Transcript Highlights:

• The first is on offshore wind.
• More of a comment, really, and I understand the concern around the offshore wind.
• I am Brian White on behalf of Offshore Wind in California.
• floating offshore wind.
• Just really quick points on offshore wind.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:42:11.560><c> wind</c><00:42:11.960><c> sight</c> from offshore wind sight from offshore wind
• </c> executive order to eliminate offshore executive order to eliminate offshore wind<00:46:34.599><c
• <00:47:14.000><c> wind</c> offshore wind offshore wind turbines<00:47:16.079><c> Mr</c><00:47:16.480>
• </c> Greenpeace the fact is that offshore Greenpeace the fact is that offshore wind<00:47:26.280><c>
• someday be favorable to Offshore wind someday be favorable to Offshore wind then<00:49:06.839><c> Mr<

Transcript Highlights:

• of Section 94540, the Governor's budget includes $227,000 in fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 for offshore
• The first is offshore wind.
• And I understand the concern around offshore wind.
• Theresa Cook, on behalf of Vecunor, one of the offshore wind developers.
• , engineering firms, and those folks who are supportive of offshore wind, floating offshore wind.

Summary: The hearing was an informational budget session on energy agency proposals, with no votes taken. Early discussion focused on Proposition 4 climate bond implementation, including funding for demand-side grid support, offshore wind development, and transmission financing. The Department of Finance said the budget includes allocations for demand-side grid support and offshore wind, but not yet for the $325 million transmission financing piece pending a required study. The Legislative Analyst’s Office urged the Legislature to consider whether to wait on offshore wind funding, whether to keep shifting funds into demand-side grid support, and how to direct future transmission financing. Members also raised concerns about local technical assistance for offshore wind, Salton Sea priorities, and the need for more information before final decisions. The California Energy Commission and CPUC then reviewed the broader energy package. The CEC highlighted the demand-side grid support program’s growth, distributed energy backup assets, long-duration storage, hydrogen grants, and the SIRP clean energy reliability program. CPUC testimony emphasized affordability, wildfire mitigation costs, rooftop solar cost shifts, and efforts to reduce rates while maintaining reliability and clean energy goals. Members questioned CPUC staffing, delays in proceedings, coordination with the CEC and CAISO, and the impact of rate increases on customers. The agencies also discussed the AB 3264 transmission financing study, with CPUC saying work on the study had already begun and was on track for the July 1 deadline. Several trailer bill and implementation items were also discussed. The committee reviewed a proposal to extend the Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program surcharge, with members split over whether it should be handled in budget trailer bill language or policy legislation; the administration said the surcharge supports a critical program serving about three-quarters of a million Californians. The committee also heard a CPUC data-sharing proposal to allow nondisclosure agreements for transmission and reliability data, which members generally supported as a technical fix. DWR explained a proposal to clarify language for the Electricity Supply Strategic Reliability Reserve so it can potentially sell three gas-fired units it owns, and the CEC presented a federal transmission grant proposal tied to grid-enhancing technologies and ratepayer cost recovery. Finally, the committee discussed California Lifeline and possible broadband pilot reforms in light of uncertainty around federal Universal Service Fund support, with CPUC saying it is exploring a statewide standalone broadband option for eligible customers.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're about 1,500 ft offshore.
• They're about 1,500 ft offshore.
• They're about 1,500 ft offshore.
• They're about 1,500 ft offshore.
• </c> surf sites are very far offshore. surf sites are very far offshore.

