The Barbed Wire - March 7, 2014

March 7, 2014
RCRC Officers Advocate on Behalf of Federal Issues Impacting Rural California Counties
House Passes Bill to Reduce Flood Insurance Premiums
Wildfire Suppression and Forest Management in the President’s Budget
State Water Resources Control Board Proposes Modification to Change Petition
SURVEY: Potential Water Projects and Programs
EVENTS/NOTICES

RCRC Officers Advocate on Behalf of Federal Issues Impacting Rural California Counties

Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) Officers and staff met with Federal policymakers in Washington, D.C. this week to discuss issues impacting California’s rural counties, including the Federal Transportation Funding Program (MAP-21), Federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Critical Habitat Designation, and the reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools program (SRS). RCRC Staff is developing a summary, which will be released early next week.

House Passes Bill to Reduce Flood Insurance Premiums

Earlier this week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill to reduce flood insurance premium rates mandated by the Biggert-Waters Act enacted two years ago. H.R. 3370 would roll back the recent rate increases and prohibit increases on “grandfathered” policies issued for homes constructed before flood maps were adopted.

To make up for the projected revenue loss, H.R. 3370 would impose a $25 per year surcharge on every residential policy, and a $250 surcharge for commercial properties. The bill also calls on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to consider a cap of $2,500 on any annual residential policy. Proponents of the bill believe that the Senate may now adopt the House bill and forego a conference committee to resolve differences with the bill enacted last month by the Senate.

For additional information, please contact RCRC Regulatory Affairs Advocate Mary Pitto at 916.447.4806 or mpitto@rcrcnet.org.

Wildfire Suppression and Forest Management in the President’s Budget

The Obama Administration proposes a 19 percent increase in logging sales and increased funding to thin forests in the Fiscal Year 2015 budget released this week. The budget also endorses bi-partisan efforts in Congress to allow for off-budget wildfire suppression, similar to other natural disasters, when costs in a given year are excessive.

An additional $20 million would be spent on the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program, funding ten additional restoration projects. Funding for hazardous fuels removal would increase 17 percent.

For additional information, please contact RCRC Legislative Advocate Cyndi Hillery at 916.447.4806 or chillery@rcrcnet.org.

State Water Resources Control Board Proposes Modification to Change Petition

On Monday, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) posted a proposed modification to the previously approved Temporary Urgency Change Petition (TUCP), which can be accessed here. In response to the original TUCP, the SWRCB issued an Order that adjusts water quality requirements in the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta, allowing the State Water Project (SWP) and the Central Valley Project (CVP) to conserve water supplies in upstream reservoirs and more effectively operate the facilities in response to drought conditions. Responding to the State’s continuing dry conditions, SWRCB Executive Director Tom Howard intends to make additional revisions to the Order on or around March 12, 2014.

The revisions will be based on public comments received, the most recent hydrology following the current precipitation event, and water balance estimates prepared by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) as required by Condition 5 of the Order.

The revisions will include:

· Clarification on the allowable uses of water pumped under the health and safety export provisions of the Order, and a requirement to report where this water is delivered and how it is used;

· A requirement to record the quantity of water that is stored in Project reservoirs as a result of changes allowed under the Order; and

· A requirement to maintain a minimum quantity of water in Project reservoirs at the end of September sufficient to meet health and safety needs in the event of continued drought next year.

The Northern California Water Association (NCWA) filed an objection with the SWRCB stating, “The Upstream Parties’ primary objections are to paragraph 1.b of the Order, which allows the continued export of up to 1,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water from the Delta for health and safety purposes. Simply stated, the Upstream Parties do not believe that DWR and Reclamation have made an adequate showing, as required under Condition 2 of the Order, of the amount of water needed for “health and safety” purposes. Nor have they documented where the 1,500 cfs of export water is currently being delivered and used. As a result, DWR and Reclamation have failed to satisfy the explicit requirements of the Order. The Upstream Parties, as senior water right holders, as well as others (including the general public), are entitled to know how DWR and Reclamation are operating the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project, and whether water rights priorities are being honored.”

For additional information, please contact RCRC Legislative Advocate Kathy Mannion at 916.447.4806 or kmannion@rcrcnet.org.

SURVEY: Potential Water Projects and Programs

The California Water Commission and several other State agencies have developed a survey to collect updated information from local agencies regarding potential water projects and programs that can add new or expand existing surface or groundwater storage capacity, improve water supply reliability, and improve overall efficiency.

The goal of this effort is to identify and compile a comprehensive inventory of projects that includes existing CALFED surface storage projects such as Sites Reservoir, Temperance Flat and the enlargement of Shasta Reservoir, in addition to other local and regional projects that can significantly improve storage capacity, flood protection, water supply reliability, hydroelectric generation, ecosystem health, water quality, and recreation.

The survey is intended to be consistent with WR R14 of theDelta Plan, Identify Near-term Opportunities for Storage, Use, and Water Transfer Projects. The information collected through this survey will be used to help ongoing planning efforts, support integrated water planning, inform actions by the State of California that respond to current and future needs, and support the Brown Administration’s California Water Action Plan.

The survey can be accessed here. For questions about the survey, please contact the California Water Commission at cwc@water.ca.gov or 916.651.7501.

EVENTS/NOTICES

Groundwater Informational Hearing

The Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee has scheduled a joint oversight hearing with the Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Resources and Transportation regarding the Management of California’s Groundwater Resources. The hearing will be held Tuesday March 11, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. in the State Capitol, Room 437.

Groundwater comprises over 30 percent of California’s overall water supply portfolio in an average year. But in drought times like these, that percentage can climb to 40 percent or more. The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) released a draft “Groundwater Workplan Concept Paper” (Workplan) in October 2013. The draft Workplan identifies that, whether implemented at the local, regional, or State level, an “effective groundwater management program generally requires five key elements to be in place: thresholds, monitoring and assessment, governance, funding, and enforcement.” The stated purpose of releasing the draft Workplan was to encourage a stakeholder dialogue with the SWRCB on how to best align “current groundwater protection efforts, the ongoing actions of other entities with groundwater management responsibilities, and potential actions that the Water Boards and other entities could pursue.”

The Governor’s 2014-15 Proposed Budget, released on January 9, 2014 includes $1.9 million to the SWRCB, “…and ten positions to act as a backstop when local or regional agencies are unable or unwilling to sustainably manage groundwater basins.”

At the hearing, legislators will receive an overview of the condition of California’s groundwater basins, a presentation from the Legislative Analyst’s Office on how groundwater is currently regulated and managed in the State, and an update from the SWRCB on the Workplan. Also scheduled to make presentations are the Orange County Water District, and the Santa Clara Valley Water District, which will discuss the elements of successful local groundwater management programs, followed by a panel of diverse stakeholders to share their opinions regarding where California’s groundwater conversation should go from here.

Once posted, the hearing agenda can be accessed here.

For additional information, please contact RCRC Legislative Advocate Kathy Mannion at 916.447.4806 or kmannion@rcrcnet.org.

CA DROUGHT INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE:
RCRC Staff is continually monitoring the current drought situation, its impacts to Member counties, and economic assistance opportunities as they become available. Please refer to this section of the Barbed Wire, and visit the “Drought Update” section of the RCRC website for the latest news and information related to the 2014 California drought.

USDA Emergency Watershed Protection Program

Click here

HCD Issues Survey Regarding Drought Related Needs

Click here.