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<ns0:ActionText>FILED</ns0:ActionText>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Rogers</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="COAUTHOR_ORIGINATING">(Coauthor: Assembly Member Papan)</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Rogers</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Papan</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title> An act to amend Section 25545 of the Public Resources Code, relating to energy. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>energy</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Geothermal powerplants and projects: certification and environmental review.</ns0:Subject>
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<html:p>Existing law establishes and vests in the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) various responsibilities with respect to developing and implementing the state’s energy policies. Existing law authorizes persons proposing specified electrical generation, electrical transmission, hydrogen production, and energy storage projects to apply, on or before June 30, 2029, to the Energy Commission to certify sites and related facilities as environmental leadership development projects, as specified. Existing law makes a site and related facility certified by the Energy Commission subject to streamlining benefits related to CEQA with no further action by the applicant or the Governor. Under existing law, the Energy Commission’s certification is in lieu of any permit, certificate, or similar document required by any governmental agency and supersedes any
applicable statute, ordinance, or regulation, except as specified.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would expand the types of facilities eligible to be certified as environmental leadership development projects by the Energy Commission to include geothermal powerplants and projects that comprise multiple geothermal powerplants on a single site.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 25545 of the Public Resources Code proposed by SB 254 to be operative only if this bill and SB 254 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.</html:p>
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<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
<ns0:FiscalCommittee>YES</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
<ns0:LocalProgram>NO</ns0:LocalProgram>
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<ns0:ImmediateEffect>NO</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
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<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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Section 25545 of the
<ns0:DocName>Public Resources Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:Num>25545.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_20535B38-ABB8-4F65-A078-DC9D58F2113F">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“California Native American tribe” has the same meaning as set forth in Section 21073.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Facility” means any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A solar photovoltaic or terrestrial wind electrical generating powerplant with a generating capacity of 50 megawatts or more and any facilities appurtenant thereto.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
An energy storage system as defined in Section 2835 of the Public Utilities Code that is capable of storing 200 megawatthours or more of energy.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A stationary electrical generating powerplant using any source of thermal energy, with a generating capacity of 50 megawatts or more, excluding any powerplant that burns, uses, or relies on fossil or nuclear fuels.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A discretionary project as described in Section 21080 for which the applicant has certified that a capital investment of at least two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000) will be made over a period of five years and the discretionary project is for (A) the manufacture, production, or assembly of an energy storage system or component manufacturing, wind system or component manufacturing, and solar photovoltaic energy system or component manufacturing, or (B) the manufacture, production, or assembly of specialized products, components, or systems that are
integral to renewable energy or energy storage technologies.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
An electrical transmission line carrying electricity from a facility described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) that is located in the state to a point of junction with any interconnected electrical transmission system.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(6)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A hydrogen production facility and associated onsite storage and processing facilities that do not derive hydrogen from a fossil fuel feedstock and that receive funding from any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Hydrogen Program established pursuant to Section 25664.1.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Section 91530, as added by the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act
of 2024.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) authorized by Article 15 (commencing with Section 12100.160) of Chapter 1.6 of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, as awarded by the United States Department of Energy Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(7)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A geothermal powerplant or a project that comprises multiple geothermal powerplants on a single site.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Site” means any location on which an eligible facility is constructed or is proposed to be constructed.
</html:p>
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 1.5.</ns0:Num>
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Section 25545 of the
<ns0:DocName>Public Resources Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:Num>25545.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_3261F684-DD1C-4564-BF01-2F0080E2794C">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“California Native American tribe” has the same meaning as set forth in Section 21073.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Facility” means any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A solar photovoltaic or terrestrial wind electrical generating powerplant with a generating capacity of 50 megawatts or more and any facilities appurtenant thereto.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
An energy storage system as defined in Section 2835 of the Public Utilities Code that is capable of storing 200 megawatthours or more of energy.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A stationary
electrical generating powerplant using any source of thermal energy, with a generating capacity of 50 megawatts or more, excluding any powerplant that burns, uses, or relies on fossil or nuclear fuels.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A discretionary project as described in Section 21080 for which the applicant has certified that a capital investment of at least one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) will be made over a period of five years and the discretionary project is for (A) the manufacture, production, or assembly of an energy storage system or
component manufacturing, wind system or component manufacturing, and solar photovoltaic energy system or component manufacturing, or (B) the manufacture, production, or assembly of specialized products, components, or systems that are integral to renewable energy or energy storage technologies.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
An electrical transmission line carrying electricity from a facility described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) that is located in the state to a point of junction with any interconnected electrical transmission system.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(6)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A hydrogen production facility and associated onsite storage and processing facilities that do not derive hydrogen from a fossil fuel feedstock and that receive funding from any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Hydrogen Program established pursuant to Section 25664.1.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Section 91530, as added by the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of
2024.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) authorized by Article 15 (commencing with Section 12100.160) of Chapter 1.6 of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, as awarded by the United States Department of Energy Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(7)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A geothermal powerplant or a project that comprises multiple geothermal powerplants on a single site.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
“Site” means any location on which an eligible facility is constructed or is proposed to be constructed.
</html:p>
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>Section 1.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 25545 of the Public Resources Code proposed by this bill and Senate Bill 254. That section of this bill shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2026, (2) each bill amends Section 25545 of the Public Resources Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after SB 254, in which case Section 25545 of the Public Resources Code, as amended by SB 254, shall remain operative only until the operative date of this bill, at which time Section 1.5 of this bill shall become operative, and Section
1 of this bill shall not become operative.</html:p>
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