Bills: SCR8 , SCR40 , SCR83 , SCR179 , SCR90 , SCR94 , SCR159 , SCR165 , SCR177

Committee: House Water & Land

Summary: The committee heard several resolutions related to water, coastal management, and permitting. Early measures included SCR 8 on faster county action for certain home-modification permits for older adults and people with disabilities, SCR 40 on banning disposable body boards, SCR 83 on creating a lithium-ion battery disposal facility, SCR 179 on enforcing Maui fire-code provisions for brush clearance and emergency access, and SCR 90 on kupuna-friendly permit requirements. No testifiers were present for those measures, and the chair moved through them without taking votes in the portion provided. The most extensive discussion was on SCR 94, endorsing Waikiki as a world surfing reserve, and SCR 159, urging shared guiding principles for restoring and maintaining Waikiki’s beaches and shoreline. University of Hawaii testimony said the surfing-reserve designation would bring recognition, could help attract grants, and would require a stewardship committee and management plan, but would not itself block beach nourishment or shoreline restoration. Members asked about possible effects on dredging, beach nourishment, and shoreline structures; the witness said impacts on surfing were not expected to be immediate or significant. For SCR 159, the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development supported the resolution but requested clarifying amendments to broaden references to law, stakeholder collaboration, and coastal science expertise. The Waikiki Beach Special Improvement District Association also supported the measure, emphasizing coordinated maintenance, public access, and the economic importance of Waikiki beaches, while noting that existing legal agreements and court decisions should be reflected in the resolution. The discussion also covered whether the state and private owners share repair and maintenance obligations for Waikiki seawalls; testimony said existing agreements remain relevant but must yield to current law. The committee also heard SCR 165 designating March as Water Month, with support from the Board of Water Supply and others, and SCR 177 requesting DAGS to convene a cooperative working group on state projects needing county permits. Mary Alice Evans said the latter would help expedite permitting, especially for housing and other state projects, and would complement efforts to standardize county permitting processes. No final votes or dispositions were announced in the excerpt provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill would also add capacity. development of offshore wind.
• We represent the five offshore wind developers who would be impacted by this bill.
• Put simply, the offshore wind industry is under assault from the Trump administration.
• by ending offshore wind leasing and indefinitely stopping federal permitting.
• So I'm a big proponent of offshore wind.

Committee: House Natural Resources

Summary: The committee heard extensive testimony on AB 1243, the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act of 2025, which would direct CalEPA to identify major fossil fuel companies, study California’s climate damages, and assess fees on large polluters to fund resilience, recovery, and related projects. The author and supporters argued the bill would shift costs from taxpayers to the companies most responsible for climate harm, while dedicating funding to disadvantaged communities, home hardening, school resilience, clean energy, and jobs. Supporters included environmental justice groups, health advocates, youth activists, labor-aligned climate groups, and many individual witnesses who described climate impacts in their communities and urged polluters to pay. Opposition came primarily from the building trades, business groups, and petroleum-related organizations, who argued the bill would raise fuel and consumer costs, create uncertainty for business, and accelerate refinery closures and job losses. They said California already has cap-and-trade, which they described as a better tool for funding climate action and reducing emissions, and warned that retroactive liability for past emissions was legally and economically problematic. Committee members questioned both sides on consumer impacts, job effects, and whether cap-and-trade already addresses the problem. After discussion, the committee voted 6-1 to pass AB 1243 to the Judiciary Committee, with Assembly Member Ellis voting no and Assembly Member Muratsuchi not voting. The chair and members noted the bill would continue to be discussed, and the author closed by emphasizing the need to fund climate resilience while holding polluters accountable. The transcript then began a separate presentation on a wildfire mitigation bill, with the author introducing committee amendments and describing wildfire prevention and recovery needs, but that item was not completed in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• So as a system, it's installed offshore.
• So the unit is installed offshore. It has an anchor to the seafloor.
• So as a system, it's installed offshore. So here we see one unit, as we're doing.
• So as a system, it's installed offshore.
• So the unit is installed offshore. It has an anchor to the seafloor.

