BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 964
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 11, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 964 (Huffman) - As Amended: April 13, 2011
Policy Committee: Environmental
Safety and Toxic Materials Vote: 8-0
Local Government 9-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill conditions financial assistance for onsite sewer
improvements. Specifically, this bill:
1)Limits financial assistance provided by the State Water
Resources Control Board from the State Water Pollution Control
Revolving Fund for onsite sewer improvements to only those
projects for which a public agency has adopted a sewer system
management plan that, in addition to other applicable
requirements, includes a 10-year plan for sewer upgrades.
2)Requires, commencing January 1, 2013, a public agency
receiving financial assistance from the fund for onsite sewer
improvements to report annually to the board on progress
developing and implementing the 10-year plan for sewer
upgrades.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Minor ongoing costs, if any, to the State Water Resources
Control Board to receive reports from public agencies and
review 10-year plans for sewer upgrades.
2)Potential marginal shift in the public agencies to which the
board awards State Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund
monies.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . The author intends to to encourage public agencies
AB 964
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to adopt and implement 10-year plans for sewer upgrades,
which, the author contends, will help protect surface water
and groundwater through prevention of sewage spills caused by
stormwater intrusion into sewer collection systems.
2)Background. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund is a federal
financial assistance program that implements the federal Clean
Water Act and various state water quality laws. The federal
program provides financial assistance for construction or
implementation of projects that address water quality and
prevent water pollution. California implements the federal
program through establishment of the State Water Pollution
Control Revolving Fund, which receives capitalization from
federal funds and state bond funds and from which the board
makes financial awards.
3)Support. This bill is supported by the California Association
of Realtors, the California Association of Sanitation
Agencies, the Sierra Club California and others.
4)Opposition. The bill is opposed by the Association of
California Water Agencies (ACWA), whose members would be
unable to receive awards from the State Water Pollution
Control Revolving Fund if they had not adopted a sewer system
management plan that, in addition to other applicable
requirements, includes a 10-year plan for sewer upgrades.
Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081