Groundwater

AB 1739 (Dickinson) – Pending
As Proposed to be Amended

SB 1168 (Pavley) – Pending
As Proposed to be Amended

The groundwater legislation, AB 1739, by Assembly Member Roger Dickinson, and SB 1168 were recently amended to address separate components of a comprehensive statutory groundwater management framework aimed at achieving sustainable groundwater management across the state. Although both bills include amendments that address several of our priority issues, CSAC along with RCRC continue work towards additional amendments and we are hopeful of seeing those amendments in the new language soon. 

Our concerns generally focus on the broad authority provided to groundwater sustainability agencies, and the potential for conflict between groundwater sustainability plans and county land use authority. It is our understanding that these concerns will be addressed which will allow CSAC and RCRC to remove our opposition and take a neutral position on the bills. 

To see the most recent copy of our letter, and our requested amendments, visit the CSAC website. AB 1739 is currently on the Senate Floor and is joined to AB 1168 which is currently on the Assembly Floor.

Energy

AB 2145 (Bradford) – Oppose 
Proposed to be Amended

AB 2145, by Assembly Member Bradford, would establish new limitations on the ability of communities to adopt Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs. CSAC had learned of the author’s intention to amend the bill and include language that would have further limited a CCA’s ability to form, removing the section that allowed for three contiguous counties to form a CCA. It is our understanding that this amendment was not taken. However, we are waiting to review language once it is in print. The bill is currently on the Senate Floor.

Solid Waste

SB 498 (Lara) – Support
To Enrollment

SB 498, by Senator Ricardo Lara, is the CSAC/ LA County co-sponsored measure on conversion technology. The bill passed off the Senate and Assembly Floors this week and is awaiting consideration by the Governor. As you may recall, this bill would expand the biomass definition to include non-combustion thermal conversion technology facilities that utilize biomass feedstock and makes them eligible for the same incentives and regulatory certainty provided to traditional combustion facilities. In addition, SB 498 allows biomass facilities to produce fuels in addition to electricity and includes reporting requirements for all biomass facilities.

CSAC Agriculture, Environment & Natural Resources Policy Committee Meeting

Please save the date of Wednesday, September 3, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. for the next meeting of the CSAC AENR Policy Committee. The meeting will take place via conference call and will be dedicated to a discussion of Proposition 1: The Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014. The Committee will be making a recommendation on a position to the CSAC Board of Directors who will consider the measure at their September 4th meeting in Sacramento. For an agenda, CSAC water bond principles, and additional information and analysis about the bond, please RSVP to cmartinson@counties.org.