Bill Text: CA AB2079 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Groundwater extraction: large-diameter, high-capacity water wells: permits.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2024-06-11 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Failed passage. [AB2079 Detail]
Download: California-2023-AB2079-Amended.html
Amended
IN
Assembly
April 16, 2024 |
Amended
IN
Assembly
March 21, 2024 |
Introduced by Assembly Member Bennett |
February 05, 2024 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:SECTION 1.SEC. 2.
Article 5 (commencing with Section 13807) is added to Chapter 10 of Division 7 of the Water Code, to read:Article 5. Well Sustainability
13807.
This article shall apply only to applications for permits for the construction, maintenance, abandonment, or destruction of water wells in basins identified in the Department of Water Resources Bulletin 118.The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a)The groundwater extraction from large-diameter, high-capacity wells can interfere with nearby drinking water wells and result in impacts to critical infrastructure from subsidence.
(b)It is in the public interest to ensure that the permitting of new wells extracting groundwater will be conducted to minimize the impacts to drinking water wells and subsidence.
(c)Sustainable groundwater management in many parts of the state requires coordination between local agencies permitting water wells and
groundwater sustainability agencies managing groundwater basins.
(d)People, businesses, and industries seeking to construct or operate water wells should be adequately informed about groundwater conditions and groundwater management programs that may affect the current or future use and operation of their wells.
(e)Applicants seeking, and agencies permitting, the construction and operation of water wells should take into account the reliability and sustainability of the groundwater sources intended to be used to avoid unexpected or unplanned well dewatering or loss of well production capacity, which could lead to higher rates of unexpected, unplanned, or premature well abandonment and dereliction that could pose additional threats to groundwater quality.
(f)Agencies permitting for the construction and operation of water wells should consider the potential for those wells to cause
or contribute to land subsidence, which can have impacts on water quality by adversely affecting the concentration of naturally or artificially occurring chemical constituents of concern and posing other serious public health and economic problems.
13808.13807.1.
The following definitions shall apply to this article:(a)
(b)