02-05-2016 BPU RPT 07 - Laserfiche WebLink

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W A T E R E N E R G Y L I F E iii PUBLIC UTILITIES RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES Board Memorandum DATE: FEBRUARY 5, 2016 BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES ITEM NO: 7 File ID — 16 -0400 — D SUBJECT: STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE AND ADOPTION OF THE 2016 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM ISSUE: The issue before the Board of Public Utilities is to receive and file a legislative update at the federal and state levels and consider adoption of the 2016 Legislative Platform. RECOMMENDATIONS: That the Board of Public Utilities: 1. Receive and file a legislative update covering the state and federal policy matters; and 2. Recommend that the City Council approve the 2016 State and Federal Legislative Platform. BACKGROUND: Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) participates in legislative conversations and advocacy on relevant policy issues alongside the legislative team (lobbyists at the state and federal level), the city's legislative team, Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA), and various trade associations including but not limited to the California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA) and Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA). All of the legislative work RPU participates in is in accordance with the City's approved legislative platform. The Utility uses the legislative platform as a lens to analyze legislation and recommend positions to support, oppose or watch. Key components of the platform include: • Protecting reliable, affordable energy and water delivery to the city • Supporting efforts to maintain local control • Protecting ratepayers In January 2015, during his State of the State speech, Governor Brown announced his plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum use by 50% and to increase the renewable portfolio standard to 50% all by 2030. California, a leader in green energy, currently operates under an RPS goal of 33% renewables by 2020. RPU is currently at 24% renewables and will likely reach the 33% goal before 2020. SB 350 (De Leon) In the 2015 legislative session, SB 350 passed both the Assembly and Senate and was signed into law with the petroleum component removed from the bill.