Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday proposed granting new enforcement powers to local agencies in California’s ongoing drought, including penalties of as much as $10,000 for the most egregious violations of conservation orders.
Brown said he will also propose legislation to speed environmental permitting for local water supply projects, though not – significantly – for dams.
Neither proposal had taken bill form yet Tuesday, and specifics were unclear. The Democratic governor announced the measures after meeting with the mayors of 14 cities in Sacramento.
“We’ve done a lot,” Brown told reporters at the Capitol. “We have a long way to go.”
Brown said fines of as much as $10,000 would be reserved for the “worst offenders,” a dramatic increase from the current $500 daily maximum fine.
The governor’s office said legislation proposed by Brown would let public agencies deputize staff to issue water-related citations, among other measures.
“You might think of this as just another installment in a long enterprise to live with a changing climate and with a drought of uncertain duration,” Brown said.
Brown announced the legislation a day after Assembly Democrats killed a bill designed to streamline environmental review for the Sites Reservoir in the Sacramento Valley and Temperance Flat on the San Joaquin River near Fresno.
Brown said the legislation he is proposing would apply to projects that could be described as “something less than a reservoir.”
Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, who met with Brown, offered that the legislation could apply to treatment plants and water recycling facilities.
Representatives of the state’s Democratic legislative leaders did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
Asked about the timing of the legislation, Brown said, “We’re in a drought … It’s an emergency, and we have to act expeditiously.”
Call David Siders, Bee Capitol Bureau, (916) 321-1215. Follow him on Twitter @davidsiders.
Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article19824762.html#storylink=cpy
Oh how cute they made the hand brown. Si si.
Californians must be leaving in droves….where do they go?
http://www.news10.net/story/news/nation/2014/10/10/blame-california-where-texas-newest-residents-are-moving-from/17039087/
Oregon, if they’re smart.
Yes! Believe you me #1, if I had the financial resources to scoot on up there, I’d be there in a heartbeat.
. . .
It took all the resources I had and then some, Cathleen, but it saved what little sanity I had left.
Smartest thing I’ve done in many years.
Iv lived in AZ, NV, CO, and OR over the last 2 decades. All of them complain that the californians are coming in droves and destroying their communities with liberal laws.
If you go to Nor Cal they say that the LA pr#@ks are moving in and destroying their communities with over priced land they are not able to buy because its only listed in LA for triple the local price.
But of course, Nestle can drain and sell all the water they want to.
(Satire) Nestle says, “We’ll take all the damned water we want, just join the “Urine Drinkers Society”.
And who makes the decision what is a waste of water???
“Neither proposal had taken bill form yet Tuesday, and specifics were unclear.”
Masters of vague.
“We’ve done a lot,” Brown told reporters at the Capitol. “We have a long way to go.”
Yeah, all the way to the gallows.
How much water does Moonbeam burn through?
I urge a fine on Brown for urinating and defecating into potable water AKA the shit colifornians fill their toilets with.
Shut up already. Nobody cares.
God helps those that are smart enough not to shit in their drinking water.
Amen Ryan!
. . .
(Satire) Jerry says,”Linda, my ‘old flame’ is stopping by to reminisce. I don’t know how that will go as we both “jumped the fence” a few times.”