Summary: The select committee on Climate Innovation and Infrastructure heard presentations on emerging climate-related technologies and the policy and permitting barriers affecting their deployment. The first panel focused on the Calistoga Resiliency Center, a utility-partnered microgrid using liquid hydrogen, fuel cells, and batteries to keep the city powered during public safety power shutoffs. PG&E described microgrids as a resilience tool, but emphasized that the main barrier is economics, not regulation, and outlined its community microgrid tariff, enablement program, and incentive funding. Energy Vault said the Calistoga project is a proof of concept for a bankable, zero-emission, high-density resiliency solution, while the Green Hydrogen Coalition and local officials argued that California needs clearer demand signals and policy fixes to make green hydrogen and similar projects viable at scale. The discussion also noted that the Lodi Energy Center hydrogen transition remains stalled because of lost federal and state funding and tighter tax credit timelines, making the project uneconomic for now. The second panel addressed water resilience through desalination, with the California Desal Association describing the state’s growing need for local, drought-resilient water supplies and the long, expensive permitting timelines that have slowed conventional desal projects. Oneka Technologies presented its wave-powered offshore desalination system for Fort Bragg, which produces drinking water without electricity or land use and is designed to reduce impacts on marine life. The company said the project has required coordination with at least eight agencies and roughly a 36-month permitting process for a one-year pilot, and that California’s process is much slower than in other jurisdictions. Committee members asked about maintenance, environmental safeguards, and whether data from projects elsewhere could help streamline future approvals. A third presentation, by the Climate Foundation, described marine permaculture as a way to restore kelp forests and create carbon and agricultural benefits by moving seaweed platforms up and down to access nutrients and sunlight. The speaker said the approach could support food, feed, fertilizer, and biostimulant products while also sequestering carbon, but that California permitting is fragmented across 17 state and federal agencies. He urged a one-stop, code-based permitting system for small projects and suggested that California could learn from faster approval models in Australia and the Philippines. No votes were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• They're less focused on offshore wind, although we know that the ports will be a part of that ecosystem
• So that is, again, not offshore wind related. That will be separate with the climate bond.
• I'm Adam Stern with Offshore Wind California.
• Good afternoon, Jordan Curley on behalf of American Clean Power California and California's offshore
• We are a clean energy developer working to build an offshore wind farm.

Transcript Highlights:

• Every dollar of profit was earned offshore, and they're not paying it.
• Company B, its competitor, opens up an offshore affiliate. which may actually be a place where work is
• Offshore scheme is that good tax policy and is that good for America?
• There are complicated machinations that it takes to get through to set up the offshore tax scheme.
• You fake putting profits offshore, you reduce your tax burden, you save money, and you cheat both the

Committee: Senate Finance Committee

Keywords: Commerce, International Trade, Tax Policy, Nominees, Inflation, Middle-class, Trade Practices, Economic Concerns

Summary: The committee convened to discuss various bills and nominees, including the critical nominations of William Kimmett for Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade and Ken Keyes for Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy at the Treasury Department. Discussions highlighted the nominees' roles in managing critical trade and tax policies amidst rising economic concerns, particularly focusing on inflation and its impact on American families. Members expressed both support and skepticism, emphasizing the significance of fostering fair trade practices and ensuring tax policies that benefit the middle-class amidst claims of an agenda favoring affluent individuals and corporations.

Transcript Highlights:

• The illegal offshore lenders are unreachable.
• So if that is the intent, the illegal offshore lenders, it's a fool's errand, unfortunately.
• The illegal offshore lenders are unreachable.
• So if that is the intent, the illegal offshore lenders, it's a fool's errand, unfortunately.
• If this model disappears, does it not drive people to illegal offshore lenders?

Committee: House Business

Transcript Highlights:

• Investment in higher education's role in offshore wind that Massachusetts had already made, primarily
• Research is also essential for responsibly developing renewable energy, such as offshore wind.
• My research assesses the risk to offshore wind farms along the U.S.
• Wind energy, and offshore wind in particular, has the potential to help meet these needs.
• First, our offshore wind professional certificate program.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies

