ACWA eNews for May 1, 2013
ACWA’s eNews is a weekly roundup of California water news and events.
Save Our Water Launches “Sprinklers 101” Website
ACWA’s Save Our Water program has launched a new “Sprinklers 101” web-based resource to provide information and online tools about water-efficient residential irrigation. Timed to coincide with May’s Water Awareness Month, this new site offers online, printed and video resources on water-efficient irrigation to homeowners and landscape professionals.
PPIC Report Recommends ‘Reconciliation Ecology’ for Managing Delta
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta would benefit from the practice of ‘reconciliation ecology’ – a management strategy that seeks to restore natural processes wherever possible, sometimes using infrastructure and technology.
Webinar Series on Salt and Nutrient Management Continues May 15
ACWA has launched a four-part webinar series with Groundwater Resources Association (GRA) and CalDesal on the development and implementation of Salt and Nutrient Management Plans (SNMPs).
The objective of this series is to convene a forum where practicing professionals can share their experiences with SNMP development and collaborate on ways to improve the process for those that are currently developing SNMPs.
Free ACWA Conference App Now Available
A free mobile application for ACWA’s 2013 Spring Conference & Exhibition is now available for download.
The app – available for iOS, Android, Blackberry and web-enabled devices – features a full conference schedule, maps and a live conference Twitter feed. Users can plan their day, view and locate conference exhibitors, and get information on keynote speakers.
For details and to download the app, start here.
AB 145 Clears Second Assembly Committee
Submitted by Lisa Lien-Mager on Tue, 04/30/2013 – 5:00pm
An ACWA-opposed bill that would move the state’s drinking water program from the Department of Public Health to a new division of the State Water Resources Control Board cleared its second Assembly committee on April 30.
AB 145 by Assembly Member Henry Perea (D-Fresno) passed out of the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee on a 5-3 vote after a hearing in which ACWA and its coalition partners outlined concerns with the bill and suggested middle-ground alternatives to the legislation.
Partial Settlement Reached on Sac Regional Treatment Plant Upgrades
The Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District has dropped its legal challenge of stricter discharge limits following a partial settlement reached by the district, the State Water Resources Control Board and other agencies.
In an announcement this week, the district said the agreement partially settles litigation stemming from a 2010 wastewater discharge permit that mandated ammonia and nitrate removal, along with new filtration requirements, for the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plan.
Administration Officials Brief Lawmakers on BDCP Public Process
Responding to criticism that the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) is being developed with little input from the public or key stakeholders, officials from the Brown Administration on April 30 stressed to lawmakers that the plan has been – and will continue to be – aired publicly and revised as issues are raised by stakeholders and others.
Water Bond Placeholder Bills Pass Assembly Committee
Three bills intended to be vehicles for potential modifications to the 2014 water bond were moved forward April 30 by the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife.
Deputy Interior Secretary Hayes to Step Down This Summer
Deputy Secretary David J. Hayes plans to leave the Department of the Interior this summer, according to an April 30 announcement.
Among his many responsibilities at Interior, Hayes managed the department’s day-to-day operational response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and helped develop the administration’s agenda for oil and gas safety reform.
Talks Continue on Proposed Move of State’s Drinking Water Program
ACWA continues to express concerns with legislation that would move responsibility for the state’s drinking water program from the Department of Public Health (DPH) to a new division within the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).
ACWA has taken an “oppose-unless amended” position on AB 145, by Henry Perea (D-Fresno), which would vest authority, responsibility and jurisdiction for the state’s drinking water program with a new Division of Drinking Water Quality at the State Board.
Salton Sea Gets More Attention at Local Meeting
Local, state and federal officials met Friday in North Shore to discuss the path forward for fixing the Salton Sea.
The daylong meeting at the North Shore Beach and Yacht Club was hosted by U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-36) in conjunction with the office of U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer. Assistant Interior Secretary Anne Castle attended along with representatives from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Salton Sea Authority, and several other state and local agencies.
ACWA Comments on NEPA/CEQA Integration
ACWA recently gave feedback on the draft of a new handbook that provides information on processes for conducting a joint NEPA and CEQA review.
Delta Stewardship Council Discusses Implementation of Delta Plan
The Delta Stewardship Council (DSC) on April 25 discussed the implementation of the Delta Plan and received input from local and state leaders on how to work together to ensure that agencies’ actions that impact the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta remain consistent with the goals of the plan.
Brown Asks Feds for ‘Timely’ Review of BDCP
Gov. Jerry Brown has asked the Obama administration to complete its review of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan this summer.
In a letter addressed this week to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank, Brown wrote that “timely completion” of the BDCP’s planning process is necessary to secure investment from State Water Project and Central Valley Project contractors for the project’s construction.
ACWA 2013 Spring Conference & Exhibition
Tue, 05/07/2013 – Fri, 05/10/2013
Location:
Sacramento Convention Center & Surrounding Hotels
Please join us May 7-10, 2013 at the Sacramento Convention Center / Hyatt / Sheraton Grand.Check back for conference presentations here.
