WE NEED GRIDLOCK IN HANFORD FRIDAY JAN 31!!

Legislative Committee Wants YOU to Comment on Water Bond, Jan. 31

As the Governor's recent declaration of a drought state of emergency demonstrates, urgent investments are needed to better enable Californians to prepare for future water scarcity.

The California Legislature Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife’s launched a hearing series in October 2013 to explore the need for a general obligation bond in 2014 to help fund water-related projects and programs and to hear local perspectives on the potential public benefits to communities throughout the state from such a water bond.

The Informational Hearing Series, “The Need for a 2014 Water Bond – Local Perspectives” travels to Hanford on Friday, January 31, from 5-7 pm at the:

Kings County Government Center

Board of Supervisors Chambers

1400 W. Lacey Boulevard

Hanford, CA

Friday's hearing will focus on the Tulare Lake Hydrologic Region, one of ten in the State. The Tulare Region relies on surface water, groundwater, and water imported from the federal Central Valley Project (CVP), operated by the U.S. Bureau of

Reclamation (Reclamation), and State Water Project (SWP), operated by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).

Some significant local water issues include:

Groundwater supply, management, and contamination
Clean and safe drinking water, particularly for disadvantaged communities
Water storage potential

AB 1331, the Clean and Safe Drinking Water Act of 2014, repeals the existing bond and places a $6.5 billion bond on the November 4, 2014 ballot that is better tailored to current water management challenges. Specifically, the $6.5 Billion Assembly Water Bond proposal includes:

$1 Billion for maintaining and improving Drinking Water Quality
$1.5 Billion for protecting Rivers & Watersheds
$1.5 Billion to fund integrated regional water management that will improve water delivery and help regions reduce the impact of climate change on water supply.
$1 Billion to protecting The California Delta that is critical to the state water supply system and a key ecological resource.
$1.5 Billion for Water Storage projects that will also reduce the impact of climate change on clean, reliable and affordable water supply.

Opening Comments will be presented by:

Assemblymember Anthony Rendon, Chair, Water, Parks & Wildlife
Committee
Assemblymember Rudy Salas, Chair, Select Committee on Regional
Approaches to Addressing the State's Water Crisis
Assemblymember Mariko Yamada
Assemblymember Jim Patterson

Local perspectives will be presented by:

Dave Orth, General Manager, Kings River Conservation District
Maria Herrera, Director of Community Advocacy, Community Water Center
Brent Walthall, Assistant General Manager, Kern County Water Agency
Aubrey Bettencourt, Executive Director, California Water Alliance
Mario Santoyo, Executive Director, California Latino Water Coalition

Finally, the public is invited to comment.

This is where you come in. . .

Testimony may be subject to time limits.

Related materials may be found on the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee's website under the Water Bond tab: http://awpw.assembly.ca.gov/waterbond

Labels: Hanford Water Bond Hearing, Jan. 31, Legislative Committee Wants YOU to Comment on Water Bond, Tulare Lake Hydrologic Region, WE NEED GRIDLOCK IN HANFORD FRIDAY JAN 31!!