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The Governor wants to hear from you on water... (He may not like what he hears!)

By John Beuttler, CSPA Conservation Director
September 4, 2008 -- At long last there’s an opportunity for the public to comment on the Governor's Statewide Water Conservation Plan. This could be a major tool to help restore the Bay-Delta estuary and its dependent fishery resources. Unfortunately, if the Governor has his way, that won’t happen. We urge you engagement to support our efforts to avoid losing such a valuable opportunity.

As you may recall, about two years ago CSPA, the Planning and Conservation League, the Allied Fishing Groups, met with Resources Agency Secretary Chrisman and provided him with our perspective on the over allocation and export of the estuary's waters and the imperative need for a statewide water conservation program. We noted that this could play a critical role in reducing diversions from the Delta to help return its biological productivity and reestablish a healthy foodweb necessary for fishery recovery and sustainability. This conceptual water conservation strategy that we offered was based on DWRs Bulletin 160 estimates of conservation benefits to the state’s water supply.

While the Governor's conservation program is a positive step, it unfortunately omits the participation of the state's agricultural and other private sector businesses! A flaw that sorely needs correction since 83% of the water exported (above and out of the Delta) goes to agriculture. Why, you might ask, would California put a conservation burden on the back of the public and omit the largest user of water in the state? "Follow the money!"

We should urge all concerned citizens to attend these workshops and support the need for a truly state wide conservation plan that includes all Californians and especially those who make a living using the public's water resources for private enterprise. It is also critical to advocate that the water saved though the conservation effort needs to be quantified and used as part of the calculus for reducing Delta diversions.

While not all water saved would directly reduce the amount of water that could be exported, we need to establish an equitable method as a basis for reducing exports based on the amount of Delta water conserved by this plan. This also ties into improving regional water self-sufficiency to reduce Delta water exports.

http://www.calsport.org/

STATE OF CALIFORNIA -- THE RESOURCES AGENCY ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Governor
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES
1416 NINTH STREET, P.O. BOX 942836
SACRAMENTO, CA 94236-0001
(916) 653-5791
NOTICE OF WORKSHOP

Governor’s Statewide Water Conservation
Statewide Implementation PlanMonday, September 15, 2008 – 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
John Moss Federal Building – 5th floor
CALFED Delta Room
650 Capitol Mall
Sacramento, CA 95814

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Governor’s 20X2020 Agency Team on Water Conservation (20X2020 Agency Team) is holding a workshop to gather public comment on developing a statewide implementation plan for urban water conservation.

BACKGROUND
In February 2008 Governor Schwarzenegger called for a 20 percent reduction in per capita water use by 2020 and asked State agencies to develop a more aggressive plan of conservation to achieve the goal. A team of State and federal agencies (20X2020 Agency Team) was formed consisting of the Department of Water Resources, the State Water Resources Control Board, the Energy Commission, the Public Utilities Commission, the Department of Public Health, the US Bureau of Reclamation and the
California Bay-Delta Authority to develop a statewide implementation plan for achieving this goal. The California Urban Water Conservation Council is also participating. The goals of the 20X2020 Agency Team include establishing baseline information; quantifying urban water conservation targets and strategies for achieving those targets; developing an estimate of the per capita urban water conserved by 2020; developing statewide implementation plans; and identifying performance metrics to be used to document efforts to achieve compliance with the targets.

As part of developing a strategy to meet the Governor's conservation goal, it is necessary to establish a baseline of urban water use that will serve as the basis for determining the 20 percent reduction. Due to regional differences in climate and commercial and industrial characteristics, it is necessary to establish a baseline water use on a hydrological regional basis and establish water conservation targets reflecting these regional factors. Two draft documents have been prepared that provide data and methodologies for establishing baseline water use and statewide and regional conservation targets. These drafts will be made available for public review and comment prior to the meeting at the 20X2020 Agency Team website (See the Document Availability below), and will be subject of discussion at the public workshop.

MEETING PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION
The purpose of this workshop is to solicit public input on the proposed urban water conservation baseline and targets the 20X2020 Agency Team should consider. The 20X2020 Agency Team will present an overview of the 20X2020 process, water conservation baseline and targets with opportunities for the public to provide comments. This workshop will be the first in a series of public workshops aimed at soliciting comments and discussing the implementation plan as it is developed.

WRITTEN COMMENTS
Written comments may be submitted by email to: 2020comments@ccp.csus.edu

DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY
For more information about this workshop and to view or download the agenda and other pertinent information, please visit the 20X2020 Agency Team website at:
http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/hot_topics/20x2020/index.shtml

ACCESSIBILITY
Please allow extra time for parking and federal building security screening procedures. Current photo identification is required for building access.

Visitors may bring cameras and cell phones with camera capability into the building only with the prior approval of the California Bay-Delta Authority and the Federal Protective Service, and their use in the building will be subject to federal restrictions.

Please contact Terry Smith, Security Coordinator for the California Bay-Delta Authority, cell (916) 716-1904, office (916) 445-5345, or tsmith@calwater.ca.gov for building access information and camera guidelines.

If you need reasonable accommodation due to disability, please contact Debbie Mininfield at the California Bay-Delta Authority at (916) 445-5511 or TDD (800) 735-2929.