SB-654 • 2026

California Environmental Protection Agency: contract: registry: greenhouse gas emissions that result from the water-energy nexus.

Budget Energy

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Stern
Last action: 2026-02-02
Official status: Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify what happens after the initial contract period, how participation is enforced or incentivized, and who uses the data from the registry.

California EPA: Water-Energy Nexus Emissions Registry

This law requires CalEPA to oversee a voluntary registry for tracking greenhouse gas emissions related to water and energy use, and allows CalEPA to contract with nonprofit organizations to manage this registry.

What This Bill Does

Requires the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) to oversee the administration of a registry that tracks greenhouse gas emissions from the connection between water and energy use.
Allows CalEPA to enter into a new contract for up to $2 million with a qualified nonprofit organization to manage the registry.
Limits the contract term to 3 years.

Who It Names or Affects

The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA)
Nonprofit organizations that can be contracted by CalEPA
Entities conducting business in California who may choose to participate in the voluntary registry

Terms To Know

Greenhouse gas emissions: Gases released into the air that trap heat and contribute to climate change.
Water-energy nexus: The relationship between water use and energy production, where one affects the other.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify what happens after the initial 3-year contract period.
Does not detail how participation in the registry will be enforced or incentivized.
Does not provide information on who will use the data collected by the registry.

Bill History

2026-02-02 California Legislative Information
Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
2025-05-16 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing May 23.
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
April 21 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-04-04 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 21.
2025-04-03 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 635.) (April 2). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-03-11 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 2.
2025-03-05 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on E.Q.
2025-02-21 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.
2025-02-20 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 654, as introduced, Stern.
California Environmental Protection Agency: contract: registry: greenhouse gas emissions that result from the water-energy nexus.
Existing law establishes the California Environmental Protection Agency in state government and requires the agency to oversee the development of a registry for greenhouse gas emissions that result from the water-energy nexus using the best available data. Existing law provides that participation in the registry is voluntary and open to any entity conducting business in the state. Existing law authorizes the agency to enter into a contract with a qualified nonprofit organization to do specified things, including to recruit broad participation in the registry from all economic sectors and regions of the state. Existing law limits the term of the term of the contract to 3 years, except as provided.
This bill would instead require the agency to oversee the administration of the above-described registry and would authorize the agency to enter into a
new contract, limited to a term of 3 years and with a total budget of $2,000,000, to do specified things, including to recruit broad participation in the registry from all economic sectors and regions of the state to meet the different needs of water users throughout the state by various means, as provided. The bill would remove obsolete language related to the development of the registry, as provided.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF