BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 148|
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CONSENT
Bill No: AB 148
Author: V. Manuel Pérez (D)
Amended: 6/15/14 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER COMMITTEE : 9-0, 6/10/14
AYES: Pavley, Cannella, Evans, Fuller, Hueso, Jackson, Lara,
Monning, Wolk
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 78-0, 1/29/14 (Consent) - See last page for
vote
SUBJECT : Salton Sea restoration
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill makes clarifying and technical changes to
AB 71(Pérez, Chapter 402, Statutes of 2013).
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1.Requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency
(Secretary), in consultation and coordination with the Salton
Sea Authority (SSA), to lead Salton Sea restoration efforts.
2.Authorizes the SSA to lead a funding and feasibility study in
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consultation with the Natural Resources Agency.
3.Requires the Secretary to seek input from the SSA with regard
to specified components of restoration of the Salton Sea.
This bill makes clarifying and technical changes to AB 71, as
follows:
1.Clarifies that nothing in specific provisions of existing law
authorizing the Secretary, in consultation with the SSA, to
lead Salton Sea restoration efforts alters any state
responsibility or authority under the Quantification
Settlement Agreement (QSA).
2.Clarifies that the SSA may lead a feasibility study in
coordination and under contract with the Secretary.
3.Clarifies that studies and evaluations undertaken for purposes
of the feasibility study shall not delay the planning and
implementation of other ongoing and planned restoration or
mitigation projects, including but not limited to, the Salton
Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project, or other measures
authorized pursuant to other existing state and federal
programs and agreements.
4.Revises a statement of legislative intent regarding
restoration of the Salton Sea to refer to the Legislature's
intent to protect and provide long-term conservation, rather
than permanently protect, fish and wildlife dependent on the
Salton Sea ecosystem.
Background
AB 71 required the Secretary, in consultation and coordination
with the SSA, to lead Salton Sea restoration efforts, and
authorized the SSA to lead a funding and feasibility study in
consultation with the Natural Resources Agency. AB 71 filled
the governance void created by elimination of the Salton Sea
Restoration Council in the 2012 Budget Act.
The QSA is a collection of agreements between the Imperial
Irrigation District (IID), Metropolitan Water District, San
Diego County Water Authority, the Coachella Valley Water
District, and the State, that included approval of water
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transfers from IID to San Diego, settled a number of claims to
the Colorado River, and provided a transition period for the
state to reduce its consumption of Colorado River water to its
4.4 million acre feet entitlement. Under the QSA, the amount of
water flowing into the Salton Sea will be significantly reduced
after 2017. In 2003, the Legislature approved a package of
implementing legislation related to the QSA and calling for
restoration of the Salton Sea.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/23/14)
Association of California Water Agencies
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author, the technical
corrections in this bill are being taken at the request of the
Administration to clarify that AB 71 did not alter any state
responsibilities or authorities under the QSA.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 78-0, 1/29/14
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Bigelow, Bloom,
Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian
Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley,
Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eggman, Fong, Fox,
Frazier, Beth Gaines, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon,
Gorell, Gray, Grove, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hernández,
Holden, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Lowenthal,
Maienschein, Mansoor, Medina, Melendez, Morrell, Mullin,
Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Nestande, Olsen, Pan, Patterson, V.
Manuel Pérez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas,
Rodriguez, Salas, Skinner, Stone, Ting, Wagner, Waldron,
Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Logue, Perea
RM:e 6/24/14 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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