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.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 231, Sec. 2. (AB 525) Effective January 1, 2022. Repealed as of January 1, 2027, pursuant to Sec. 25991.8.)
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