Matt Williams, 02/24/2014
from ACWA
A bipartisan group of state lawmakers introduced legislation Friday that would place a $9.25 billion water bond on the November 2014 ballot.
AB 2686 by Assembly Henry T. Perea (D-Fresno) and co-authoring Assembly Members Adam Gray (D-Merced) and Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield) along with Sen. Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres) would downsize the existing $11.14 billion bond to $9.25 billion. The legislation would include a $3 billion continuous appropriation for water storage projects, $2.25 billion for Delta sustainability, $1.5 billion for regional water management projects, $1.5 billion for protection of watersheds, lakes, streams and coastlines, along with another $1 billion toward projects ensuring clean and safe drinking water.
The bill’s author said one of the legislation’s distinguishing features is that it provides for continuous appropriation of storage with significant funding that’s locked in.
“Amongst the various water bond proposals, AB 2686 is the only proposal that offers a framework with the funding and priorities to properly plan for California’s water future,” Perea said in a statement issued Friday afternoon. “With surface storage, clean and safe drinking water, and Delta sustainability at the forefront of my proposal, Californians will keep their jobs and be able to put food on the table. This bond goes beyond satisfying the immediate needs the drought has created – it provides for generations to come.”
Since the bill was just introduced, ACWA has not yet taken a position on AB 2686, but ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn provided an initial reaction.
“Because it has significant funding for Delta sustainability and storage, this water bond bill is a step in the right direction,” Quinn said. “We look forward to working with Assembly Member Perea on the measure.”
AB 2686 is one of a handful of bills related to the water bond that state lawmakers on both sides of aisle introduced ahead of Friday’s deadline for introducing new legislation.
On Thursday, Assembly Members Frank Bigelow (R-O’Neals) and Connie Conway (R-Tulare) and a group of co-authoring Republican Assembly members introduced AB 2043, a $7.935 billion bond to finance a safe drinking water and water supply reliability program. The billing includes $3 billion for water storage, $0.8 billion for groundwater protection and water quality, $1.5 billion for Delta sustainability, nearly $1.19 billion for regional water supply reliability, $1.05 billion for water recycling projects and advanced water treatment technology, and $395 million for drought relief, wastewater treatment, and safe drinking water.
Also last week State Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) introduced SB 1250, a water bond spot bill. On Wednesday, State Sen. Jean Fuller (R-Bakersfield) introduced SB 1080, another spot bill for the water bond.
A steady stream of water bond bills have been introduced since the beginning of the year.
SB 848 by Sen. Lois Wolk (D-Davis) would place a $6.825 billion water bond on the November ballot. It was approved by the Senate Environmental Quality Committee on a 6-2 vote. It will next be heard in the Senate Governance and Finance Committee, which is chaired by Wolk.
ACWA has taken an oppose-unless-amended position on SB 848 because it would dramatically reduce funding for water storage and Delta sustainability compared to the current version of the bond now set for the November 2014 ballot. The funding areas are seen as critical to achieving the coequal goals of ecosystem health and water supply reliability. SB 848 also fails to provide for continuous appropriation for storage, creating uncertainty for expanded water storage needed to improve water supply reliability.
In SB 927, State Sens. Anthony Cannella (R-Ceres) and Andy Vidak (R-Hanford) introduced a $9.217 billion bond proposal Jan. 29.
AB 1331, the Clean and Safe Drinking Water Act of 2014, was amended and reintroduced last month by Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Chair Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood). AB 1331 would authorize a $6.5 billion bond measure.
AB 1445 by Assembly Member Dan Logue (R-Marysville) would put a $5.8 billion bond on the ballot, allocating $4.8 billion toward water storage and the remaining $1 billion for water quality projects.