BILL ANALYSIS 1
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| |
| SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER |
| Senator Darrell Steinberg, Chair |
| 2007-2008 Regular Session |
| |
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BILL NO: AB 2501 HEARING DATE: 6/24/08
AUTHOR: Wolk URGENCY: No
VERSION: 6/18/08 CONSULTANT: Dennis O'Connor
DUAL REFERRAL: Environmental QualityFISCAL: Yes
SUBJECT: Water resources.
BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW
Propositions 50, 1E, and 84 authorized a total of $12.918 B in
general obligation bonds, as follows:
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|Proposit|Ballo|Amount |Funded Programs |
| ion | t | | |
|--------+-----+-------+--------------------------------------|
| | | | |
| 50 |11/02| $3.44 |Water Security, Safe Drinking Water, |
| | | B |Clean Water & Water Quality, |
| | | |Contaminant & Salt Removal |
| | | |Technology, CALFED Bay-Delta Program, |
| | | |Integrated Regional Water Management, |
| | | |Colorado River, & Coastal Watershed & |
| | | |Wetland Protection. |
|--------+-----+-------+--------------------------------------|
| | | | |
| 1E |11/06|$4.090 |Levees, Weirs, Bypasses & State Plan |
| | | B |Of Flood Control Facilities, State |
| | | |Costs Of Flood Control & Flood |
| | | |Prevention Projects, Protection, |
| | | |Reaction And Enhancement Of Flood |
| | | |Protection Corridors & Bypasses, |
| | | |Stormwater Management Projects. |
|--------+-----+-------+--------------------------------------|
| | | | |
| 84 |11/06|$5.388 |Safe Drinking Water & Water Quality, |
| | | B |Flood Control, Statewide Water |
| | | |Planning, Protection Of Rivers, Lakes |
| | | |& Streams, Forest & Wildlife |
| | | |Conservation, Protection Of Beaches, |
| | | |Bays, & Coastal Water, Park & Nature |
| | | |Education Facilities, & Sustainable |
| | | |Communities & Climate Change |
| | | |Reduction. |
| | | | |
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PROPOSED LAW
This bill would appropriate a total of $610.89 M from
Propositions 50, 1E, and 84, for a variety of purposes. The
proposed appropriations are:
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| |Proposition 50 |
|--------+-------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|$3.76 M |Complete CalFed surface storage studies. |
| | |
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| |Proposition 1E |
|--------+-------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|$54.0 M |Flood emergency preparedness. |
| | |
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| |Proposition 84 |
|--------+-------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|40.0 M |Regional water planning and local groundwater |
| |assistance. |
|--------+-------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|50.0 M |Relocate existing Delta water intake facilities that |
| |meet specified criteria. |
|--------+-------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|160.0 M |Flood control projects in the Delta: |
|--------+-------------------------------------------------------|
| | $60 MIncrease the Department of Water Resources' |
| | (DWR's) ability to respond to levee breaches |
| | and reduce the potential for levee failure. |
|--------+-------------------------------------------------------|
| | $100 MAcquire, preserve, protect, and restore |
| | Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta islands. Specifies |
| | eligible projects. |
|--------+-------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|12.0 M |Complete CalFed surface storage studies.. |
|--------+-------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|15.0 M |Study options for reoperating the state's flood |
| |protection and water supply systems to optimize the |
| |use of existing facilities and groundwater storage |
| |capacity. |
|--------+-------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|10.0 M |Planning and feasibility studies to implement the |
| |Delta Vision. |
|--------+-------------------------------------------------------|
| | |
|$237.0 |Total Proposition 84 |
|M | |
| | |
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ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT
According to the author, "While water debates continue to rage,
this bill will take the first step in addressing our water
challenges - by doing the things that most water advocates agree
should be done now. AB 2501's appropriations will fund the most
urgent actions to protect California's water supply while
addressing the critical environmental issues arising out of our
water system."
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION
The Department of Finance believes that bond funds should be
appropriated through the annual Budget Act.
COMMENTS
Recent Amendments. The amendments deleted all provisions
regarding climate change, and all appropriations for programs
and projects outside of the jurisdiction of this committee. It
is the author's intent to move this bill as a potential vehicle
for further water funding discussions.
SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS: None
SUPPORT
California Public Utilities Commission
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
City of Los Angeles
City of Stockton
Clean Water Action
Community Water Center
Contra Costa Water District
East Bay Municipal Utility District
Environmental Justice Coalition for Water
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Natural Resources Defense Council
Planning and Conservation League
San Diego County Water Authority
Santa Clara Valley Water District
Solano County Water Agency
Sonoma County Water Agency
The Nature Conservancy
OPPOSITION
Department of Finance