California Senate Bill SB1469 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 1469AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 23, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Senator Simitian FEBRUARY 19, 2010 An act to  amend Section 13242 of   add Sections 139 and 10014 to  the Water Code, relating to water quality. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1469, as amended, Simitian.  Water quality objectives: potential threats.   Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: State Water Resources Development System: water quality.   Under existing law, the Department of Water Resources has various responsibilities with regard to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, including a requirement to evaluate the potential impacts on water supplies derived from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta based on 50-, 100-, and 200-year projections for possible impacts on the Delta from specified events, and to determine, with the Department of Fish and Game, the principal options for the Delta.   This bill would require the department, by January 1, 2012, to identify all parties, including public and private parties, that benefit from waters originating in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed and whose activities impact the Delta watershed. The bill would also require the department, by that date, to develop a process for determining the degree of responsibility attributable to each of the identified parties for physical and environmental impacts on the Delta.   Under existing law, the department operates the State Water Resources Development System, which includes dams, reservoirs, and other infrastructure for the storage and delivery of state water resources. The department is required to update a coordinated plan for the conservation, development, and utilization of state water resources known as the California Water Plan, every 5 years, and to include in the plan update a discussion of various strategies, including, but not limited to, those relating to the development of new water storage facilities, water conservation, water recycling, desalination, conjunctive use, and water transfers that may be pursued in order to meet the future water needs of the state.   This bill would require the department, by January 1, 2012, to estimate the infrastructure needs for the State Water Resources Development System over the next 30 years and the expected costs of associated environmental mitigation and restoration projects.   Existing law, the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act requires each California regional water quality control board to establish water quality objectives in water quality control plans. The act requires the implementation program for achieving those water quality objectives to include specified information.   This bill would require each regional board to include in the implementation program a description of the process used to identify and manage potential threats to water quality.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 1   39 is added to the   Water Code   , to read:   139. The department, by January 1, 2012, shall do both of the following: (a) Identify all parties, including public and private parties, that benefit from waters originating in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed, and whose activities impact the Delta watershed. (b) Develop a process for determining the degree of responsibility attributable to each of the parties identified in subdivision (a) for physical and environmental impacts on the Delta.   SEC. 2.  Section 10014 is added to the   Water Code   , to read:   10014. The department, by January 1, 2012, shall estimate both of the following: (a) The infrastructure needs for the State Water Resources Development System over the next 30 years, including new facilities and expected repairs and upgrades to existing facilities. (b) The expected costs, over the next 30 years, of environmental mitigation and restoration projects associated with the infrastructure needs identified in subdivision (a).   SECTION 1.   Section 13242 of the Water Code is amended to read: 13242. The program of implementation for achieving water quality objectives shall include, but not be limited to: (a) A description of the nature of actions which are necessary to achieve the objectives, including recommendations for appropriate action by any entity, public or private. (b) A time schedule for the actions to be taken. (c) A description of surveillance to be undertaken to determine compliance with objectives. (d) A description of the process used to identify and manage potential threats to water quality.