Assistance to Counties on the State Renewable Energy and Conservation Planning Grants (RECPG) Program

Assembly Bill x1 13 (Perez, Chapter 10, Statutes of 2011-12 First Extraordinary Session) adds Section 25619 to the Public Resources Code and directs the California Energy Commission to:

“Provide up to seven million dollars in grants to qualified counties for the development or revision of rules and policies, including, but not limited to, general plan elements, zoning ordinances, and a natural community observation plan as a plan participant that facilitate the development of eligible renewable energy resources and the associated electric transmission facilities, and the processing of permits for eligible renewable energy resources.” (Pub. Res. Code § 25619)

Section 25619 identifies 15 qualified counties as eligible to receive grant funding, 7 of which are located in the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) area. The 15 qualified counties are: Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Merced, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, and Tulare. The seven counties with land inside the DRECP include: Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego.

Of the 15 qualified counties, the California Energy Commission has awarded more than $3 million to six California counties (San Luis Obispo, Inyo, San Bernardino, Imperial, Riverside and Los Angeles) to update their local plans with long-term renewable energy development and conservation objectives. Aspen, together with our partners, worked on plans and associated environmental clearance for four of the six chosen counties to support planning efforts.

Aspen worked on the four projects below:

• San Luis Obispo Renewable Energy Streamlining Program

• Inyo County Renewable Energy General Plan Amendment

• San Bernardino Renewable Energy and Conservation General Plan Element

• Imperial County Renewable Energy and Transmission Element Update