Summary: The committee on Economic Development held a hearing on the DRIVE Act, a proposal to invest $400 million in Massachusetts research and innovation without new taxes. Governor Healey and administration officials said the bill would direct $200 million to public higher education research and regional partnerships and $200 million to a research funding pool for hospitals, universities, and other institutions, with the goal of retaining talent, leveraging private and philanthropic dollars, and offsetting major federal R&D cuts. They argued that research is a core economic engine for the state, supporting jobs across labs, construction, services, and surrounding businesses, and said the bill would help protect the Commonwealth’s tax base and competitiveness during a period of federal uncertainty and cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, and other programs. Committee members raised concerns about whether Fair Share surtax dollars should instead be used for K-12 and other community needs, whether the proposal is enough given the scale of lost federal grants, and how the money would be allocated. The governor responded that the funds are one-time surplus dollars, that most surtax revenue already supports education, and that the bill is meant as a bridge to stabilize public higher education and research. She also said the legislation includes a review board and could support a revolving or matched-fund approach in some cases. Several members pressed for more detail on selection criteria, future funding, and whether private companies and large endowments should contribute more. University of Massachusetts leaders and researchers testified that federal grant cancellations and delays are already causing layoffs, furloughs, rescinded admissions, and lost research capacity. UMass officials said the bill would help preserve faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and research programs in medicine, climate science, marine science, Braille instruction, and AI decision-making. They emphasized that the funding should be merit-based and that the state needs to act quickly to prevent talent from leaving Massachusetts. Business, labor, and industry groups, including MassBio, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, AIM, the AFL-CIO, and Building Trades, supported the bill, saying it would protect jobs, sustain the innovation ecosystem, and reinforce Massachusetts’ national leadership in research and life sciences. No vote was taken in the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• We recently estimated at the AGA that Americans wager $674 billion a year with illegal offshore sports
• Importantly, consumers currently engaged with offshore sports books are not provided with responsible
• <00:43:11.360><c> operators</c> offshore operators offshore operators um<00:43:13.440><c> is</c><00:43
• Illegal offshore sites are the greatest tool that they could ever have to wash their dirty money.
• Illegal offshore sites are the greatest tool that they could ever have to wash their dirty money.

Bills: SCR145 , SCR132 , SCR31 , SCR110

Transcript Highlights:

• They’re either doing it illegally on offshore platforms, or they’re going to other states.
• It’s either taking place illegally on offshore accounts, or people are doing it in other states.
• it's either taking place<00:08:42.080><c> illegally</c><00:08:42.640><c> on</c><00:08:42.959><c> offshore
• </c><00:08:43.680><c> with</c> place illegally on offshore with place illegally on offshore with offshore
• accounts or people are doing it offshore accounts or people are doing it in<00:08:46.360><c> other</

Transcript Highlights:

• The repeal preserves America's ability to tap its offshore resources efficiently.
• We produce more than one kind of energy offshore. We produce oil and gas.
• I'm not arguing we need these additional necessary requirements for offshore wind.
• <00:42:47.559><c> wind</c> Offshore wind Offshore wind development<00:42:50.280><c> this</c><00:42:50.480
• What about the working-class men and women who power our offshore energy industry?

Bills: HR190 , HR189 , SJR11

Keywords: censure, Congress, interruption, decorum, Representative Al Green, constitutional amendment, state laws, education, voting rights, election integrity

Transcript Highlights:

• It helps ensure that California's offshore wind rollout is not just fast, but also fair.
• We represent the five offshore wind developers who would be impacted by this bill.
• by ending offshore wind leasing and indefinitely stopping federal permitting.
• However, we oppose this bill stipulating... ...through offshore wind port grants.
• So I'm a big proponent of offshore wind.

