The Legislature has passed a measure to exempt wetlands and disadvantaged communities from groundwater regulations.
Conservation and environmental justice groups claim many groundwater plans in critically overdrafted basins have not accounted for those needs. They fear broad pumping caps and steep fees would deprive communities of safe water and let sensitive habitats go dry.
A San Joaquin Valley farm coalition, however, charges AB 828 would undercut the ability of local agencies to raise the funds needed to implement plans. They argue such state intervention would violate a central tenant behind SGMA: that solutions should be locally led.
Asm. Jasmeet Bains of Delano and Sen. Melissa Hurtado of Bakersfield sided with Republicans in voting against the measure.
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On that note: Lawmakers have also sent Gov. Gavin Newsom a bill requiring board members at groundwater sustainability agencies to file financial disclosure statements.
Hurtado and the bill’s proponents reason that transparency is “fundamental to effectively managing groundwater resources and protecting our community's interests.”
