May 10, 2011

Feds Issue Report on Draft BDCP; SCWC Reacts

The National Research Council (NRC) published a new report last Thursday on the state of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP). The report was based on a working draft of the BDCP from November 2010. Nevertheless, the report found what the NRC believes to be significant omissions and scientific gaps in the plan.

SCWC Executive Director Rich Atwater said in response:

“The fact that the NRC report is based on a draft working document undermines its conclusion and findings. The NRC was tasked with an unenviable job — producing a report based on an incomplete and continually evolving draft of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan.

That said, we are confident that the Brown Administration and the federal agencies will be able to incorporate the NRC report’s recommendations to ensure that the BDCP is based on the best available science…” Read more.

Statements on the release of the NRC BDCP report are also available from NRC, the California Natural Resources Agency, the U.S. Department of the Interior, The Nature Conservancy, the State Water Contractors and the Kern County Water Agency.

For more information on SCWC’s involvement in Delta issues, visit our Bay-Delta page online.

Coalition Weighs in on Delta Plan Third Draft

SCWC joined a broad coalition of water leaders late last week, signing on to a coalition letter expressing concern about the direction of the Delta Stewardship Council’s Delta Plan. The plan, currently in its third draft, must be completed by the end of 2011.

The letter, signed by a diversity of water agencies and stakeholders, reiterates issues regarding the plan’s scope, which has been criticized throughout the process for being broader than the 2009 Delta legislative package mandates. The letter also expresses concern that the plan imposes regulation beyond its authority.

SCWC also signed a longer water community comment letter on the Delta Plan third draft that expresses similar concerns.

The Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee held a progress update hearing on the Delta Tuesday, March 10 at 9:30am.

Legislative Update

SB 34 (Simitian)

The SCWC Legislative Task Force on Monday voted to oppose SB 34 (Simitian), the California Water Resources Investment Act of 2011. The bill would impose additional annual charges on retail water suppliers based on the volume of water provided in their service areas.

For more information on SCWC legislative issues, visit our Legislative page online.

SCWC Upcoming Events

The Orange County Water District, Municipal Water District of Orange County and Disneyland Resorts are set to host the Orange County Water Summit on Friday, May 20 at the Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim. SCWC is co-sponsoring the event.

The summit is an annual gathering of water leaders and stakeholders for discussions on California’s most critical water issues. Featured speakers include Dr. Lucy Jones, Chief Scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Hiltzik, and Congressman Tom McClintock.

For more information, and to register, visit the OC Water Summit online.

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Established in 1984, the Southern California Water Committee is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, public education partnership dedicated to informing Southern Californians about our water needs and our state's water resources. Spanning Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Imperial, Riverside, Ventura and Kern Counties, the SCWC's members include representatives from business, government, labor, agriculture, water agencies and the general public.