Pending California Decision May Eliminate Drought Safeguard for Cities: Public Asked to Weigh In

By Gary A. Patton
Executive Director
Planning and Conservation League

Next week the Department of Water Resources (DWR) will hear from the public on whether or not to eliminate a drought safeguard for over 20 million Californians.

Millions of Californians now receive a portion of their water supply from the State Water Project (SWP). As part of the original agreement to purchase SWP water, these Californians were given priority for water deliveries during times of drought or shortage.

However, in 1995, the State and a handful of SWP contractors attempted to amend the SWP contracts. As part of those negotiations, the urban safeguard was eliminated from the water contracts. As a result, urban areas are at greater risk of water cutbacks during droughts.

Fortunately, the amendments have not been adopted permanently. As part of a lawsuit by PCL and two other plaintiffs, the State was forced to do an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on the effects of the proposed amendments and present that EIR to the public for full review. After responding to all public comments, DWR must decide whether to adopt the original amendments, including elimination of the urban safeguard. Alternatively, DWR could choose to implement other water management strategies that would better serve California.

The public now has the opportunity to weigh in on whether DWR should eliminate the urban safeguard or seek a better path for California. DWR will hold three more hearings on the proposed contract amendments.

December 3, 2007 1-3 PM
Room 102-A, Hearing Room, Bonderson Building, 901 P Street, Sacramento, CA

December 4, 2007 6-8 PM
800 South Victoria Avenue, Lower Plaza Assembly Room, Ventura, CA

December 5, 2007 6-8 PM
1115 Truxton Avenue, Supervisors’ Board Room, 5th Floor, Bakersfield, CA

Written comments on the Draft EIR for the proposed amendments can also be submitted to DWR by January 14, 2008. For more information on the hearings or the proposed SWP amendments, please contact Mindy McIntyre at mmcintyre@pcl.org.

Gary Patton is the Executive Director of the Planning and Conservation League, a statewide, nonprofit lobbying organization. For more than thirty years, PCL has fought to develop a body of environmental laws in California that is the best in the United States. PCL staff review virtually every environmental bill that comes before the California Legislature each year. It has testified in support or opposition of thousands of bills to strengthen California's environmental laws and fight off rollbacks of environmental protections.

Comments

Get Email Updates

Want the California Progress Report by email? Once a week, we'll send you the latest and greatest headlines.