BILL NUMBER: AB 2480	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 15, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 1, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 13, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 31, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 5, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 17, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Bloom

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2016

   An act to add Section 108.5 to the Water Code, relating to water.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2480, as amended, Bloom. Source watersheds: financing.
   Existing law establishes various state water policies, including
the policy that the Legislature consider other works as may be
necessary to develop water to satisfy the requirements of the
watershed in which water originates whenever the Legislature
authorizes the construction or acquisition of a project that will
develop water for use outside that watershed, as specified.
   This bill would declare it to be state policy that source
watersheds are recognized and defined as integral components of
California's water infrastructure. The bill would state the
particular importance to maintaining the  reliability
  reliability, quantity, timing, and quality  of
California's  environmental, drinking, and agricultural 
water supply as climate change advances of  the 
source watersheds that supply the  Shasta and Oroville
reservoirs of the State Water Project.   majority of the
state's drinking and irrigated agricultural water.  The bill
would  require   sta   te that 
the maintenance and repair of  these   source
 watersheds  to receive financing consideration on the
same basis as other State Water Project   is eligible
for the same forms of financing as other  water collection and
treatment infrastructure and would specify that the maintenance and
repair activities that are eligible are limited to specified forest
ecosystem restoration and conservation activities.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  yes
  no  . State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 108.5 is added to the Water Code, to read:
   108.5.  (a) It is hereby declared to be the established policy of
the state that source watersheds are recognized and defined as
integral components of California's water infrastructure.
   (b) (1)  The source watersheds that supply the Shasta and
Oroville reservoirs of the State Water Project   As
climate change advances, source watersheds that provide the majority
of the state's drinking and irrigated agricultural water  are of
particular importance to maintaining the  reliability of
California's water supply as climate change advances. The maintenance
and repair of these watersheds shall receive financing consideration
on the same basis as other State Water Project water collection and
treatment infrastructure.   reliability, quantity,
timing, and quality of California's environmental, drinking, and
agricultural water supply.  
   (2) Nothing in this section is intended to modify existing grant
programs or guidelines or constrain financing for source watersheds
supplying local, state, or federal water systems.  
   (2) Recognizing the critical role of source watersheds in
enhancing water supply reliability, the maintenance and repair of
source watersheds is eligible for the same forms of financing as
other water collection and treatment infrastructure.  
   (3) Nothing in this section is intended to constrain financing for
source watersheds supplying local, state, or federal water systems.
 
   (4) Nothing in this section is intended to supersede federal
eligibility requirements or alter any of the following:  
   (A) Funding criteria or guidelines established for a bond or other
measure enacted by the voters.  
   (B) Funding programs related to pollution control, cleanup, or
abatement.  
   (C) Funding programs for addressing public health emergencies.

   (c) Eligible maintenance and repair activities pursuant to this
section are limited to the following forest ecosystem restoration and
conservation activities:
   (1) Upland vegetation management to restore the watershed's
productivity and resiliency.
   (2) Wet and dry meadow restoration.
   (3) Road removal and repair.
   (4) Stream channel restoration.
   (5) Conservation of private forests to preserve watershed
integrity through permanent prevention of land use conversion and
improved land management, achieved through, and secured with,
conservation easements.
   (6) Other projects with a demonstrated likelihood of increasing
conditions for water and snow attraction, retention, and release
under changing climate conditions.