Building a More Resilient California

Louise Bedsworth Governor’s Office of Planning and Research

January 31, 2018California Public Utilities Commission Fire Safety and Utility Infrastructure En Banc

What is a Resilient California?

Built infrastructure systems can withstand changing conditions and shocks, including changes in climate

conditions, while continuing to provide critical services

People and communities can respond to changing average conditions,

shocks, and stresses in a manner that minimizes risks to public health, safety,

and economic disruption; and maximizes equity and protection of the most vulnerable so that they…

survive …[and]…thrive…

Natural systems can adjust and maintain functioning ecosystems in

the face of change

Reducing Emissions

Preparing for Impacts

Research to Support Policy

Executive Order B-30-15

• State agencies shall take climate change into account in their planning and investment decisions, and employ full life-cycle cost accounting to evaluate and compare infrastructure investments and alternatives.

• State agencies' planning and investment shall be guided by the following principles

• Priority should be given to actions that both build climate preparedness and reduce greenhouse gas emissions;

• Where possible, flexible and adaptive approaches should be taken to prepare for uncertain climate impacts;

• Actions should protect the state's most vulnerable populations; and• Natural infrastructure solutions should be prioritized.

• The state's Five-Year Infrastructure Plan will take current and future climate change impacts into account in all infrastructure projects

Technical Advisory Group: Guidance for State Agencies

• Roughly 50 members

• Met from March 2016-January 2017

• Workgroups:• Scenarios• Community Development and Equity• Infrastructure• Metrics

• Product: Guidebook for State Agencies• What to plan for• How to plan differently

Recent Adaptation Legislation

Legislation Year Direction

SB 379 2015 Requires climate change to be addressed in the Safety Element of General Plans

SB 246 2015 Creates the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resilience Program at OPR, which includes:• Technical Advisory Council• Clearinghouse of information

AB 1482 2015 • Requires updating of Safeguarding every three years• Expands review authority of the Strategic Growth Council to

include climate adaptation and non-member agencies

AB 2800 2016 Establishes the Climate Smart Infrastructure Working Group

Building Resilience

Planning Differently- Flexibility - Multi-attribute

- Systems thinking

Planning for a Different Future - Changing climate conditions - Averages and extremes

National Disaster Resilience Completion (NDRC) Overview

• Competitive Application Process• State of California was an eligible

applicant (one of 67)• Rim Fire was one of three “qualifying

disasters”• California approached this as an

opportunity to address:• Rural resilience • Issues of drought and wildfire, and • To create a replicable model

The 2013 Rim Fire

• 4th largest wildfire in California history

• Burned for over 2 months, primarily on federal land

• Destroyed over 250,000 acres• Over $100,000,000 damage to

ecosystem services• $127 million to fight the fire

Federal-State-Local Partnership

• Community and Watershed Resilience Program

• Integrated approach to supporting environmental and community resilience

• California awarded $70.3 million

Job trainingCommunity services

Evacuation centerSocial and economic

benefits

Job creationCommunity protectionEnvironmental

restoration

Job creationEnergy, wood productsEconomic development

Desired Outcomes

Diverse and resilient local economy

• Local job creation• New business

development• Restoration of

existing business opportunities

Engaged, healthy, and safe community

• Property protection

• Emergency response

• Social cohesion• Access to jobs,

training, and services

Healthy forests

• Reduced risk of large, destructive wildfire

• Resilient carbon storage

• Habitat and species

Healthy watershed

• Clean and secure local water supply

• Water supply for downstream users

Replicable model

• Economic viability• Governance and

institutional arrangements

• Environmental sustainability

Approximate Project Locations

• Watershed restoration (green infrastructure)

• Economic development• Model for replicability