Public Resources Code § 21189.81

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(a)“Applicant” means a public or private entity or its affiliates, or a person or entity that undertakes a public works project, that proposes a project and its successors, heirs, and assignees.

(b)“Disadvantaged community” means an area identified by the California Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code or an area identified as a disadvantaged unincorporated community pursuant to Section 65302.10 of the Government Code.

(c)“Electrical transmission facility project” means a project for the construction and operation of an electrical

transmission facility that meets either of the following:

(1)An electrical transmission facility project identified by the Independent System Operator in its annual transmission planning process that meets either of the following criteria:

(A)The project will facilitate delivery of electricity from renewable energy resources or zero-carbon resources.

(B)The project will facilitate delivery of electricity from energy storage projects.

(2)An electrical transmission facility project identified by a local publicly owned electric utility that would satisfy a transmission expansion need approved by the governing body of the local publicly owned electric utility and that meets either of the following criteria:

(A)The project will facilitate delivery of electricity from renewable energy resources or zero-carbon resources.

(B)The project will facilitate delivery of electricity from energy storage projects.

(d)(1) “Energy infrastructure project” means any of the following:

(A) An eligible renewable energy resource, as defined in Section 399.12 of the Public Utilities Code, excluding resources that combust biomass fuels.

(B) New energy storage systems of 20 megawatts or more, that are capable of discharging for at least two hours, provided that a pumped hydro facility may qualify only if it is less than or equal to 500 megawatts and has been directly appropriated funding by the

state before January 1, 2023.

(C) A project for which the applicant has certified that a capital investment of at least two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000) made over a period of five years and the project is for either of the following:

(i)The manufacture, production, or assembly of an energy storage system or component manufacturing, wind system or component manufacturing, and solar photovoltaic energy system or component manufacturing.

(ii) The manufacture, production, or assembly of specialized products, components, or systems that are integral to renewable energy or energy storage technologies.

(D) An electrical transmission facility project, provided that nothing in this chapter affects the jurisdiction of the California Coastal

Commission pursuant to Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000) to regulate such projects if located in the coastal zone.

(E) A hydrogen production facility and associated onsite storage and processing facilities that do not derive hydrogen from a fossil fuel feedstock and that receive funding from any of the following:

(i)The Hydrogen Program established pursuant to Section 25664.1.

(ii) Section 91530, as added by the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 (Section 2 of Chapter 83 of the Statutes of 2024 (Senate Bill No. 867)), if that act is approved by the voters at the November 5, 2024, statewide general election.

(iii) The Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES)

authorized by Article 15 (commencing with Section 12100.160) of Chapter 1.6 of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, as awarded by the United States Department of Energy Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.

(2)Any project to develop a facility within the meaning of subdivision (b) of Section 25545 shall meet the requirements of Sections 25545.3.3 and 25545.3.5, except that those requirements shall also apply to solar photovoltaic and terrestrial wind electrical generating power plants with a generating capacity of between 20 and 50 megawatts and energy storage projects capable of storing between 80 and 200 megawatt hours of electrical energy.

(e)“Infrastructure project” means a project that is certified pursuant to Sections 21189.82 and 21189.83 as any of the following:

(1)An energy

infrastructure project.

(2)A semiconductor or microelectronic project.

(3)A transportation-related project.

(4)A water-related project.

(f)“Semiconductor or microelectronic project” means a project that meets the requirements related to investment in new or expanded facilities and is awarded funds under the federal Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-167), commonly known as the CHIPS Act of 2022, and the requirements of Section 21183.5.

(g)(1) “Transportation-related project” means a transportation infrastructure project that advances one or more of, and does not conflict with, the following goals related to the

Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure adopted by the Transportation Agency:

(A) Build toward an integrated, statewide rail and transit network.

(B) Invest in networks of safe and accessible bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.

(D) Develop a zero-emission freight transportation system.

(E) Reduce public health and economic harms and maximize community benefits.

(F) Make safety improvements to reduce fatalities and severe injuries of all users towards zero.

(G) Assess and integrate assessments of physical climate risk.

(H) Promote projects that do not significantly increase passenger vehicle travel.

(I) Promote compact infill development while protecting residents and businesses from displacement.

(J) Protect natural and working lands.

(2)Transportation-related projects are public works for the purposes of Section 1720 of the Labor Code and shall comply with the applicable provisions of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1720) of Part 7 of Division 2 of the Labor Code.

(h)(1) “Water-related project” means any of the following:

(A) A project

that is approved to implement a groundwater sustainability plan that the Department of Water Resources has determined is in compliance with Sections 10727.2 and 10727.4 of the Water Code or to implement an interim groundwater sustainability plan adopted pursuant to Section 10735.6 of the Water Code.

(B) (i) A water storage project funded by the California Water Commission pursuant to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 79750) of Division 26.7 of the Water Code.

(ii) In addition to clause (i), the applicant shall demonstrate that the project will minimize the intake or diversion of water except during times of surplus water and prioritizes the discharge of water for ecological benefits or to mitigate an emergency, including, but not limited to, dam repair, levee repair, wetland restoration, marshland restoration, or habitat preservation, or other public

benefits described in Section 79753 of the Water Code.

(D) Contaminant and salt removal projects, including groundwater desalination and associated treatment, storage, conveyance, and distribution facilities. This shall not include seawater desalination.

(E) Projects exclusively for canal or other conveyance maintenance and repair.

(2)Water-related projects are public works for purposes of Section 1720 of the Labor Code and shall comply with the applicable provisions of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1720) of Part 7 of Division 2 of the Labor Code.

(3)“Water-related project” does not

include the design or construction of through-Delta conveyance facilities of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.