AB 936, as introduced, Salas. Groundwater monitoring.
Existing law establishes a groundwater monitoring program pursuant to which specified entities may propose to be designated by the Department of Water Resources as groundwater monitoring entities, as defined, for the purposes of monitoring and reporting with regard to groundwater elevations in all or part of a groundwater basin or subbasin. Existing law requires the department to identify the extent of monitoring of groundwater elevations that is being undertaken in groundwater basins and subbasins, and if the department determines that all or part of a basin or subbasin is not being monitored, to determine whether there is sufficient interest in establishing a groundwater management plan, an integrated regional water management plan, or a groundwater monitoring association. Under certain circumstances, if there is insufficient interest in establishing a plan or association, and the county decides not to perform groundwater monitoring and reporting functions, the department is required to perform the groundwater monitoring functions. In that event, specified entities with authority to assume groundwater monitoring functions with regard to a basin or subbasin for which the department has assumed those functions are not eligible for a water grant or loan awarded or administered by the state.
This bill would create an exception from this eligibility restriction if the entity submits to the department for approval documentation demonstrating the water grant or loan project includes those actions needed to comply with groundwater monitoring functions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 10933.7 of the Water Code is amended
2to read:
(a) If the department is required to perform
4groundwater monitoring functions pursuant to Section 10933.5,
5the county and the entities described in subdivisions (a) to (d),
6inclusive, of Section 10927 shall not be eligible for a water grant
7or loan awarded or administered by the state.
8(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the department shall
9determine that an entity described in subdivision (a) is eligible for
10a water grant or loan under the circumstances described in
11subdivision (a) if the entity has submitted to the department for
12approval documentationbegin delete demonstrating that its entireend deletebegin insert that
13
demonstrates either of the following:end insert
14begin insert(1)end insertbegin insert end insertbegin insertThe entity’s entireend insert service area qualifies as a disadvantaged
15community.
16(2) The water grant or loan project includes those actions
17needed to comply with the monitoring functions pursuant to this
18chapter.
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