provided directly to local and tribal communities and allows voluntary offshore wind program donations to fund local capacity building and grants. Supporters including environmental justice and conservation organizations said the measure promotes transparent, equitable participation. The committee moved the bill as amended to Appropriations and left it on call for absent members.
Votes and procedural notes: Many measures were advanced to the Appropriations Committee or placed "on call" for absent members; the committee recorded roll calls and left several items on call for absent members as the hearing proceeded. Some bills were handled on the consent calendar.
Why it matters: The package touches several policy areas that affect California’s energy transition, wildfire preparedness and recovery, groundwater governance and public‑land management. Several bills are intended to streamline permitting or acquisition processes to accelerate projects, while others add procedural or transparency requirements to protect public resources and community participation.
What’s next: Most measures were referred to the Assembly or Senate Appropriations Committee (as applicable) for fiscal review or were placed on call pending final roll call by absent members.