Summary: The committee hearing centered first on AB 1243, the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act of 2025, which would direct CalEPA to identify major fossil fuel companies, study California’s climate damages, and assess fees on the largest polluters to fund resilience, recovery, and related projects. The author and supporters argued the bill would make polluters help pay for climate harms, protect taxpayers, create jobs in construction and clean energy, and dedicate at least 40% of funds to disadvantaged communities. Support testimony came from environmental justice groups, labor, youth advocates, health organizations, and many individual witnesses, while opponents from the building trades, chambers of commerce, petroleum, and business groups warned it would raise fuel and consumer costs, threaten refinery jobs, and create legal and economic uncertainty. Committee members debated the bill’s impact on affordability, jobs, refinery closures, and whether cap-and-trade already addresses climate funding needs. The committee ultimately voted to give AB 1243 a due pass recommendation to the Judiciary Committee, with the roll left open. After AB 1243, the committee moved to another bill on wildfire mitigation and related resilience work. The author said the measure addresses a long-running wildfire problem and accepted committee amendments, describing the bill as a response to increasingly severe wildfire seasons and the need to help communities stay safe and rebuild after disasters. The transcript cuts off as that presentation begins, so no final action on the second bill is shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the president of Foss Offshore Wind. I'm also a resident of Yarmouth. Thank you.
• I'm the president of Foss Offshore Wind. I'm also a resident of Yarmouth.
• wind, to make New Bedford, if you will, a frontline port in offshore wind, it's necessary.
• wind, to make New Bedford, if you will, a frontline port in offshore wind, it's necessary.
• And so we're seeking support If you will, a frontline port in offshore wind, it's necessary.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Summary: The committee hearing covered several bills related to environmental, natural resources, and maritime issues. Representative Markey testified in support of H. 1000, which would create a commission to study financing wastewater infrastructure, especially in southeastern Massachusetts and the South Shore, citing combined sewer overflows and impacts on aquaculture. Members agreed the core challenge is finding long-term financing for wastewater solutions. The committee also heard testimony on H. 902 to establish an Office of Outdoor Recreation, with supporters describing its role in expanding access, supporting underrepresented communities, and helping grow the outdoor economy. Related testimony also supported H. 986, which would codify the Division of Ecological Restoration and the Office of Fishing and Boating Access within the Department of Fish and Game, with witnesses emphasizing habitat restoration, flood reduction, public access, and boating/fishing opportunities. A major portion of the hearing focused on H. 901/S. 597, “An Act Providing Nature for All,” which would dedicate existing sporting goods sales tax revenue to a new conservation fund. Supporters from Mass Audubon, Environmental League of Massachusetts, Appalachian Mountain Club, Trust for Public Land, Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, and conservation groups argued the bill would provide a sustainable revenue stream for land conservation, parks, trails, wetlands, water protection, and climate resilience, while also advancing environmental justice and outdoor recreation. They said the state needs roughly $300 million more per year to meet land conservation goals and that the bill could generate about $100 million annually without raising taxes. Committee members asked about balancing conservation with housing and development, and witnesses said the goals are compatible and that the bill includes safeguards. Witnesses also noted similar funding models in other states. The hearing also included H. 1053, a bill to create a Merrimack River Collaborative. Regional planning and watershed advocates said the river faces bacterial contamination, heavy metals, combined sewer overflows, and other pollution, and that a formal collaborative would help coordinate municipalities, state agencies, and nonprofits across the watershed and possibly across state lines. Another bill, H. 4109, would relocate harbor lines in New Bedford Harbor to allow reconstruction of deteriorating bulkheads at a waterfront industrial site; the New Bedford Port Authority, engineers, and the property owner said the change is needed for permitting and would support port modernization and jobs. Finally, the committee heard extensive testimony on S. 641 regarding marine pilotage in New Bedford. Supporters argued the bill would remove a District 3 pilotage restriction and improve port flexibility and offshore wind operations, while opponents warned it would undermine the state’s compulsory pilotage system, weaken safety, and allow ship owners to shop for pilots. No votes or final actions were taken during the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• On just the local productions or the offshore? On just local hires on average local productions.
• A lot of the larger productions that have maybe, well, most of the offshore productions are anywhere
• On on just local local hires offshore?
• </c> have maybe well, most of the offshore have maybe well, most of the offshore productions<00:21:00.280
• An 80 and 90% for offshore<00:21:24.120><c> productions</c><00:21:25.200><c> and</c><00:21:25.360><c>

