BILL NUMBER: AB 2480	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  695
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 27, 2016
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 27, 2016
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 23, 2016
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 29, 2016
	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, 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, quantity,
timing, and quality of California's environmental, drinking, and
agricultural water supply as climate change advances of source
watersheds that supply the majority of the state's drinking and
irrigated agricultural water. The bill would state that the
maintenance and repair of source watersheds 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.


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) 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,
quantity, timing, and quality of California's environmental,
drinking, and agricultural water supply.
   (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.