CHAPTER 14. Offshore Wind Generation [25991. - 25991.10.]

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC 14.
in effect

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 25991. Section 25991.

(a) (1) The commission, in coordination with the California Coastal Commission, the Ocean Protection Council, the State Lands Commission, the Office of Planning and Research, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, the Independent System Operator, and the Public Utilities Commission, and other relevant federal, state, and local agencies as needed, shall develop a strategic plan for offshore wind energy developments installed off the California coast in federal waters. (2) Development of the strategic plan shall incorporate, but not delay, progress to advance responsible development of offshore wind in other relevant policy venues. (b) (1) The commission shall submit the strategic plan to the Natural Resources Agency and the Legislature on or before June 30, 2023. (2) The plan submitted to the Legislature pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. (c) The strategic plan shall include, at a minimum, the following five chapters: (1) Identification of sea space, including the findings and recommendations resulting from activities undertaken pursuant to Section 25991.2. (2) Economic and workforce development and identification of port space and infrastructure, including the plan developed pursuant to Section 25991.3. (3) Transmission planning, including the findings resulting from activities undertaken pursuant to Section 25991.4. (4) Permitting, including the findings resulting from activities undertaken pursuant to Section 25991.5. (5) Potential impacts on coastal resources, fisheries, Native American and Indigenous peoples, and national defense, and strategies for addressing those potential impacts. (d) (1) The strategic plan shall emphasize and prioritize near-term actions, particularly related to port retrofits and investments and the workforce, to accommodate the probable immediate need for jobs and economic development. (2) In considering port retrofits, the strategic plan shall strive for compatibility with other harbor tenants and ocean users to ensure that the local benefits related to offshore wind energy construction complement other local industries. (3) The strategic plan shall emphasize and prioritize actions that will improve port infrastructure to support land-based work for the local workforce. (e) The development of the strategic plan regarding workforce development shall include consultation with representatives of key labor organizations and apprenticeship programs that would be involved in dispatching and training the construction workforce. (f) The commission shall provide an opportunity for public review and comment on a draft strategic plan.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 25991.1. Section 25991.1.

(a) On or before June 1, 2022, the commission shall evaluate and quantify the maximum feasible capacity of offshore wind to achieve reliability, ratepayer, employment, and decarbonization benefits and shall establish megawatt offshore wind planning goals for 2030 and 2045. (b) In establishing the goals pursuant to subdivision (a), the commission shall consider all of the following: (1) The findings of the 2021 joint report issued pursuant to the former Section 454.53 of the Public Utilities Code. (2) The need to develop a skilled and trained offshore wind workforce. (3) The potential to attract supply-chain manufacturing for offshore wind components throughout the Pacific region. (4) The need for reliable renewable energy that accommodates California’s shifting peak load. (5) The generation profile of offshore wind off the coast of California. (6) The need for economies of scale to reduce the costs of floating offshore wind. (7) The need to initiate long-term transmission and infrastructure planning to facilitate delivery of offshore wind energy to Californians. (8) The availability of federal tax incentives for offshore wind investments. (9) The National Renewable Energy Laboratory report finding that California has 200 gigawatts of offshore wind technical power potential. (10) The opportunity for California to participate in the federal government’s intention to deploy 30,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2030 and to create a pathway to unlocking 110,000 megawatts by 2050. (11) Any executive action from the Governor regarding offshore wind. (12) Potential impacts on coastal resources, fisheries, Native American and Indigenous peoples, and national defense, and strategies for addressing those potential impacts.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 25991.2. Section 25991.2.

(a) The commission, in coordination with the California Coastal Commission, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Ocean Protection Council, and State Lands Commission, shall work with stakeholders, other state, local, and federal agencies, and the offshore wind energy industry to identify suitable sea space for wind energy areas in federal waters sufficient to accommodate the offshore wind planning goals established pursuant to Section 25991.1, as follows: (1) The commission shall first identify the sea space identified by the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in its 2018 call for nominations, as published in the Federal Register, Volume 83, Number 203, on October 19, 2018, and any other relevant information necessary to achieve the 2030 offshore wind planning goal established pursuant to Section 25991.1. (2) The commission, in coordination with the California Coastal Commission, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Ocean Protection Council, and State Lands Commission, shall next identify suitable sea space for a future phase of offshore wind leasing to accommodate the 2045 offshore wind planning goal established pursuant to Section 25991.1. (b) In identifying suitable sea space, the commission shall consider all of the following: (1) Existing data and information on offshore wind resource potential and commercial viability. (2) Existing and necessary transmission and port infrastructure. (3) Protection of cultural and biological resources with the goal of prioritizing least-conflict ocean areas. (c) In fulfilling the requirements of this section, the commission shall incorporate the information developed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management California Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force. (d) The commission shall use the California Offshore Wind Energy Gateway, or functionally equivalent publicly accessible, commission-approved internet website, to provide relevant information developed pursuant to this section to the public. (e) The commission, in coordination with the California Coastal Commission, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Ocean Protection Council, the State Lands Commission, stakeholders, other state, local, and federal agencies, and the offshore wind energy industry, shall make recommendations regarding potential significant adverse environmental impacts and use conflicts, such as avoidance, minimization, monitoring, mitigation, and adaptive management, consistent with California’s long-term renewable energy, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and biodiversity goals. (f) Nothing in this section is intended to modify the authority of state agencies over project-specific siting and permitting. (g) The findings and recommendations resulting from activities undertaken pursuant to this section shall be included in the chapter of the strategic plan relating to the identification of sea space as specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 25991.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 25991.3. Section 25991.3.

