April 2002 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.

New Layers of Delta Government?

Two bills important to water and Delta interests are working their way through the State Senate.

SB 1854, authored by Stockton Democrat Michael Machado, would set up a Delta Conservancy, similar in some ways to the Coastal Conservancy, the Lake Tahoe Conservancy and others throughout the state.

Machado notes that currently there are an array of agencies and programs receiving funds for Delta related projects. The new conservancy would be a "single gate" to oversee and coordinate the diverse range of programs. Like the others, it would become a part of the Resources Agency, but its role would differ in several ways, he says. "We need to step beyond just focusing on the acquisition of property." Since the Delta’s economy is heavily dependant on agriculture, it’s important to keep the acreage productive and on the tax rolles. He wants the Conservancy to focus on supporting environmentally friendly farming projects, as well as those which enhance water quality and supply, and levee stability.

Machado emphasizes that the bill is still in the formative stages, and that he’s soliciting input from all stakeholders. "This is a tool," he says. "The tool is still being forged."

Senator Jim Costa (D-Fresno) is sponsoring SB 1653 to create a new agency to carry out implementation of CALFED’s August 2000 record of decision. Among other responsibilities, the Bay-Delta Commission would prepare environmental documents, hold regulatory permits, establish a public advisory commission, and issue an annual report. It would be funded by both state and federal money.

Dan Sullivan of the Sierra Club says environmentalists have several concerns about the Costa bill. His group favors having the Commission administered by a consortium of agencies, much as is being done now with CALFED. The alternative, setting up an appointed board similar to the Bay Conservation and Development Commission or the Coastal Commission, would be problematic because the agency will have to serve constituencies from Trinity River environmentalists to Southern California water developers. "It’s hard to imagine a commission that would be able to manage this whole interconnected range of interests," he says. The bill passed the Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee on April 3, and will next be heard by the Appropriations Committee. In the meantime, issues such as the role of the existing Delta Protection Commission and other stakeholders in the new agencies, are still being worked out.

Contacts: Machado’s office (916)445-2407; Costa’s office (916)445-4641 O’B

«To @@(newsletter_title)@@ Index

[ ABAG HOME | SFEP HOME ]

Copyright © 2002, San Francisco Estuary Project