BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1319|
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SB 1319
Author: Pavley (D) and Wolk (D)
Amended: 8/29/14
Vote: 21
PRIOR VOTES NOT RELEVANT
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : Not available
SUBJECT : Groundwater management
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill amends AB 1739 (Dickinson) of the current
legislative session which, together with SB 1168 (Pavley) of the
current legislative session, form the Sustainable Groundwater
Management Act and related provisions.
Assembly Amendments delete the Senate version of the bill
relates to oil spills and instead insert the current language.
ANALYSIS : Existing law authorizes local agencies to adopt and
implement a groundwater management plan. Existing law requires
a groundwater management plan to contain specified components
and requires a local agency seeking state funds administered by
the Department of Water Resources (DWR) for groundwater projects
or groundwater quality projects to do certain things, including,
but not limited to, preparing and implementing a groundwater
management plan that includes basin management objectives for
the groundwater basin.
CONTINUED
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This bill revises provisions from the August 22, 2014 version of
AB 1739 (Dickinson) as follows:
1.Prohibits the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) from
establishing an interim plan to remedy a condition where the
groundwater extractions result in significant depletions of
interconnected surface waters until January 1, 2025. This
provision delays the similar provision in AB 1739 from 2022 to
2025.
2.Requires SWRCB to exclude any portion of a basin in compliance
with groundwater management requirements from probationary
status. This provision narrows the similar provision in AB
1739 to only apply to the portion of the basin that is out of
compliance.
3.Requires SWRCB to include any element of a groundwater
sustainability plan or the entire plan in its interim plan if
SWRCB finds it would help meet the sustainability goal. This
provision revises the similar provision in AB 1739 to allow
for the inclusion of local plans when developing interim plans
for basins with probationary status.
4.Provides the enactment of this bill is contingent upon the
enactment of AB 1739 (Dickinson) and SB 1168 (Pavley).
5.Makes technical and conforming changes.
Background
On March 7, 2014 the Governor's Office released a draft
framework soliciting input on actions that can be taken to
assure local groundwater managers have the tools and authority
to sustainably manage groundwater. The draft framework advises
that in developing ideas it may be helpful to consider whether
local agencies need enhanced local agency authority, and how the
state should structure state backstop authority when local
action has not occurred or has been insufficient.
In response, Senator Pavley and Assemblymember Dickinson
introduced SB 1168 and AB 1739. These bills which moved through
the legislation process in nearly identical form while the
authors and administration convened multiple stakeholder
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meetings and further developed the provisions of the bills. On
August 22, 2014, both bills were amended to divide the
provisions between the two bills. Together, SB 1168 and AB 1739
provide a comprehensive groundwater sustainability management
program.
AB 1739 (Dickinson), among other provisions, authorizes SWRCB to
designate a basin as a probationary basin under specified
circumstances and to develop an interim management plan in
consultation with DWR under specified conditions.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:
1.Increased annual out-year costs of $1 million to $2.5 million
(special fund) for state interim plans to be covered by fee
revenues. The revisions to AB 1739 provided by this bill will
likely result in lower costs due to delays in compliance
requirements and the ability to place only portions of basins
on probationary status.
2.Absorbable General Fund costs for DWR to assist SWRCB in
developing interim plans. DWR received $22.5 million in the
2014-15 Budget ($2.5 million for fiscal year (FY) 14-15 and $5
million each year from FY15-16 through FY18-19, which will
fund Bulletin 118 updates and technical assistance.
RM:k 8/29/14 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
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