Study Notes - Part 1

Warren Budget - Energy Budget Notes

Warren-Alquist Act:

• Mandates "performance standards" for buildings.

• Sets an energy budget measured in energy consumption per ft² of floor space.

Calculation Requirements:

• Involves detailed calculations of estimated energy consumption.

• Calculations are complex and typically performed using computer software.

Iran Contracting Act (2010) Notes

The Iran Contracting Act of 2010, codified in the Public Contract Code Sections 2200-2208, prohibits vendors engaged in investment activities in Iran from bidding on, submitting proposals for, entering into, or renewing contracts with the State of California valued at $1,000,000 or more.

Vendor Restrictions:

• Can't bid, submit proposals, enter into, or renew $1,000,000+ contracts if involved in Iran investments

DGS Role:

• Establish and update ineligible vendors list

Vendor Certification:

• Must confirm not on ineligible list before bidding or contracting for $1,000,000+

Procurement Methods:

• Applies to RFPs, IFBs, non-competitive awards, etc.

Buyer Responsibility:

• Check ineligible vendor list during bid evaluation

Financial Institutions:

• Must certify no credit to ineligible vendors

California Office of the State Fire Marshal

Mission:

• Protect life and property via fire prevention engineering, education, and enforcement

Support to CAL FIRE:

• Focuses on fire prevention

Responsibilities:

• Provides a wide range of fire safety support

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)

Responsibilities:

• Protect over 31 million acres of privately-owned wildlands

• Provide emergency services in 36 of 58 counties through local government contracts

  Emergency Services:

  • Wildland fires

  • Residential/commercial structure fires

  • Automobile accidents

  • Heart attacks

  • Drownings

  • Lost hikers

  • Hazardous material spills on highways

  • Train wrecks

  • Floods

  • Earthquakes

  Fire Hazard Zones:

  • Required by California law to identify fire hazard severity

  • Zones based on factors: fuel, slope, fire weather

  • Three zones: medium, high, very high

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Notes

• Responsibilities:

  • Protect over 31 million acres of privately-owned wildlands

  • Provide emergency services in 36 of 58 counties through local government contracts

• Emergency Services:

  • Wildland fires

  • Residential/commercial structure fires

  • Automobile accidents

  • Heart attacks

  • Drownings

  • Lost hikers

  • Hazardous material spills on highways

  • Train wrecks

  • Floods

  • Earthquakes

• Fire Hazard Zones:

  • Required by California law to identify fire hazard severity

  • Zones based on factors: fuel, slope, fire weather

  • Three zones: medium, high, very high

California Water Code Notes

• Scope:

  • Covers state waters: surface, groundwater, wetlands, saline waters

  • Regulates discharge of waste or fill into these waters

California State Water Board

• Structure:

  • Five-member board

  • Regulates statewide water policies

  • Supports Regional Water Quality Control Boards

• Responsibilities:

  • Ensure water quality compliance with the Clean Water Act

  • Regulate 211,000 miles of rivers/streams, 1.6 million acres of lakes, bays, and coastlines

  • Manage water quality and control contaminants

Regional Water Quality Control Boards

• Regional Challenges:

  • Address water issues specific to each biogeographic region

  • Varying needs due to diverse topography, climate, geology, hydrology

• Regulatory Actions:

  • Set regional water quality standards

  • Develop and enforce regional regulations

• Regional Areas:

  • North Coast, Central Coast, Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, Southern California Coastal, Desert-Modoc

  • Regulations tailored to specific regional conditions

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA)

• Passed: 2014

• Requirements:

  • Local agencies form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs)

  • Implement Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs)

• Purpose:

  • Protect and manage groundwater resources

  • Address water shortages, especially during droughts

Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act

• Focus:

  • Protects water quality for surface and groundwater

  • Grants regulatory authority to California Water Board and State Water Resources Control Board

  • Aligns state standards with federal regulations

California Wetlands

• Definition:

  • Area with continuous/recurrent saturation causing anaerobic conditions and hydrophyte-dominated vegetation

  • State definition complements federal WOTUS definition

• Protection:

  • Adopted state protections in 2019

  • Porter-Cologne Act and additional state/local restrictions safeguard wetlands

California Streams

• Importance:

  • Source of drinking water for 7.3 million people

  • 66% of streams are temporary (intermittent/ephemeral)

• Protection:

  • Regulated by California Water Boards

  • Current Water Code and Clean Water Act interpretations cover all streams

  • Focus on perennial streams, with evolving regulations as research progresses

Regional Specifics

• Regions:

  • North Coast, Chaparral, Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, Southern Coastal, Desert-Modoc

  • Perennial streams mostly in North Coast and Sierra Nevada

  • Temporary streams common in arid areas and mountainous headwaters

  • Regional regulations vary based on local needs and water conditions

How to Find Protected California Waters on Your Project Site

Environmental Consultants

• Role:

  • Trained to survey sites for environmental impacts

  • Identify potential environmental risks, such as protected waters

  • Recommend necessary permits and compliance steps

• Process:

  • Manual site surveys

  • Can take weeks or months to complete

Transect Protected Waters Map

• Technology:

  • Uses machine learning to automate protected water mapping

  • Assesses region using prior precipitation trends and current water data

• Features:

  • Provides likelihood and confidence level of regulated water on a site

  • Helps in selecting appropriate project locations or buildable areas within a plot

  • Generates site-specific list of required permits for compliance with federal, state, and local laws

• Efficiency:

  • Produces reports in minutes

  • Expedites the environmental due diligence process

California State Parks Office of Historic Preservation Notes

Overview

• Mission: Administer federal and state historic preservation programs

• Leadership: Directed by the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and the State Historical Resources Commission

Responsibilities

• Historic Property Management:

  • Identify, evaluate, and register historic properties

  • Ensure compliance with federal and state regulations

  • Promote economic incentives for property owners

  • Encourage historic preservation through education, public awareness, and leadership

• Program Administration:

  • Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program

  • Provide architectural review and technical assistance

Areas of Assistance

• Architectural and Technical Guidance:

  • Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties

  • California Historical Building Code and ADA provisions for historic properties

  • Design guidelines and preservation incentives

  • Sustainability and adaptive reuse of historic properties

Local Government Assistance

• Support to City and County Governments:

  • Integrate historic preservation into community planning and development

  • Provide guidance on preservation plans, ordinances, and surveys

  • Develop local designation criteria, historic districts, HPOZs, and conservation districts

  • Create economic incentives and train local commissions

  • Assist with CEQA responsibilities for historical resources

California Main Street Program

• Initiated: 1985

• Purpose: Revitalize historic central business districts

• Administration: Taken over by OHP in 2004 due to Senate Bill 1107

• Funding: No funds allocated for staff or operations