(a) Based on the sea spaces identified pursuant to Section 25991.2, the commission, in coordination with relevant state and local agencies, shall develop a plan to improve waterfront facilities that could support a range of floating offshore wind energy development activities, including construction and staging of foundations, manufacturing of components, final assembly, and long-term operations and maintenance facilities. (b) The plan developed pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include all of the following: (1) A detailed assessment of the necessary investments in California seaports to support offshore wind energy activities, including construction, assembly, and operations and maintenance. The assessment shall consider the potential availability of land and water acreage at each seaport, including competing and current uses, infrastructure feasibility, access to deep water, bridge height restrictions, and potentially impacted natural and cultural resources, including coastal resources, fisheries, and Native American and Indigenous peoples. (2) An analysis of the workforce development needs of the California offshore wind energy industry, including occupational safety requirements, the need to require the use of a skilled and trained workforce to perform all work, and the need for the Division of Apprenticeship Standards to develop curriculum for in-person classroom and laboratory advanced safety training for workers. (3) Recommendations for workforce standards for offshore wind energy facilities and associated infrastructure, including, but not limited to, prevailing wage, skilled and trained workforce, apprenticeship, local hiring, and targeted hiring standards, that ensure sustained and equitable economic development benefits. (c) In developing the plan pursuant to subdivision (a), the commission shall consult with representatives of key labor organizations and apprenticeship programs that would be involved in dispatching and training the construction workforce. (d) On or before December 31, 2022, the commission shall complete and submit to the Natural Resources Agency and the relevant fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature a preliminary assessment of the economic benefits of offshore wind as they relate to seaport investments and workforce development needs and standards. (e) The plan developed pursuant to this section shall be included in the chapter of the strategic plan relating to economic and workforce development and identification of port space and infrastructure as specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 25991.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 25991.4. Section 25991.4.

(a) The commission, in consultation with the Public Utilities Commission and the Independent System Operator, shall assess the transmission investments and upgrades necessary, including potential subsea transmission options, to support the 2030 and 2045 offshore wind planning goals established pursuant to Section 25991.1. This assessment shall include all relevant information on the cost of subsea high-voltage transmission and information made available by the Independent System Operator on the cost of network upgrades and the extent to which existing transmission infrastructure and available capacity could support offshore wind energy development. (b) The findings resulting from activities undertaken pursuant to this section shall be included in the chapter of the strategic plan relating to transmission planning as specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 25991.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 25991.5. Section 25991.5.

(a) The commission shall develop and produce a permitting roadmap that describes timeframes and milestones for a coordinated, comprehensive, and efficient permitting process for offshore wind energy facilities and associated electricity and transmission infrastructure off the coast of California. (b) In developing the permitting roadmap, the commission shall consult and meaningfully collaborate with all relevant local, state, and federal agencies, including, but not limited to, the California Coastal Commission, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the State Lands Commission, interested California Native American tribes, and affected stakeholders. (c) The permitting roadmap shall include a goal for the permitting timeframe, clearly define local, state, and federal agency roles, responsibilities, and decisionmaking authority, and include interfaces with federal agencies, including timing, sequence, and coordination with federal permitting agencies, and coordination between reviews under the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000)) and the federal National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 4321 et seq.). (d) The commission shall provide an opportunity for stakeholder input in the development and communication of the permitting roadmap and an opportunity for public comment on a draft permitting roadmap. (e) The findings resulting from activities undertaken pursuant to this section shall be included in the chapter of the strategic plan relating to permitting as specified in paragraph (4) of subdivision (c) of Section 25991. (f) On or before December 31, 2022, the commission shall complete and submit the permitting roadmap to the Natural Resources Agency and the relevant fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 25991.6. Section 25991.6.

For purposes of this chapter, “stakeholders” includes, but is not limited to, fisheries groups, labor unions, industry, environmental justice organizations, environmental organizations, and other ocean users.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 25991.8. Section 25991.8.

