Agenda

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LEGISLATION COMMITTEE

Meeting Date:	04/03/2014
Submitted For:	LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Department:	County Administrator
Referral No.:	2014-13
Referral Name:	Support for Delta Conservancy Funding
Presenter:	Lara DeLaney	Contact:	L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097

Information

Referral History:

Campbell Ingram, the Executive Officer of Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy, requested on February 27, 2014 assistance from the Board of Supervisors and the Delta Counties Coalition with securing funding for the Conservancy through the FY 14/15 budget process.

Referral Update:

The Delta Conservancy was created by the Delta Reform Act of 2009. Funding to meet the Conservancy’s legislative mandates was anticipated to come from the passage of the Safe, Clean, Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010 that has now twice been delayed.

As a result, the State’s commitment to the Delta through creation of the Conservancy has gone unfunded for over three years. In the absence of project funding, the Conservancy has done a tremendous job of helping to develop the partnerships, coordination, and accountability that will be necessary for successful engagement in the Delta. We can no longer wait for a bond to pass! If a water bond passes in November of 2014, funding will not be available to the Conservancy until July of 2015. We should not go another 12 or more months without minimal bridge funding for the Conservancy.

We have been asked to urge the Budget Subcommittee to ensure that a minimum of $6,000,000.00 be included in the FY 14/15 budget for the Conservancy so that it can continue to do the important work that we all believe is foundational to the future viability of the Delta and all its many services to the State.

The attached list of funding priorities identifies 7 projects that would move forward in FY 14/15.

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

CONSIDER recommending a letter of support from the Board of Supervisors for the Delta Conservancy funding in the amount of $6M for FY 14-15, as recommended by staff.

Attachments
Conservancy Priority Needs