Septic System Draft Policy 

The State Water Resources Control Board’s (Board) draft Policy for Water Quality Control for Siting, Design, Operation, and Management of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS Policy) and a draft Substitute Environmental Document (SED) are available for review and comment. A public hearing is planned for Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 9:00 a.m., at the Cal/EPA Headquarters Building, Coastal Room. The Board’s adoption meeting is scheduled for May 2, at 9:00 a.m., at the same location. There will limited opportunity to offer oral testimony at the adoption meeting.

The OWTS Policy and SED may be viewed and downloaded from the State Water Board’s website. Written comments must be received by 12:00 noon on Friday May 4, 2012.

Flood Protection/Land Use

SB 1278 (Wolk) – Support if Amended
As Amended March 29, 2012

SB 1278, by Senator Lois Wolk, is the legislative vehicle for proposed changes to SB 5 (Machado, Chapter 364, Statutes of 2007) one of a six-bill flood protection package signed into law in 2007. 

Existing law, as enacted by SB 5, requires the State to adopt a Central Valley Flood Protection Plan (CVFPP) by 2012. The law also requires each city and county in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley (33 counties), upon completion of the CVFPP, to incorporate the flood plan’s data, policies and implementation measures into its general plans within 24 months. It also requires each city and county in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley to amend its zoning ordinance consistent with the CVFPP, within 36 months of the flood plan’s adoption and 12 months of its amendment of the general plan. The law further prohibits, after the CVFPP takes effect, a city or county in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley from entering into a development agreement, approving any permit, entitlement or subdivision map in a flood zone unless the city or county makes specified findings.

Since the enactment of SB 5, significant implementation challenges for cities and counties within the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley have been identified. SB 1278 includes needed changes to SB 5 that move in the direction of addressing some of these challenges, particularly with respect to ensuring the availability of reliable flood hazard maps and data. CSAC, the Regional Council of Rural Counties (RCRC), the League of California Cities (League) and the American Planning Association, California Chapter are seeking additional amendments to further address SB 5 implementation issues. SB 1278 is scheduled to be heard before the Senate Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee on Tuesday, April 10.

Energy: Powerplant Certification

AB 2075 (Fong) – Support
As Amended March 29, 2012

AB 2075, by Assembly Member Paul Fong, would repeal the authorization in existing law that allows a person proposing to construct a facility excluded from the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) jurisdiction to waive the exclusion by submitting to the commission a notice of intent to file an application for certification. This “grandfathering” language was placed into law originally, per CEC staff, to allow “pipeline” projects excluded by Public Resources Code Sections 25501 and 25501.5 to “opt-in” to the CEC’s licensing process. This authorization is no long applicable to any facilities.

CSAC has joined with RCRC and the League in supporting the repeal of this outdated language as doing so will help eliminate confusion relative to the jurisdiction of the California Energy Commission and the jurisdiction of local governments over specific types of energy facilities. AB 2075 has been referred to the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

Water Quality

SB 1306 (Blakeslee) – Support
As Amended March 26, 2012

SB 1306, by Senator Sam Blakeslee, would require an external scientific peer review of the scientific basis for the adoption of general permit application requirements for stormwater discharges by the State Water Resources Control Board (Board) as well as conditional waiver of waste discharge requirements for irrigated lands adopted by a regional water quality control board.

CSAC is supporting this bill because scientific peer review of permit requirements will help ensure that decisions of this type are grounded in the best available science. SB 1306 is scheduled to be heard before the Senate Environmental Quality on Monday, April 23.

Natural Gas Pipelines

AB 2559 (Buchanan) – Pending – Request for Comments
As Amended April 4, 2012

AB 2559, by Assembly Member Joan Buchanan, would require the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to ensure that cities and counties are provided notice by gas corporations whenever pipeline inspection, remediation, or replacement work is likely to require action by the city or county to approve or facilitate the work. The bill would also require cities and counties to expedite permitting or other actions necessary for pipeline integrity management projects.

AB 2559 is scheduled to be heard before the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee on Monday, April 9.