IT'S DONE - Legislature Approves Historic Water Package

Package

Just before sunrise this morning and after a long night of struggle, the California Legislature put the final touches on what many believe to be the most significant reform in fifty years of how California stores, delivers and manages its water supply. On the way to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for signature, is a five bill package that includes:

• (SB 1,7X) a comprehensive new governance structure to oversee the activities of nearly two hundred agencies with a say over actions within the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay-Delta Estuary. Included within this measure are critical land use protections for development projects undertaken within the Delta Secondary Zone as well as language inserted at the last minute in the Assembly preserving existing area-of-origin law and water rights;

• (SB 2, 7X) an expanded $11.14  billion dollar state general obligation bond to be placed before California voters in November of 2010, to finance a wide range of improvements and enhancements to the state’s water system as well as funds to restore and protect the Bay-Delta Estuary;

• (SB 6, 7X) new groundwater monitoring requirements to measure and manage potential overdraft activity along with fiscal penalties for local agencies that fail to carry out the new monitoring and reporting requirements;

• (SB 7, 7X) new statewide water conservation and efficiency targets for urban users (20% by 2020) and industrial users (10% by 2020). Agricultural users would be required to implement water management plans and undertake efficient water management practices;

• (SB 8, 7X) last-minute controversial amendments aimed at cracking down on illegal diversions of surface waters from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta by requiring monthly reporting to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and imposing civil penalties if diverters fail to report or accurately report these requirements. This was a major concession gained by business and water agencies over the objection of major environmental groups. The provisions were formerly contained in Assembly Bill 900 (De Leon). SB 8, 7X also includes $546 million from various funds authorized by Proposition 84 of 2006, to support a number of Delta-related projects and $3.7 million to support SWRCB enforcement activities.