Sustainable Groundwater Planning (SGWP) Grant Program

The Department of Water Resources announces the release of the draft Guidelines for the Sustainable Groundwater Planning (SGWP) Grant Program and draft Proposal Solicitation Package (PSP) for the “Counties with Stressed Basins” solicitation, funded by the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 (Proposition 1). The documents can be found on the DWR website.

This release of the draft Guidelines and the PSP opens the public comment period. The public comment period will close on October 5, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. DWR will hold three public meetings in Fresno, Riverside and Santa Rosa from September 29- Octover 2^nd to present the contents of the documents and solicit comments. The meeting details and presentation materials will also be posted on the DWR website.

Suspense File

The Appropriations Suspense Files were taken up this week and several of the bills the CSAC AENR team are following passed off the suspense file and onto the Senate and Assembly Floors. As you may recall, any bill with an annual cost of more than $150,000 (any fund) go to the Suspense File. Suspense File bills are then considered at one hearing after the state budget has been prepared, which gives the Appropriations Committees a better sense of available revenue.

Groundwater

AB 1390 (Alejo) — Oppose Unless Amended
AB 229 (Pavley) — Oppose Unless Amended

AB 1390 by Assembly Member Luis Alejo moved off the Senate Suspense File on Thursday. It is being amended to address procedural aspects of an expedited groundwater adjudication process. The companion measure, SB 229 by Senator Fran Pavley, passed off the Assemly’s Suspense File and is being amended to address the interaction between an expedited groundwater adjudication and implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. It is our understanding that the concerns expressed by CSAC and RCRC regarding certain notice requirements are being addressed. Once confirmed CSAC and RCRC will be removing their opposition.

Solid Waste

AB 901 (Gordon) – Support
As Amended July 16, 2015

AB 901, by Assembly Member Gordon, passed off the Senate Suspense file this week. This bill would make changes to the reporting framework for solid waste and recycling facilities, providing local governments with access to hauler information from disposal facilities as well as giving the Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery (Cal Recycle) enforcement mechanisms and greater access to information.

Medical Marijuana

AB 243 (Support if Amended)
AB 266 (Support if Amended)
SB 643 (Request Amendments)

AB 243, by Assembly Member Jim Wood, and AB 266 by Assembly Member Rob Bonta moved off the Senate Approprations Committee Suspense File. The Committee amended both bills to remove all details and now both merely include intent language. The Assembly Appropriations Committee took the same action with SB 643 by Senator Mike McGuire – passed off Suspense and amended to include intent language only.

It is our understanding that the bills will be amended to reflect language requested by the Governor’s Office, which would also establish a medical marijuana regulatory framework. Many of the details that were included in Assembly Member Bonta’s measure are not included in the Administration’s language and instead will be addressed via the regulatory scheme. Fortunately, the language includes the taxation language requested by CSAC, the Rural County Representives of California (RCRC) and the Urban County Caucus (UCC).

However, we have expressed concerns and offered alternative language that addresses aspects of the Adminstration’s language concerning local control, mobile deliveries, patient privacy and vertical integration. CSAC will continue to keep counties apprised of the status of these bills and the outcome of our discussions with the Administration and the authors of the three bills.