California State Water Board to Consider Bold Action on Global Warming

By Gary A. Patton
General Counsel
Planning and Conservation League

Tomorrow, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) will meet in Sacramento to explore a set of proposed measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from water use in California.

That’s big news; the guidance that the board gives to their staff at next week's hearing will shape the agency's submittal to the California Air Resources Board for inclusion in the AB 32 Scoping Plan, which will show how the State plans to reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions back to 1990 levels.

The proposed measures are generally commendable though at times a bit short on details. Here are a few of the best:

• Require water recycling at wastewater treatment plants;
• Review water rights allocations to account for climate change implications and mandate water conservation measures through water rights; and,
• Ensure that water managers implement Best Management Practices.

We hope the Board members support the bold proposals that their staff have presented and strengthen those measures that are currently weak or vague. In particular, we’d like to see the Board support real, enforceable efficiency mandates that benefit all Californians and do not erode public health protections.

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) plans to collect public feedback on its proposed measures in late March. So far, DWR’s greenhouse gas reduction measures have fallen short. We’ll see if there are more ambitious ideas presented next month.
For more information on next week’s hearing, please contact PCL's Global Warming Program Manager, Matt Vander Sluis.

Gary Patton is General Counsel to 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.