October 1998 Issues Online June 2007 April 2007 February 2007 December 2006 October 2006 August 2006 June 2006 April 2006 February 2006 December 2005 October 2005 August 2005 June 2005 April 2005 February 2005 December 2004 October 2004 August 2004 June 2004 April 2004 February 2004 December 2003 October 2003 August 2003 June 2003 April 2003 February 2003 December 2002 October 2002 August 2002 June 2002 April 2002 February 2002 December 2001 October 2001 August 2001 June 2001 April 2001 February 2001 December 2000 October 2000 August 2000 June 2000 April 2000 February 2000 December 1999 October 1999 August 1999 June 1999 April 1999 February 1999 December 1998 October 1998 August 1998 June 1998 April 1998 February 1998 December 1997 October 1997 August 1997 June 1997 April 1997 February 1997 December 1996 October 1996 August 1996 June 1996 April 1996 February 1996 December 1995 October 1995 August 1995 June 1995 April 1995 February 1995 December 1994 October 1994 August 1994 June 1994 April 1994 February 1994 December 1993 October 1993 August 1993 Select any issue from the menu in this bar.

Political Potpourri

The closing days of the legislative session in August saw the failure of a $1.7 billion water bond measure that would have allocated $300 million to ecosystem enhancements in the Delta, as well as the passage of three water pollution control bills.

The bond measure - which also included $365 million for water recycling and pollution prevention, $150 million for groundwater storage and $50 million to strengthen Delta levees - fell victim to a dispute between Governor Wilson and Democrats over $150 million sought by Wilson to study new reservoirs. Democrats argued that spending tax dollars on surface storage before CALFED decides whether or not to include it in its Delta fix is premature.

A spokesman for Governor Wilson blamed the demise of the bond measure on "elitist environmental groups from San Francisco" - a charge Cynthia Koehler of Save the Bay calls "offensive," noting that a coalition of more than 70 groups had expressed concern about the surface storage issue.

The governor vetoed two of the three pollution control bills that made it to his desk. As he did last year, Wilson vetoed legislation, AB 2339, that would have required the state and regional water boards to start cleaning up toxic hot spots identified under the Bay Protection and Toxic Cleanup Program.

Calling it "unnecessary," Wilson also killed SB 1453, which would have required the State Board and the Coastal Commission to develop and implement a non-point source pollution control program as required by the federal Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization of 1990. The State Board already has a non-point source program, but Save the Bay's Will Burns says that a federal review of the plan found it to be inadequate.

Wilson did sign one bill championed by environmental groups. AB 2019 will require tougher enforcement of the state's stormwater permit program. The new law directs Regional Boards to identify thousands of California businesses that should have stormwater permits but do not; those that do not respond to notification within 60 days would automatically be fined $5,000. DeltaKeeper Bill Jennings doubts whether the new program will make much of a difference. "We've never lacked for penalties for non-compliance," he says. "All we've lacked has been resolve, and especially resources, on the part of state agencies."

«To @@(newsletter_title)@@ Index

[ ABAG HOME | SFEP HOME ]

Copyright © 2002, San Francisco Estuary Project