Committee: Senate Economic Development and Tourism

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several measures related to Hawaii’s film tax credits, timeshare registration, and a Hawaii Technology Development Corporation matching program. For HB 1939, witnesses from the Governor’s office, DBEDT, the Department of Taxation, the Attorney General’s office, film industry groups, neighborhood boards, and others discussed changes to film tax incentives, including local hire requirements, indigenous content, and possible bonus credits. Supporters said the bill would diversify the economy and strengthen local jobs, while DBEDT and others raised operational, fiscal, and legal concerns about administering the multiple bonus options, defining indigenous content, and tracking compliance. The committee noted strong support in testimony and moved the bill forward with a Senate draft, including an amended effective date and a change to apply the bill to costs incurred rather than taxable years. HB 1941, also relating to taxation and film incentives, drew mixed testimony focused on the interaction between physical production and post-production credits. DBEDT, the Honolulu Film Office, and the Hawaii Film Alliance said the bill’s structure could discourage productions, especially because many productions complete post-production elsewhere and because the measure would be difficult to administer and verify. They urged keeping physical production and post-production separate or addressing post-production through workforce development instead. After hearing the testimony, the chair deferred HB 1941 for further work rather than advancing it. The committee also heard HB 1946 on timeshare registration, which had support from industry representatives and DCCA. The bill was advanced with a Senate draft incorporating DCCA’s requested language providing that renewal applications are deemed approved after 30 days unless a deficiency letter is issued. Finally, HB 2545 on HTDC’s matching program for federal SBIR/STTR awards was advanced with a technical amendment clarifying that the federal awards are separate and should be referenced in the alternative. All three of those measures were adopted unanimously by the members present.

Transcript Highlights:

• that's happening, the barrage of advertising that comes with legalization increases the amount of offshore
• they keep saying, well, we would regulate so kids under 21 couldn't bet where they can already bet offshore
• stop if you're a 16-year-old kid and we legalize it for older people here; I'm going to stop doing offshore
• they keep saying, well, we would regulate so kids under 21 couldn't bet where they can already bet offshore
• stop if you're a 16-year-old kid and we legalize it for older people here; I'm going to stop doing offshore

Transcript Highlights:

• BayPAC and our sister organizations represent over 55,000 businesses opposing offshore oil and gas.
• Our clean coast economy absolutely dwarfs the offshore oil economy. This math is just simple.
• Unless we act, that aging infrastructure could be used to expand offshore oil production, reigniting
• It prevents the quiet resurgence of offshore oil by holding infrastructure to the highest safety and
• In this instance, we're talking about offshore oil development, which is the riskiest environmental..

Summary: The committee heard several climate, environmental, and housing bills. AB 1425, dealing with pit dewatering near the San Joaquin River Parkway, drew extensive testimony. The author and supporters argued the bill was needed to protect the river, groundwater, floodplain conditions, tribal and cultural resources, and public access from a proposed mining project near the river. Opponents, including Cemex, labor representatives, and industry groups, said the bill would bypass the CEQA process before it was complete, threaten jobs, and create uncertainty for an existing operation. Members questioned both sides about hydrology, blasting, dewatering, and the adequacy of the ongoing environmental review. The bill was moved, but several members expressed concern about preempting CEQA and some did not vote or voted no. AB 881, which would allow California to move forward with carbon capture and sequestration pipelines, was presented as a way to advance state climate goals and capture federal funding. Supporters, including SMUD, labor, and industry groups, said the bill would help deploy carbon capture safely and preserve jobs. Environmental justice opponents supported stronger safety direction and warned that CO2 pipelines pose serious risks and that the state should not move ahead without clearer standards. The bill received a due-pass recommendation to Appropriations. AB 1207, on the cap-and-trade allowance price ceiling and the social cost of carbon, was presented as a science-based update to California’s climate policy. The author and EDF said the bill would keep the program aligned with current economic and climate data and protect it from federal political interference. It received broad support and a due-pass recommendation. AB 1106, creating a coordinated network of air quality incident response centers, was also approved after testimony about wildfire smoke, toxic emissions, and the need for better real-time monitoring during disasters. AB 28, the Landfill Fire Safety Act, focused on the Chiquita Canyon landfill fire and related health impacts in Castaic and Val Verde; residents described serious illnesses and contamination concerns, while landfill and county representatives warned about costs and asked for more study. The committee nonetheless advanced the bill with a due-pass recommendation. The committee also heard AB 357, which would speed Coastal Commission review of student and faculty housing projects, with supporters citing student homelessness and opponents urging caution but acknowledging the need for more housing; the bill was presented and discussed, with the committee emphasizing the need to balance housing production and coastal oversight.

