Last week, the Governor’s Office released a draft framework for soliciting stakeholder input on actions that can be taken to improve groundwater management in the State, consistent with the Governor’s 2014 California Water Action Plan (CWAP), which can be accessed here.
The CWAP calls for legislation that gives local and regional agencies comprehensive authority to address their groundwater challenges, and allows for the State to temporarily assume groundwater management responsibilities to protect a basin not being managed sustainability when local agencies cannot, or will not, address the problem. The Administration intends to pursue groundwater management reform in a State Budget trailer bill, so the issue is on a fast track. The draft sustainable groundwater management framework can be accessed here.
The Administration has announced two public workshops on March 24 and April 16, 2014 to receive public input on the sustainable groundwater management framework. Details on the workshops can be accessed here.
In a related, but separate effort, the California Water Foundation (CWF) is conducting stakeholder dialogue/interest group sessions with various interest groups, including counties. The CWF intends to submit a report and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature no later than mid-April.
For additional information, please contact RCRC Legislative Advocate Kathy Mannion at 916.447.4806 or kmannion@rcrcnet.org.