BILL ANALYSIS
SB 991
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Date of Hearing: August 4, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
SB 991 (Wolk) - As Amended: August 2, 2010
Policy Committee: Water, Parks and
Wildlife Vote: 8-4
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill appropriates $30 million from Proposition 1E bond
funds for flood control projects. Specifically, this bill:
1)Appropriates $30 million from the Disaster Preparedness and
Flood Prevention Bond Fund of 2006 (Proposition 1E) to the
Department of Water Resources (DWR) for flood protection
projects that improve the sustainability of the Delta,
including projects that reduce the risk of levee failure that
would jeopardize water conveyance.
2)Directs DWR to expedite evaluation of nonurban levees on the
west bank of the Sacramento River that protect unincorporated
communities and consider a joint project with local
governments for improving flood bypass facilities.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)One-time $30 million appropriation to DWR. (Proposition 1E
bond funds)
2)Cost pressure of an unknown amount, but potentially in the
millions of dollars, to fund projects for nonurban levees on
the west bank of the Sacramento River that protect
unincorporated communities and for a joint project with local
governments for improving flood bypass facilities.
(Proposition 1E bond funds)
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . The author contends this bill will fund projects
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that better ensure the sustainability of the Delta, protect
the state's water supplies, contribute to flood protection for
small communities and family farms along the Sacramento River,
and create jobs, thereby providing multiple benefits from bond
expenditures.
2)Background. In November 2006, the voters passed Proposition
1E to authorize $4.1 billion in general obligation bonds to
pay for flood management. The bond included $3 billion to (a)
evaluate, repair, and restore existing levees in the state's
Central Valley flood control system; (b) improve or add
facilities to increase flood protection for urban areas in the
state's Central Valley flood control system; and (c) reduce
the risk of levee failure in the Delta region through grants
to local agencies and direct spending by the state. To date,
approximately $2.1 billion of Proposition 1E funds have been
appropriated. That amount includes $170 million appropriated
in last year's Delta water package to reduce risk of levee
failure in the Delta that would jeopardize water conveyance.
An additional $340 million is proposed for appropriation in
the Governor's 2010-11 budget.
3)Possible Change in Flood Control Policy. Previous legislation
establishes flood control policy that seems to differ from the
policy of this bill. Specifically, SB 5, Machado (Chapter
364, Statutes of 2007) prioritized projects that protect urban
areas, among other things. In contrast, this bill directs DWR
to expedite evaluation of nonurban levees on the west bank of
the Sacramento River that protect unincorporated communities.
Because this direction to DWR is included in a bill that
appropriates bond money to DWR for flood prevention projects,
it is reasonable to infer that the bill prioritizes the
nonurban levee projects for funding from the $30 million
appropriation. If the bill is interpreted in this way, it
represents a change in state flood control policy.
4)Related Legislation .
a) SB 8, Steinberg (Chapter 2, Statutes of 2009-10 Seventh
Extraordinary Session) appropriated $170 million of
Proposition 1E funds to DWR to reduce the risk of levee
failure in the Delta that would jeopardize water
conveyance.
b) SB 5, Machado (Chapter 364, Statutes of 2007)
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prioritized state flood protection for projects that
protect urban areas, that provide significant system-wide
benefits for managing flood risks, that reduce risk to
human life, health and safety, that protect pubic
infrastructure, and that meet multiple benefits.
Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081