Transcript Highlights:

• <02:27:52.840><c> wind</c> offshore wind offshore wind from<02:27:55.000><c> the</c><02:27:55.080><c>
• </c> and move on past the hope of offshore and move on past the hope of offshore wind. wind. wind.
• We can get offshore wind<02:29:45.360><c> stand</c><02:29:45.800><c> offshore</c><02:29:46.280><c> wind
• </c> that we continue to support offshore that we continue to support offshore wind<02:31:50.680><c>
• </c><02:37:23.960><c> wind</c> you know staging the the offshore wind you know staging the the offshore

Transcript Highlights:

• BayPAC and our sister organizations represent over 55,000 businesses opposing offshore oil and gas.
• Our clean coast economy absolutely dwarfs the offshore oil economy. This math is just simple.
• It prevents the quiet resurgence of offshore oil by holding infrastructure to the highest safety and
• It prevents the quiet resurgence of offshore oil by holding infrastructure to the highest safety and
• Moore, Blatham Watkins, on behalf of Sable Offshore, the owners of the San Ynez Unit and its pipeline

Committee: House Natural Resources

Summary: The committee heard several bills focused on environmental protection, climate policy, public health, and housing. AB 1425 would prohibit pit dewatering near the San Joaquin River Parkway where groundwater is shallow, with the author and supporters arguing it is needed to protect the river, groundwater, flood safety, tribal and cultural resources, and a nearby restoration area. Supporters included environmental groups, local residents, and Indigenous speakers, while CEMEX, labor representatives, and industry groups opposed the bill as an improper circumvention of the CEQA process that could threaten an existing mine and about 100 jobs. After extensive questioning about hydrology, blasting, and the CEQA record, the committee voted the bill out on a due pass as amended recommendation, with some members not voting and the roll left open for absent members. AB 881 would lift California’s moratorium on carbon dioxide pipeline regulation and direct the State Fire Marshal to develop safety standards for carbon capture and sequestration pipelines. The author and supporters, including SMUD, Calpine, utilities, labor, and industry groups, said the bill is needed to advance carbon removal goals, preserve federal funding, and support clean energy and jobs. Environmental justice and conservation groups opposed or opposed unless amended, warning that CO2 pipelines pose serious safety risks and that state authority and standards need to be stronger. The bill received a due pass as amended recommendation to Appropriations. AB 1207 would tie California’s cap-and-trade price ceiling to the federal social cost of carbon. The author and EDF said the measure would keep the program science-based and protect it from federal political interference, while no opposition was heard in the room. The committee approved the bill on a due pass recommendation. AB 1106, sponsored by air quality agencies, would create a network of regional air quality incident response centers to improve monitoring and public health response during wildfires and other disasters; it also received a due pass recommendation after testimony on mobile monitoring, VOCs, metals, PM, and asbestos sampling. The committee also heard AB 28, the Landfill Fire Safety Act, prompted by the long-running Chiquita Canyon landfill subsurface fire. The author and residents described serious health impacts and argued the bill would require monitoring, reporting, corrective action, and stronger enforcement when landfill temperatures rise. Waste and county representatives opposed the bill as drafted, saying the cause of the event is still unclear and the proposal could impose broad costs on landfills statewide, though they said amendments improved the framework. Members discussed the scale of the fire, possible medical impacts, and whether the bill would punish compliant operators; the bill was sent out on a due pass as amended recommendation. The committee also heard AB 357, which would require the Coastal Commission to act within 90 days on student and faculty housing projects in the coastal zone; supporters said it would help address student homelessness and housing costs, while coastal and planning advocates raised concerns about the amendment and the role of coastal review.