Assembly Bill 1156, authored by Assembly Member Buffy Wicks (D, Oakland) seeks to update a law allowing solar use easements on Williamson Act lands, thereby putting unproductive farmland to use for renewable energy generation.
RCRC has removed its opposition to the bill and now supports the measure.
RCRC strongly supports the Williamson Act, which was enacted in 1965 to promote the long-term conservation of agricultural lands. Under the Act, local governments and property owners can enter into contracts under which the landowner agrees to voluntarily restrict their land to agricultural and compatible uses in exchange for a reduced property tax assessment that is based on actual use rather than potential market value. For decades, California counties and the State of California partnered in these conservation efforts, with the State of California backfilling lost local property tax revenues through subvention payments. California suspended local subvention payments in 2009, and local governments have fully subsidized those conservation efforts over the last 15 years.
RCRC supports efforts to update the Williamson Act’s Solar Use Easement to enable degraded farmland (or farmland with limited access to water) to be used for renewable energy generation. Unfortunately, the solar use easement has proven difficult to use and is ill-suited to accommodate water-constrained lands.
RCRC formerly opposed the bill because of concerns that it would have enabled the California Energy Commission to suspend Williamson Act Contracts and restricted local authority to non-renew a contract or impose mitigation measures. These concerns have been addressed by the author through amendments to the bill. With these changes, RCRC is pleased to support AB 1156 because it will allow degraded and water-constrained agricultural land to be put to productive use.
AB 1156 passed the Assembly Local Government, Utilities and Energy, Agriculture, and Appropriations Committees and awaits consideration on the Assembly Floor. RCRC’s support letter can be found here. For additional information, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, John Kennedy.