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Upcoming Event: April 14, 2010
California’s Comprehensive Water Package Informational
Forum
 The
California Legislature passed a far-reaching legislative
package on water in November 2009.
In November, voters will consider a key element of the
package – an $11.14 billion water bond measure that
would provide substantial funding for water supply
reliability, surface and groundwater storage, Delta
restoration, water recycling, conservation and
groundwater protection in every region of the state.
With so many decisions on the horizon this year,
Californians need as much information as possible about
our water system and key processes under way to resolve
the state’s chronic water problems.
Plan to attend an informational forum that will discuss
the comprehensive water package, which was passed by the
legislature and signed by the Governor last year. The
event is Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at the Riverside
Municipal Auditorium in Riverside from 12:30pm to
3:30pm.
To ensure that local elected officials, opinion leaders
and the general public understand the contents of the
historic package, a series of informational forums are
being held around the state. The forums include
presentations by water experts and others well versed in
the package, and a question and answer session.
Click here
to download event information.
March 8, 2010
Proposed Legislation Would Hamper Historic Water
Agreement
The Southwest California Legislative Council is
urging legislators to oppose a measure that would block
the channeling of water from the Sacramento River to
Southern California and undue the recent compromise of
the Legislature, Delta and Environmental stakeholders
and the business community from late last year.
“AB 1594 represents a serious threat to the future water
reliability for Southern California and to the emerging
plan to restore the Delta,” said Roger Ziemer, Chair of
the Southwest California Legislative Council. “We just
went through years of negotiations with all those who
depend on the Delta and water coming from northern
California. Now is not the time to mettle with the
planned process of the agreement from last year,”
continued Ziemer.
If passed, the legislation would revise a law that was
passed just last year that addressed the prevention of
water flow to other regions throughout the state.
Furthermore, the Legislature explicitly added extensive
safeguards to the agreement from last year, such as the
requirement that the current plan has to comply with the
highest environmental standard and review a variety of
water conveyance options. The Chamber believes there is
not a need for additional provisions as mandated by AB
1594.
August 5,
2009
Chambers
Support Legislative Water Crisis Solution
California is in its third year of a drought and
Southwest California businesses are being asked to
reduce water usage as much as possible. There are a
number of methods available to businesses to aid efforts
to conserve water. However, many conservation efforts do
carry a large price tag potential placing businesses at
a competitive disadvantage. With such a hefty price tag,
businesses are seeking other ways to mitigate its
chronic water needs.
As reasonable solution is a legislative proposal
supported by the Southwest California Legislative
Council. AB 474 will mitigate the initial outlay for any
business willing to increase their conservation efforts.
“Our business community is well aware of the need to cut
back on water consumption and we are open to new
innovated ways to do so,” stated stated Roger Ziemer,
Chair of the Southwest California Legislative Council.
“AB 474 is a solution in the right direction in which it
will give property owners the choice of conserving,
while at the same time allowing the economical means to
install conservation minded improvements,” continued
Ziemer.
The key provision of AB 474 allows commercial and
residential property owners to enter into an agreement
with public agencies (in this case, water agencies) to
receive upfront financing for the installation of
permanent water use efficiency improvements. Property
owners will then be allowed to pay an annual assessment
until all costs associated with the project are repaid
to the public agency. Assembly Bill 474 expands upon
last year’s AB 811, which authorized the use of
voluntary assessment agreements between cities, counties
and property owners for financing energy efficiency
projects.
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