Bill Text: CA AB554 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Desalination: statewide goal.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 6-1)
Status: (Failed) 2018-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB554 Detail]
Download: California-2017-AB554-Amended.html
|
Amended
IN
Assembly
March 27, 2017 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION
| Assembly Bill | No. 554 |
| Introduced by Assembly Member Cunningham (Coauthors: Assembly Members Travis Allen, Harper, and Mathis) (Coauthors: Senators Bates and Wilk) |
February 14, 2017 |
An act to add Section 12946.5 to the Water Code, relating to water resources.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 554, as amended, Cunningham.
Desalination: statewide goal.
Existing law, the Cobey-Porter Saline Water Conversion Law, states the policy of this state that desalination projects developed by or for public water entities be given the same opportunities for state assistance and funding as other water supply and reliability projects, and that desalination be consistent with all applicable environmental protection policies in the state. The law provides that is it the intention of the Legislature that the Department of Water Resources undertake to find economic and efficient methods of desalting saline water so that desalted water may be made available to help meet the growing water requirements of the state.
This bill would establish a goal to desalinate 300,000 acre-feet of drinking water per year by the year 2025 and 500,000 acre-feet of drinking water per year by the year
2030.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) The State of California is subject to periodic drought conditions and is currently in the fifth year of the most recent drought.
(b) The competing demands for traditional water resources have demonstrated that new drinking water supply options need to be added to support the California economy and the public health and safety of all Californians.
(c) There is an immediate need for safe, clean, and reliable new drinking water to provide local and regional
public water suppliers all available water supply options to meet their local or regional drinking water supply needs.
(d) The Governor’s Water Action Plan encourages the state to maximize local and regional water supply development and calls for the streamlining of the permitting process for desalination and recycling of water.
(e) The policy of the State of California is to reduce its dependence on the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
(f) Desalinated water is an important and reliable source for meeting total water demand. Continued and expanded production and distribution of desalinated water for beneficial and permitted uses can improve regional self-reliance by meeting a portion of future
increased total drinking water demands.