(a) (1) The commission, in consultation with the State Lands Commission, the Ocean Protection Council, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, the Office of Planning and Research, and the California Coastal Commission, shall develop a second-phase plan and strategy for seaport readiness that builds upon the recommendations and alternatives in the strategic plan for offshore wind energy developments developed pursuant to Sections 25991 and 25991.3. (2) (A) The commission shall make a draft report, with recommendations for implementation of a port development strategy, available for public review and comment for at least 60 days and shall submit a final report on its recommendations for a seaport readiness strategy to the Governor and the Legislature on or before December 31, 2026. (B) The plan submitted to the Legislature pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. (b) For purposes of the second-phase plan described in subdivision (a), the commission shall do all of the following: (1) Identify feasible seaport locations for offshore wind turbine assembly to serve Central Coast and North Coast offshore wind energy projects. (2) Recommend and prioritize only port alternatives where site control can be obtained by a port authority or state agency within five years. (3) Recommend and prioritize alternatives only with sufficient landside and water acreage or capacity to support maximum in-state assembly and manufacturing of offshore wind energy components. (4) Recommend and prioritize port locations that minimize impacts to cultural and natural resources, including the marine and onshore environments, sensitive species, and habitats. (5) Identify and prioritize ports that maximize in-state workforce opportunities, including workforce opportunities for low-income and environmental justice communities. (6) Consider transportation and other infrastructure investments needed to develop the identified seaports and waterfront facilities needed for offshore wind energy activities. (7) Collaborate with tribal governments to develop appropriate seaport siting criteria that minimize adverse impacts to natural and cultural resources and maximize economic and workforce benefits to the tribal governments. (8) Consult with key stakeholders, including, but not limited to, environmental organizations, environmental justice organizations, fisheries groups, labor unions, electric ratepayer advocates, offshore wind energy developers, oceangoing vessel operators, and related industry stakeholders, local governments and public port authorities, and other ocean users, to develop appropriate seaport siting criteria that minimize adverse impacts to cultural and natural resources, minimize adverse impacts to local communities, maximize local and in-state economic and workforce benefits, incorporate equity and environmental justice in seaport development, minimize impacts to California electric ratepayers, and avoid delays in the seaport entitlement process. (9) Collaborate with the oceangoing vessel operator and commercial maritime industry to identify appropriate ocean spatial planning policies and siting criteria that minimize adverse impacts to vessel navigation and maximize maritime safety. The commission shall seek to coordinate and collaborate with the United States Coast Guard for purposes of this paragraph on matters that fall within the Coast Guard’s authority and jurisdiction. (10) Assess the estimated cost and identify potential funding and financing strategies for necessary port development and redevelopment that support offshore wind energy activities, including the potential to leverage federal funding.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 25991.9. Section 25991.9.

(a) (1) The commission, in consultation with the California Workforce Development Board, shall conduct a study on the feasibility of achieving 50 percent and 65 percent in-state assembly and manufacturing of offshore wind energy projects and the domestic content thresholds for offshore wind energy projects, as specified in the federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169). The commission may coordinate with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development for purposes of the study. The commission shall submit a report on the study to the Governor and the Legislature on or before December 31, 2027. (2) The report submitted to the Legislature pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. (b) For purposes of the study, the commission shall do all of the following: (1) Assess current manufacturing capabilities within California that are potentially suitable to support the offshore wind energy supply chain and identify the tier one, tier two, and tier three components of the offshore wind energy supply chain that are best suited to in-state manufacturing of offshore wind energy projects. (2) Identify gaps in the current supply chain and workforce for achieving the in-state assembly and manufacturing targets and domestic content thresholds described in subdivision (a), including identifying the facilities and infrastructure required to meet these in-state assembly thresholds and the estimated geographic distribution of these facilities, and estimating the number, geographic distribution, and types of jobs that will be created. (3) When estimating the number and types of jobs required for achieving the in-state assembly and manufacturing targets and domestic content thresholds described in subdivision (a), include roles in related and supporting activities, including, but not limited to, environmental monitoring, research and development, construction, engineering and design, and manufacturing, operations, and maintenance. (4) Identify supply chain and workforce investments needed by the state to support achieving the in-state assembly and manufacturing targets and domestic content thresholds described in subdivision (a). (5) Identify available federal and state funds to support bringing or retaining jobs related to the manufacturing and assembly of offshore wind projects in the state. (6) Study and estimate the potential impacts on economic activity and job growth, and resulting state tax revenues, resulting from achieving the in-state assembly and manufacturing targets and domestic content thresholds described in subdivision (a). (7) Study and evaluate any potential impacts to project development timelines and costs as a result of achieving the in-state assembly and manufacturing targets and domestic content thresholds described in subdivision (a). (8) Study and estimate potential impacts to electric ratepayers as a result of achieving the in-state assembly and manufacturing targets and domestic content thresholds described in subdivision (a). (9) Develop recommendations for incorporating equity and environmental justice in economically and environmentally sustainable supply chain development. (10) Coordinate with tribal governments to develop recommendations for tribal workforce development opportunities. (11) Consult with environmental and environmental justice groups, fisheries groups, labor unions, including manufacturing, transportation, maritime, and longshore unions, oceangoing vessel operators, the commercial maritime industry, public port authorities, and business groups to develop recommendations for workforce development opportunities. (12) Develop recommendations for workforce development investments at community colleges, by the California Workforce Development Board for maritime and longshore workforces, at state universities, and in apprenticeship programs necessary to meet the workforce needs resulting from the in-state targets described in this section. (13) Consult with building and construction trades councils to develop recommendations on the use of project labor agreements to achieve workforce development and apprenticeship goals.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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