Energy: Voluntary Offshore Wind and Coastal Resources Protection Program: community capacity funding activities and grants.

Assembly Member Stefani's offshore wind energy legislation expands funding opportunities for communities affected by wind development projects while establishing new oversight requirements for industry donations. The bill modifies California's Voluntary Offshore Wind and Coastal Resources Protection Program to authorize capacity funding and grants specifically for local governments, California tribes, and qualified nonprofit organizations in areas impacted by offshore wind activities.

Under the amended program, offshore wind entities must report donation details to the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission every 90 days, including total amounts given, number of recipient groups, and geographic distribution of funds. The commission will publish annual summaries showing aggregate donations by county and recipient type. The legislation restricts capacity funding eligibility to local communities, tribal entities, and nonprofits selected to represent tribal interests that can demonstrate geographic, cultural, or economic connections to offshore wind development.

The bill maintains existing program elements funding technical assistance, environmental monitoring, and infrastructure preparation while adding new annual reporting requirements. By March 1st each year, the commission must submit an assessment to the Legislature detailing the implementation and outcomes of the capacity funding activities, including grant amounts awarded and descriptions of funded initiatives. These reports will incorporate information provided by both the offshore wind industry and grant recipients to evaluate the program's effectiveness.