AB 1707, as introduced, Wilk. Water quality: organization and membership of regional boards.
Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board and the 9 California regional water quality control boards to prescribe waste discharge requirements in accordance with the federal national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit program established by the federal Clean Water Act and the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (state act). The state act requires regional boards to consist of 7 members appointed by the Governor, 6 of them on the basis of demonstrated interest or proven ability in the field of water quality and one as a public member not specifically associated with any enumerated qualification.
This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to these provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 13201 of the Water Code is amended to
2read:
(a) There is a regional board for each of the regions
2described in Section 13200. Each board shall consist of seven
3members appointed by the Governor, each of whom shall represent,
4and act on behalf of, all the people and shall reside or have a
5principal place of business within the region.
6(b) Except as specified in subdivision (c), each member shall
7be appointed on the basis of his or her demonstrated interest or
8proven ability in the field of water quality, including water
9pollution control, water resource management, water use, or water
10protection. The Governor shall consider appointments from the
11public and nonpublic sectors. In regard to appointments from the
12nonpublic sector, the Governor shall consider including members
13from key economic sectors in a given
region, such as agriculture,
14industry, commercial activities, forestry, and fisheries.
15(c) At least one member shall be appointed as a public member
16who is not required to meet the criteria established pursuant to
17subdivision (b).
18(d) All persons appointed to a regional board shall be subject
19to Senate confirmation, but shall not be required to appear before
20any committee of the Senate for purposes of such confirmation
21unless specifically requested to appear by the Senate Committee
22on Rules.
23(e) Insofar as practicable, appointments shall be made in such
24manner as to result in representation on the board from all parts
25of the region.
26(f) Insofar as practicable, appointments shall be made in a
27manner as to result in representation on the board from
diverse
28experiential backgrounds.
29(g) Each member shall be appointed on the basis of his or her
30ability to attend substantially all meetings of the board and to
31actively discharge all duties and responsibilities of a member of
32the board.
33(h) The reduction in the number of members of each regional
34board required by the act that added this subdivision shall be
35achieved according to the ordinary expiration of the terms of
36incumbents and other vacancies. Notwithstanding Section 13202
37the Governor shall not fill a vacancy onbegin delete anyend deletebegin insert aend insert regional board until
38the number of members serving on that regional board falls below
39seven members. When the numbers of members serving on the
P3 1regional board falls
below seven members, the Governor shall
2appoint or reappoint individuals pursuant to this section.
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