Water

Delta Plan

The first draft of the Delta Plan is now available online. 

The plan is the first draft of four that will be developed and released over the next three months before the plan goes under an environmental review in June. It is designed to put the key issues on the table for the Council to discuss and receive input from stakeholders and the public. It is expected that three subsequent drafts will be released following the environmental review. 

Overall, the first draft Delta Plan will address: 

• Key findings related to objectives set for the in the Delta Reform Act
• An overview of the kinds of strategies necessary to achieve those objectives.

For more information, visit the Delta Council website.

AB 359 (Huffman) – Request for Comments
As Introduced February 14, 2011

AB 359, by Assembly Member Jared Huffman, would add several new requirements for local agencies that choose to develop and implement a groundwater management plan. 

Local agencies would be required to:

• Provide a copy of their resolution of intent to develop a groundwater management plan to the Department of Water Resources within 30 days of the date of adoption.
• Upon written request, provide the proposed groundwater management plan to an interested person.
• Include in groundwater management plans a map identifying recharge areas for the particular groundwater basin.

This bill may be heard in Committee as early as March 17, 2011.

Solid Waste

AB 341 (Chesbro) – Pending
As Introduced February 10, 2011

AB 341, by Assembly Member Wes Chesbro, would require the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (Cal Recycle) to ensure that state diverts 75 percent of its solid waste by January 1, 2020. 

This bill would also require a jurisdiction on implement a commercial recycling program and authorize a local agency to charge and collect a fee from a commercial waste generator to recover the cost of the program requirements. The bill also includes intent language stating that it is not the intent of the Legislature to require cities and counties to revise their source reduction and recycling elements to comply with the requirements of the bill. This bill may be heard in Committee as early as March 13, 2011.

Energy

SB 245 (Rubio) – Pending
As Introduced February 10, 2011

SB 245, by Senator Michael Rubio, states the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish a new program to “ease and expedite the state permitting process for transmission projects within the state.” CSAC will continue to follow this bill as it is amended to include more details. It is unclear if this bill is related to the Energy Commission’s new R3 program. This program would provide local governments with planning and permitting assistance to help them evaluate and expedite renewable energy development in their jurisdictions. For more information on R3, visit the CSAC website.