BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair 2015 - 2016 Regular SB 144 (Pan) - Water development projects: Sacramento-San Joaquin watersheds ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Version: April 6, 2015 |Policy Vote: N.R. & W. 9 - 0 | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Urgency: No |Mandate: No | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Hearing Date: April 13, 2015 |Consultant: Marie Liu | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File. Bill Summary: SB 144 would update the state's authorization for funding local flood control projects in the Natomas Basin. Fiscal Impact: Approximately $40 to $60 million in General Fund for additional state obligations in flood control project costs. Background: Under the State Water Resources Law of 1945, the state may participate in funding local flood control projects that are authorized by the Legislature, authorized by Congress, and meet other specific requirements. Among the local flood control projects that have been authorized by the Legislature are levees in the Natomas Basin that are defined as "the project for flood control along the American and Sacramento Rivers?within the Natomas Basin as described in the final engineer's report date April 19, 2007, adopted by the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency." SB 144 (Pan) Page 1 of ? Since the 2007 final engineer report, the project has been further refined to meet higher levee building standards required by the Army Corps of Engineers. These changes are reflected in the 2010 final feasibility study for the American River Watershed, Common Features Project, Natomas Basin. This final feasibility study would need to be referenced in the state's funding authorization for the project in order for the authorization to continue to be applicable. Proposed Law: This bill would include the 2010 final feasibility study in the state's funding authorization of local levees in the Natomas Basin to reflect the project's current design. Related Legislation: AB 1147 (Honda) Chapter 1071, Statutes of 2000 provided the original authorization. Staff Comments: The Department of Water Resources estimates that the state's cost share of the updated project will likely increase $40-60 million. However, staff notes that because the project changes were in response to more stringent levee requirements, doing the project as originally authorized is not an option. Therefore not recognizing the latest design of the project would effectively be rejecting the state's original agreement to share in the cost of improving these levees. Staff notes that the bill would also conform state's authorization to the federal authorization. -- END --