BILL ANALYSIS
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| SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER |
| Senator Fran Pavley, Chair |
| 2009-2010 Regular Session |
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BILL NO: AB 626 HEARING DATE: July 6, 2009
AUTHOR: Eng URGENCY: No
VERSION: May 4, 2009 CONSULTANT: Dennis O'Connor
DUAL REFERRAL: No FISCAL: Yes
SUBJECT: Bond revenues: integrated regional water management:
grants.
BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW
1.On November 7, 2006, the voters approved the Safe Drinking
Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and
Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006, (Proposition 84). Among
other things, Proposition 84 authorized the issuance of $5.4
billion in general obligation bonds, of which $1.0 billion is
available for Integrated Regional Water Management programs
and projects. Proposition 84 further allocated the $900
million by region, the other $100 million was designated as
Inter-regional/Unallocated, and were to be expended by the
Department of Water Resources (DWR) to address multiregional
water needs or water issues of statewide significance.
2.Last session, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed
SB 1XX (Perata). That bill, among other things, appropriated
funds to DWR for integrated regional water management
activities, including:
$100 million for implementation grants.
$39 million for planning grants, local groundwater
assistance grants, and CALFED scientific research grants.
SB 1XX further specified that of the $139 million
appropriation, DWR was to allocate not less than 10 percent to
facilitate and support the participation of disadvantaged
communities in integrated regional water management planning
and for projects that address critical water supply or water
quality needs for disadvantaged communities.
PROPOSED LAW
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This bill would:
Clarify that the 10 percent minimum funding requirement for
disadvantaged communities was to be applied to each region.
Require DWR to implement the allocation with due diligence,
but only to the extent that the implementation does not affect
the expeditious allocation of funds.
Require DWR to submit a report to the Legislature by July 1,
2010, regarding the implementation of the 10 percent minimum
funding requirement.
This bill would also make technical corrections to SB 1XX.
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT
According to the author, "Disadvantaged communities around the
state struggle to meet basic water related public health
functions including supplying safe drinking water to their
communities and maintaining basic wastewater infrastructure.
These communities lack, entirely, the capacity to engage in
water use efficiency programs, low impact development standards,
recycled water opportunities, etc. The IRWMP program provides an
opportunity for these communities to be part of regional
solutions that bring water-related agencies together to develop
integrated water management plans that benefit from the
efficiencies possible when multiple agencies work together."
"AB 626 will ensure that disadvantaged communities in every
region have equitable access to these funds and to the IRWMP
process. SB 1XX (Perata, 2008) required that no less than 10% of
the $139 million appropriated for the IRWMP program be used to
fund projects that provide direct benefits to disadvantaged
communities."
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION: None
COMMENTS
Spreads The Wealth. SB 1XX could be interpreted to allow DWR
to award the entire 10 percent for disadvantaged communities in
one region, and none in any of the other regions. AB 626 would
require DWR to apply the 10 percent requirement to each region
individually.
May Not Affect Grants. SB 1XX became effective on March 1,
2009, and DWR has begun the process of awarding IRWMP grants.
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Should this bill be chaptered this year, it would take effect on
January 1, 2010. It is possible, but not at all certain, that
by January 1, DWR either will have awarded or will be about to
award the bulk of the IRWMP grants.
SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS: None
SUPPORT
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
Clean Water Action
Community Water Center
Environmental Justice Coalition for Water
Organization of Chinese Americans
Sierra Nevada Alliance
OPPOSITION
None Received
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