AB 965: California and Mexico border: water resources improvement.

(1)Existing law establishes the California-Mexico Border Relations Council in state government, and prescribes the membership and functions and duties of the council with respect to coordinating the activities of state agencies, including environmental agencies, that are related to cross-border programs, initiatives, projects, and partnerships that exist within state agencies, and state and local efforts that are of concern between California and Mexico. Existing law requires the council to develop a strategic plan to guide a project to study, monitor, remediate, and enhance water quality in the New River in Imperial County. Existing law establishes the California Border Environmental and Public Health Protection Fund and makes moneys in the fund available, upon appropriation, to the Secretary for Environmental Protection for grants for specified health and environmental projects and purposes relating to the California-Mexico border region.

This bill would add the Secretary of State and Consumer Services as a member of the council and provide that the Regional Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9, may appoint a representative from his or her staff to serve as an ex-officio, nonvoting member of the council. The bill would require the council to invite the participation of representatives of the State of Baja California and the Mexican government to participate in meetings. The bill would require the council to establish the New River Water Quality, Public Health, and River Parkway Development Program to coordinate funding for, and the implementation of, recommendations from the strategic plan and the projects identified pursuant to existing law. The bill would make moneys in the fund available, upon appropriation, to the council for grants for specified health and environmental projects and purposes relating to the California-Mexico border region. The bill would provide that specified water bond proceeds may be deposited in the fund to be available, upon appropriation, to the council for these purposes.

(2)Existing law authorizes the Director of Water Resources to establish a program of flood damage reduction and urban creek restoration known as the Urban Streams Restoration Program. For purposes of the program, urban creek protection, restoration, and enhancement include, but are not limited to, the maintenance of channel capacity, channel stabilization, vegetation management, and adaptive management to meet program objectives.

This bill would also include the reduction of water quality impairments and nonpoint source water pollution, and the establishment of parkways for public use that benefit flood control and water quality among the types of measures that are included in the program.

Existing law requires the Department of Water Resources to coordinate the program with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, as prescribed.

This bill would, in addition, require the Department of Water Resources to consult with the council to establish criteria to fund projects that improve conditions for cross-border urban creeks.

(3)Existing law, the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014, approved by the voters as Proposition 1 at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds in the amount of $7,545,000,000 to finance a water quality, supply, and infrastructure improvement program. The bond act provides that the sum of $1,495,000,000 is to be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for competitive grants for multibenefit ecosystem and watershed protection and restoration projects. The bond act authorizes the use of $285,000,000 of those funds for watershed restoration projects through a program implemented by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

This bill would require the department to consult with the council to establish criteria to fund watershed restoration projects that improve conditions for cross-border urban creeks and watersheds.