Environmental protection: biological resources data: State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission: powerplants: power lines: applications.

Assembly Member Schultz's environmental protection measure mandates public disclosure of biological resources data submitted during power facility certification applications to California's State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. The legislation defines biological resources data as information about species and their habitats, including observations, surveys, scientific studies, and detailed habitat mapping.

Under the new requirements, the Commission must make biological resources data available on its public docket during certification proceedings for both standard applications and small powerplant exemptions. The Department of Fish and Wildlife retains authority to restrict access to sensitive location data from the California Natural Diversity Database when public disclosure could endanger specific species. In such cases, the Department must provide a written assessment detailing the maximum amount of data that can be safely released without risking harm to protected species.

The measure extends these transparency provisions to applications for solar photovoltaic and terrestrial wind facilities generating 50 megawatts or more. This expansion aligns data disclosure requirements across different types of energy facility certifications while maintaining protections for vulnerable species through Department oversight of sensitive habitat information.