from the California Chamber of Commerce, ALERT Newsletter, November 6, 2009
In a culmination of months of discussions, the California Legislature adopted legislation Wednesday morning to address the state’s water crisis.
Funding for the package depends on voter approval of an $11.14 billion bond to be placed on the November 2010 ballot.
“California’s business community is grateful that the Legislature has approved a pathway to long-term supply, reliability and ensuring a safe drinking water supply for our state,” said CalChamber President and CEO Allan Zaremberg.
Zaremberg emphasized, “A solution to California’s long-neglected water crisis is crucial for our future. A clean, reliable water supply for all Californians will protect our quality of life, our economy, our job climate and California’s agricultural resources for generations to come."
“We applaud those who steadfastly provided critical leadership on this issue over the past several years.”
At a state Capitol press conference the afternoon following legislative approval of the water bills, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders described the package as a comprehensive one that will resolve long-standing water infrastructure issues.
The Governor said the package will provide for water storage, both above-ground and below, a canal to protect the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, fixing the Delta ecosystem, groundwater monitoring and water rights.
The bond authorization appears in SBX7 2 (Cogdill; D-Modesto). Bond funding includes $3 billion for new water storage (including reservoirs), more than $2 billion for Delta restoration, $500 million for groundwater cleanup and $500 million for water recycling and conservation. Drought relief and watershed protection projects also are included.
Accompanying legislation, SBX7 1 (Simitian; D-Palo Alto and Steinberg; D-Sacramento), creates a seven-member council to develop a comprehensive management plan for the Delta by 2012.
The conservation provisions include a 20 percent statewide per capita reduction in water use by 2020, with water agencies not meeting the targets being ineligible for state grants and loans. Not all water districts would have to meet the requirement. Farm water suppliers would have to submit efficiency plans.
Water agencies would be required to report water levels in underground basins or risk losing grants for non-compliance.
The package gives state water regulators more power to police illegal water diversions. Specific penalties are to be added later by the Legislature.
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