2020 California Code
Public Resources Code - PRC
DIVISION 6 - PUBLIC LANDS
PART 1 - ADMINISTRATION AND CONTROL OF STATE LANDS
CHAPTER 3.4 - California Coastal Sanctuary
Section 6245.
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (e), the commission or a local trustee shall not enter into any new lease or other conveyance authorizing new construction of oil- and gas-related infrastructure upon tidelands and submerged lands within state waters associated with Pacific Outer Continental Shelf leases issued after January 1, 2018.
(b) (1) Upon receipt of an application for a lease renewal, extension, amendment, or modification to authorize new construction of oil- and gas-related infrastructure upon tidelands and submerged lands within state waters associated with Pacific Outer Continental Shelf leases issued after January 1, 2018, the commission or local trustee shall provide notice of this application by including it as a separate informational item on the agenda of the commission’s or local trustee’s next duly noticed public meeting. Summary information about the requested lease renewal, extension, amendment, or modification shall be included in the agenda summary.
(2) Notwithstanding the Permit Streamlining Act (Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 65920) of Division 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code), the commission or local trustee shall take no further action to approve the requested lease renewal, extension, amendment, or modification until 180 days after the notification required in paragraph (1).
(c) Prior to approving any lease renewal, extension, amendment, or modification to authorize new construction of oil- and gas-related infrastructure upon tidelands and submerged lands within state waters associated with Pacific Outer Continental Shelf leases issued after January 1, 2018, the commission or local trustee shall consider, at a minimum, the following:
(1) Whether the lease renewal, extension, amendment, or modification is necessary to protect the marine environment or to ensure human health and safety.
(2) Whether the lease renewal, extension, amendment, or modification provides a benefit to the state beyond additional lease revenues.
(3) Whether the lease renewal, extension, amendment, or modification will impact the volume of oil and gas that may be transported across state waters.
(d) (1) Any lease renewal, extension, amendment, or modification that will increase the volume of oil and gas conveyed across state waters shall not be approved at the same properly noticed public meeting at which the lease renewal, extension, amendment, or modification is first presented.
(2) The commission or local trustee shall accept public comments at the same meeting at which it votes to approve or disapprove any lease renewal, extension, amendment, or modification that will increase the volume of oil and gas conveyed across state waters. Any lease subject to this section shall be approved by a vote of the commission or the governing board of the local trustee.
(e) Nothing in this section shall prohibit any of the following:
(1) The commission from issuing leases pursuant to Section 6243 or 6244.
(2) Any activity undertaken to repair or maintain any pipeline or other infrastructure used to convey oil or natural gas or any other activity necessary to ensure the safe operation of infrastructure used in the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas.
(3) Any activity undertaken to convey oil or natural gas produced from state waters.
(f) The commission may establish regulations for the implementation of this section.
(g) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) “Local trustee” means a local trustee of granted public trust lands that is a county, city, or district, including water, sanitary, regional park, port, or harbor districts, or any other local political or corporate subdivision that has been granted public trust lands through a legislative grant.
(2) “Pacific Outer Continental Shelf” means all submerged lands lying seaward of California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington and outside of the area of lands beneath navigable waters, as set forth by the federal Submerged Lands Act (43 U.S.C. Sec. 1331), and all of which appertain to the United States and are subject to its jurisdiction and control.
(3) “State waters” has the same meaning as defined in Section 36108.
(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 310, Sec. 1. (AB 1775) Effective January 1, 2019.)
