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AB  1806, stripped of its mitigation clauses, goes to Senate for second vote. AB 2175, the water conservation bill to be voted on as well

by Jerry Neuburger
August 20, 2008. -- Two bills of interest to California anglers will come to the floor of the Senate for a vote as early as today. The first, AB 1806, the Delta restoration and mitigation bill, has already been voted on once, and refused by a vote of 18-21. The bill, authored by Lois Wolk, chair of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee and developed and supported by John Beuttler, Conservation Director, CSPA, has been a focus for the fishing community since its initial proposal in late spring. 

AB 1806, in its original form would have provided provisions for fish rescue and relocation plans in the case of an emergency and further, would have required full mitigation for the damages done to the delta fisheries by the pumping process.

When the bill was defeated on its first attempt on August 17, Senator Torlakson, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee asked the Senate to consider the bill for a re-vote. That motion was approved 39-0. The bill was amended on August 18 and stripped of its mitigation requirements, the sections that were opposed by many of the large and powerful southern California water districts.

While the amended bill could be seen as a compromise by the legislators involved, the principal intent of the bill, that of providing millions of dollars to mitigate for the impacts caused by the state and federal water projects, is a tremendous blow to the bill's advocates.

With the "objectionable" sections removed, AB 1806 is almost assured of passage but it will be a pale horse compared to what it could have meant to the delta's fisheries.

Another bill coming to the floor is AB 2175, the water conservation bill, authored by Assembly Members Laird and Feuer. This bill would require the state to achieve a 20% reduction in urban per capita water use in California by December 31, 2020. The bill would require the state to reduce per capita use by at least 10% on or before December 31, 2015.

Surprisingly, the objections to this bill may come from north state Senators since many of the southern California cities are already adopting water conservation policies of their own. In fact, the largest city in the state deemed to a water waster is Sacramento, the state capital.