Tag Archive for: Water and Politics

Incoming Interior Secretary Faces Many Issues in Arizona and Beyond, From Water Rights to Climate

/in , /by /Tucson.comby Tony Davis

If U.S. Rep. Debra Haaland is confirmed as interior secretary, the Native American from New Mexico could make a huge difference to Arizona and the West when her background and outlook are translated into policy. Experts in Native American affairs and Democratic Party congressional leaders including Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Tucson and Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico offer predictions for how Haaland’s tenure could affect federal lands and waters: Water rights.

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Ventura Water’s $104M Debt Refinancing to Minimize Rate Hikes for Customers

/in , /by /VC Starby Mike Harris

The city of Ventura has refinanced most of Ventura Water’s $104 million debt, resulting in nearly $16 million in savings that are expected to lower planned rate hikes for customers, city officials said.

Refinanced was $97.4 million of the debt total, said Michael Coon, the city’s finance and technology director.

The rate on the refinanced debt was lowered from 4.8% to 2.47%, resulting in the $15.95 million savings, he said.

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Around Kings County: Big Water News for Central Valley

/in , /by /The Sentinelby John Lindt

Water bills would help fix subsidence damage: A package of water bills passed Congress this week that could offer hundreds of millions to improve San Joaquin Valley water deliveries. Folded into the same bill that will be offering COVID relief was the government’s annual spending bill that included  funding approval for key local canals and dams. Significantly it includes $206 million to rebuild 33 miles of the Friant Kern Canal and monies for the repair of the westside’s California Aqueduct and Delta Mendota Canal — all facing reduced capacity due to subsidence- the sinking of land caused by vigorous water pumping nearby over the years.

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Colorado River Tribes Seek Approval From Congress to Put Water On the Market in Arizona

/in , /by /AZ Centralby Ian James

On the Arizona-California border, where the Colorado River pushes against Headgate Rock Dam, churning water pours into a wide canal and runs across the desert, flowing toward the farmlands of the Colorado River Indian Tribes.

This tribal nation is the largest single user of Colorado River water in Arizona, with rights to divert about 662,000 acre-feet per year, more than double the amount of water diverted for the state of Nevada.

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Congress Appropriations Bill Includes $206 Million for Friant-Kern Canal

/in , /by /The Recorderby Charles Whisnand

Congress presented an early Christmas present that will go a long ways to providing much needed repairs for the Friant-Kern Canal.

Congress signed off on funding for the repair work to be done locally on the 33-mile stretch of the canal. The stretch is from Avenue 208 between Strathmore and Lindsay to north Kern County.

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Temperance Flat Dam Returns $171 Million to State. Still, Backers Swear It’s ‘Not Dead’

/in , /by /The Fresno Beeby Monica Vaughan and Danielle Bergstrom

Backers of a $3 billion project to construct the tallest dam in California swear the project isn’t dead, despite the Temperance Flat Reservoir Authority returning money and canceling applications. After it became clear that the reservoir project on the San Joaquin River west of Auberry would not reach upcoming deadlines for studies and funding, Temperance Flat Reservoir Authority declined $171 million designated by the California Water Commission and withdrew its application for additional funding, according to a resolution signed by the Authority on Oct. 30.

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Ramona Water District Board to Appoint New Member Before February

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Karen Pearlman

The Ramona Municipal Water District Board of Directors hopes to appoint a candidate early next year to fill a vacant Division 3 board seat for the next two years. The board is on a fast track to find a replacement for incumbent Director Thomas N. Ace, one of two candidates who was running for a four-year seat.

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EPA Guidance May Exempt Some Water Polluters from Supreme Court Permit Mandate

/in , /by /The Hillby Rachel Frazin

The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday released a draft guidance that interprets a Supreme Court decision in a way that may exempt some facilities from needing permits to pollute groundwater. In April, the court decided that a permit is required for both direct discharges of pollutants into federally-regulated rivers and oceans as well as their “functional equivalent” in groundwater that flows into regulated waters.

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House Passes Water Resources Development Act; Final Bill Expected to Become Law This Year

/in , /by /Lake County Newsby Elizabeth Larson

On Tuesday, Congressman John Garamendi, a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure whose district includes 200 miles of the Sacramento River and is adjacent to several major ports, secured key provisions in the “Water Resources Development Act of 2020” for the California Delta and Central Valley. The legislation passed the House Tuesday and is expected to pass the Senate with strong bipartisan support and become law this year.

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Johnson, Moss, Mack, McSorley Seek Rainbow Board Seats

/in , , /by /Village Newsby Joe Naiman Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Two Rainbow Municipal Water District board seats will have contested elections this year. Hayden Hamilton was unopposed for a second term in the Division 2 seat. Helene Brazier is retiring as the Division 1 director and Rainbow committee members Julie Johnson and Pam Moss are seeking that seat. Current Division 5 board member Michael Mack is being challenged by current Vallecitos School District board member Kathy McSorley. Division 1 includes Morro Hills, Bonsall, and Vista Valley while Division 5 is in Rainbow and also covers new development projects east of Interstate 15

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