HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-08-28 - AGENDA REPORTS - SUPPORT HR 1985 WATER ACT (2)CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
City Manager Approval:
Item to be presented by_: Stacy Miller
DATE: August 28, 2001
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF H.R. 1985, WESTERN WATER
ENHANCEMENT SECURITY ACT
DEPARTMENT: City Manager
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council adopt a resolution in support of H.R. 1985, the Western Water Enhancement
Security Act, which authorizes additional federal funding for the CALFED Bay -Delta
program to promote increased water yield, water system reliability, and environmental
benefits for California's water systems.
BACKGROUND
This item is presented before City Council at the request of Mayor Laurens Weste. The
Purpose of H.R. 1985 is to authorize funding through the Secretary of the Interior for the
implementation of a comprehensive program in California (CALFED Bay -Delta Program) to
achieve increased water yield and environmental benefits, improved water system
reliability, enhanced water quality and water use efficiency, and watershed management
and levee protection. Representative Ken Calvert (R -CA) introduced the bill on May 24,
2001, at which time it was referred to both the House Committee on Resources and
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for consideration. No amendments to the
Act have been proposed by either Committee.
H.R. 1985 provides for the administration of a competitive grant and loan program to
achieve CALFED goals until July 1, 2002. The grant and loan program seeks to identify
Opportunities to construct permanent facilities to increase water yield and improve water
quality, design and construct such facilities, and conduct necessary or beneficial research
on these implemented programs and projects. Specifically, the bill amends the Small
CALFED grant funding, particularly for wastewater treatment facilities and devReclamation Water Resources Project Act of 2001 to allow irrigation projects as eligible for
elopment
of agricultural irrigation systems with treated wastewater. H.R. 1985 also provides for the
funding of design and construction of groundwater storage and conveyance facilities to
improve water conservation activities and lessen the reliance of water exporters on
Sacramento Valley -San Joaquin River Delta water. Lastly, the bill authorizes a federal
Adopted 61_,., Agenda item:.
appropriation of $100,000,000 for grants and loans for CALFED programs, which is the
federal portion of the federal -state funding obligation for CALFED.
The Association of Water Agencies and the agricultural business community are supportive
of this bill, along with a parallel bill in the Senate sponsored by Senator Diane Feinstein
(D -CA), S. 976. Although the environmental community originally supported this bill (as
well as S. 976), support has been withdrawn in the last two months due to the preference to
utilize all CALFED funds towards ecosystem and environmental restoration prior to
application of funds to storage or conveyance projects. Locally, Castaic Lake Water Agency
(CLWA) is supportive of developing systems, facilities and programs to improve the
reliability of State Water Project deliverables, as well as programs to develop ground water
banking and recycled water delivery systems. Upon approval of this legislation and
appropriation of federal funding to CALFED, CLWA would pursue grant and loan programs
for both groundwater banking and recycled water projects.
CALFED has not received federal funding for the past two years, thus, the State of
California has borne all of the program's conservation, restoration, water reliability and
water quality projects costs. Without federal funding, the ability to achieve self-sufficiency
of Bay -Delta exporters of water in dry years while protecting and improving environmental
uses is severely impacted.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
1. City Council reject the resolution in support of H.R. 1985, Western Water Enhancement
Security Act.
2. Other action as determined by Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact is anticipated from this action.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution
JAF:ch
S: \ MS \ SAM\ I.G.R \Legislation -2001 \HR 19851.doc