[Water_news] 4. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: WATER QUALITY -11/30/07

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment

 

November 30, 2007

 

4. Water Quality

 

Vacancies on water boards filled

San Diego Union Tribune – 11/30/07

By Mike Lee and Michael Gardner, staff writers

 

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger avoided a regulatory meltdown this week by filling critical posts on regional boards that protect water quality from San Diego to the north coast's Redwood Empire.

 

Four of California's nine water quality control boards were two days away from losing so many leaders through expired terms that they could no longer take votes on crucial issues such as a major cleanup mandate for San Diego Bay, fines for sewage spills and stormwater permits.

 

The governor's 11th-hour nominations, made Wednesday, enable most of the boards to continue business. But the close call has some environmental advocates and politicians concerned about the oversight of water quality issues in California.

 

Schwarzenegger's slow pace and other challenges plaguing the water board system have spurred state legislation to try to change it. The long-term issues include tight budgets, uneven enforcement and a perceived lack of prestige for serving on the boards.

 

“These are stopgap appointments,” said Linda Sheehan, executive director of the California Coastkeeper Alliance based in Fremont. “They do not solve the ongoing problem.”

 

California has nine regional water boards that report to a state board. Their rulings affect a wide span of groups including developers, farmers and local governments.

 

Until Wednesday, roughly a third of the 81 regional board positions statewide were unfilled, and the holes were starting to show.

 

In San Diego, the water board spiked its September meeting because it lacked a quorum. Two new members and the reappointment of a member this week should allow it to avoid more slowdowns.

 

“I don't think that we should miss a beat,” said Eric Anderson, an Escondido flower farmer who was reappointed to the board Wednesday.

 

Board seats can be hard to fill because of their low pay – $100 per meeting – and low profile.

 

Concerns about water-quality management prompted Senate President Pro Tempore Don Perata, D-Oakland, to introduce a bill this fall designed to beef up the boards. Schwarzenegger said in his veto message that improvements were needed but that Perata's bill wasn't the answer.

 

Perata has pledged to revive his legislation next year. #

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20071130/news_1m30waterreg.html

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