Prompted by outcry over a proposal to place a power transmission project through Solano and neighboring counties, Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Solano, has introduced legislation to close a loophole exempting local, publicly owned utilities from state oversight.

The Transmission Agency of Northern California proposes the stringing of roughly 20 miles of 230- to 500-kilovolt power lines through portions of Solano, Yolo and San Joaquin counties. The plan calls for a 600-mile-long transmission corridor stretching from Lassen County to the south Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley and Sierra foothills.

Rural farmers and county officials strongly oppose the plan.

"Recent transmission projects throughout the state have proven the need for an integrated approach to planning," said Wolk, announcing SB 460. "Local, publicly owned electric utilities currently don't have to coordinate their efforts with other utilities. They also lack oversight. This legislation rectifies that inequity."

Wolk's bill would require local, publicly owned electric utilities to coordinate their plans for new transmission projects with the California Independent System Operator (ISO), the independent entity charged with operating the majority of the state's power grid. Specifically, the measure would require that local utilities provide the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission with proof of participation in a joint planning process conducted by the California ISO before their Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement application can be accepted.

Existing law requires that any person proposing to construct an electric transmission line must first obtain a certification from the Commission. However, local publicly owned electric utilities do not currently fall under this law, and thus lack oversight and the requirement to coordinate their efforts with other utilities, Wolk said.

News that the Sacramento Metropolitan Utility District had pulled out of the TANC project was praised by Wolk Thursday though she said it would have no affect on her legislation.

"I applaud SMUD's decision to pull out of the TANC project at this time. However, 11 other local utilities remain as project proponents and are charging ahead with this project despite the fact that the existing planning process is seriously flawed, lacking both necessary state oversight and coordination with other planning processes for other high voltage transmission lines in the region," she said.

Vowing to continue with her bill, Wolk added, "It's critical that we have an integrated, collaborative approach to energy transmission if we're going to meet our state's rising energy demands while achieving our environmental policy goals. A more unified planning process will also encourage greater local participation, which is essential to the success of these projects."

Wolk has requested an informational hearing of the Senate Energy Utilities & Communication Committee on transmission line location, planning, coordination and oversight.

Wolk also successfully requested a 90-day extension to the scoping period for the TANC project's environmental review, giving local landowners until July 30 to review the project and provide comments.