[00:00:01]
BE HERE AT, OKAY.AND THEN THIS ONE, WHEN YOU RESTATE THAT, JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU SEE IT.
AND WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THIS ROOM RIGHT AWAY.
[1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL]
BUT'S.AND CHAIRMAN FOR DID EXCUSE HIMSELF.
[2. CLOSED SESSION]
INTO CLOSED SESSION AND WE'LL BE BACK HOPEFULLY SHORTLY.OH, THAT'S PROBABLY ROOM IN THE COUNTY BUILDING.
WHAT THAT P DAVE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAVE? OKAY, LET'S DO THIS.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC.
FOR WHICH PANEL? ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL JUSTICE.
KAMALA COULDN'T HAVE DONE BETTER.
THAT MEANS MAKE THE MINUTE PLEASE.
YOU'RE SITTING PUBLIC COMMENT.
PERIOD NUMBER FOUR, THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION, INCLUDING ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA.
UH, TESTIMONY NUMBER TO THREE MINUTES.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF YOU NOT FOUR.
THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ANY ONLINE? NOT SEEING ANY ONLINE.
LAST CHANCE I CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER FIVE,
[5. PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE AMENDED MERCED SUBBASIN GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN (GSP) AND PERIODIC EVALUATION]
PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE AMENDED E SUB BASIN GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AND PERIODIC EVALUATION.SO, AT YOUR DECEMBER MEETING, YOU HAD RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM WOODARD AND KERN ON THE MERCED BASINS AMENDED GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AND PERIODIC REVIEW.
THE MERCED GSPS GSAS HAVE BEEN COORDINATING TOGETHER ON EVALUATING AND AMENDING THE GSP FOR THE PAST YEAR.
AND THESE DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, IN LATE 2024.
UM, ON THE DOCUMENTS, THEY'RE STILL AVAILABLE ON THE MERCED SIGMA.ORG WEBSITE.
THE GSP IS BEING AMENDED TO ADDRESS THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES IDENTIFIED IN THE LETTER THAT THEY SENT IN AUGUST, 2023, APPROVING THE MERCED GSP.
AND ADDITIONALLY, SIGMA REQUIRES THAT THE GSPS ARE REVIEWED EVERY FIVE YEARS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF IMPLEMENTATION, WHICH IS THE PERIODIC EVALUATION DOCUMENT.
SO THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS THAT YOU'RE APPROVING.
ONE IS AN AMENDED GSP AND ONE IS A PERIODIC EVALUATION.
SO THIS IS THE FIVE YEAR REVIEW OF THE GSP.
IT ADDRESSES THE REQUIRED ELEMENTS THAT ARE IN THE CODE.
AND THE PERIODIC EVALUATION ALSO DISCUSSES HOW THE MERCED GSAS ADDRESSED THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS IN THE AMENDED GSP.
AND SO, WHENEVER A GSP IS ADOPTED OR AMENDED, THE GSA IS REQUIRED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE COMMENTS.
SO THE ACTION FOR TODAY IS TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, RECEIVE COMMENTS, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND CONSIDER ACTION TO ADOPT THE 2025 GSP AND THE PERIODIC EVALUATION THROUGH A RESOLUTION.
WITH THAT, I'M GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, UM, RECEIVE ANY TESTIMONY, QUESTION OR COMMENTS OR CONCERNS ON THE GSP? NO, IT'S NOT A LOT OF GOOD NEWS IN IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, SEEING ONLINE, NOT SEEING ANY ONLINE YEAH.
ON
SO, EKI DID START WORKING ON, UM, LOOKING AT ABOVE AND BELOW THE CORCORAN CLAY SOMETHING, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT? I REMEMBER YOU AUTHORIZED BY YEAH, IT, IT, IT WAS QUITE A LONG TIME AGO, I BELIEVE DURING, UM, SPRING OR EARLY SUMMER LAST YEAR, THEY DID PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION, INFORMATION TO THE STRATEGIC PLANNING AD HOC COMMITTEE ON THAT.
[00:05:01]
TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON, UM, EXACTLY WHAT THAT WAS.UM, THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF THE GROUNDWATER ALLOCATION RULE THAT DOES LOOK AT CORKER AND CLAY.
AND THAT IS ONE OF YOUR APRIL, 2025 ITEMS. SO THAT IS GONNA COME BEFORE APRIL.
SO THAT'S AN APRIL, 2025 DEADLINE.
WE, WE, WE COMMISSIONED THAT STUDY, RIGHT? YES.
WHAT WASN'T WHAT WE'RE CURRENTING FOR? THE THAT WAS FOR US FOR OUR ALLOCATION CORRECT DECISION, CORRECT.
ACTUALLY, I MEAN, FIRST OFF, YOU GOTTA GO TO THE HOT.
HOW MANY HOT LITTLE MICROPHONE.
ALRIGHT, YOU GOT IT? OH, WE HAVE ONE.
THERE'S ONE ON THE PODIUM, SO.
ALRIGHT, WELL, WE'RE GONNA MAKE 'EM COME UP TO THE PODIUM NEXT TIME.
THANKS FOR A REMINDER ON THAT.
ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER TESTIMONY OR QUESTIONS ON ADOPTING PUBLIC CARING FOR THE ADOPTING THE SPI JUST RIGHT NOW? IS THERE ANY ONLINE FOR THE G FOR THIS ITEM? NOT SEEING ANY ONLINE.
I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
NOW WITH THAT, UM, WE ARE TO ADOPT IT REQUIRE A ROLL CALL, BOTH, UM, SO THE CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE AMENDED MERC SUB BASINS GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN AND THE 2025 PERIODIC EVALUATION.
BILL, MAY I CALL FOR A VOTE PLEASE? MOTION, THERE'S A ROLL CALL.
DAVID, ANY A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
[6. EXPORT POLICY]
EXPORT POLICY.LACEY AND GREG, WE HAVE, UH, SO AGAIN, AT THE DECEMBER, 2024 MEETING, UM, THE BOARD HAD REQUESTED THAT STAFF DRAFT SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE FOR THIS EXPORT PROHIBITION POLICY.
SO THIS ITEM IS BRINGING THE POLICY BACK WITH ADDITIONAL VARIANCE LANGUAGE AS REQUESTED.
UM, IN THE MERCED SUB BASIN, THE THREE GSAS MET IN NOVEMBER AND AGREED THAT EACH BOARD WOULD CONSIDER POLICIES THAT PROHIBIT THE EXPORT OF GROUNDWATER OUTSIDE THE BASIN DURING THE TIME WHEN THE BASIN IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.
AT THIS TIME, M AUGUSTA ADOPTED THEIR POLICY LANGUAGE TO PROHIBIT EXPORT AT THEIR DECEMBER MEETING.
AND TURNER ISLAND WATER DISTRICT, TSA ONE, ADOPTED THEIR PROHIBITION POLICY LANGUAGE AT THEIR JANUARY 14TH MEETING.
UM, THE LANGUAGE FOR CONSIDERATION PROHIBITS THE DIRECT EXPORT OF A GROUNDWATER OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARY OF THE MERCED BASIN.
AND GROUNDWATER IS DEFINED AS THE SUSTAINABLE YIELD OF NATIVE GROUNDWATER AND THE ADDITIONAL PUMPING ALLOWANCE PURSUANT TO THE MSGS A'S GROUNDWATER ALLOCATION RULE.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS POLICY RECOGNIZES THAT THERE MAY BE TIMES AND CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE LANDOWNERS WITH CURRENT FARMING OPERATIONS THAT APPLY GROUNDWATER FROM THE MERCED SUB BASIN, GSA, WHO LANDS IN THEIR FARMING OPERATION OUTSIDE THE SUB.
AND UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, THE MERCED SUB BASIN GSA WOULD ALLOW THE LANDOWNER TO APPLY FOR A VARIANCE PURSUANT TO SUCH REQUIREMENTS DEFINED ELSEWHERE IN THE, ELSEWHERE BY THE M-S-G-S-A.
SO THE VARIANCE WOULD BE DEFINED IN THE GROUNDWATER ALLOCATION RULE, AND THE ACTION FOR TODAY IS TO CONSIDER APPROVING THIS GROUNDWATER EXPORT PROHIBITION POLICY.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD ON THIS BEFORE I OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, IS, IS THIS POLICY STATEMENT SPECIFIC WITH RESPECT TO EXPORTING OF GROUNDWATER OUTSIDE OF THE BASIN IN THE EXAMPLE, UH, BASIN
[00:10:01]
CORRECT.CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THIS IS JUST EXPORTATION OF GROUNDWATER TO ANOTHER BASIN TO THE SOUTH OR WEST OR NORTH, BUT IT IS ALLOWING, IF THERE HAS BEEN HISTORICAL USAGE, I SAY THERE'S A CERTAIN LANDOWNER THAT, THAT HAS BEEN USING GROUNDWATER EITHER WAY OR IT ALLOW THEM TO, I GUESS PETITION THE RIGHT WORD, UM, TO OKAY.
JUST SO I, I I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, HAVING MESHED PAST THE POLICY WITH RESPECT TO, UH, EXPORTED GROUND WATER, AND THAT BASICALLY SAID THE SAME THING.
THEY WERE PROHIBITING GROUND WATER BEING EXPORTED OUTSIDE BASIN.
THIS IS, THIS IS REPEATING THAT.
AND WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? WAS THE COUNTY POLICY, THE COUNTY OR THE BASIN? IT COULDN'T WAIT.
SO THE COUNTY OF MERCED HAS AN ORDINANCE THAT PROHIBITS EXPORT OUTSIDE OF A BASIN.
UM, THIS IS, UH, THE SAME PROHIBITION FOR THE MERCED GSA, OUTSIDE OF THE MERCED BASIN.
AND THIS IS IN ADVANCE OF A CONSIDERATION BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT WOULD CHANGE THE ORDINANCE TO GIVE THE GSAA, UM, EXEMPTION UNDER THAT PROHIBITION THAT THE GSA COULD DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO ALLOW AN EXPORT.
SO ON JANUARY 28TH, THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS GOING TO CONSIDER AN AMENDMENT TO THEIR ORDINANCE, WHICH WOULD CHANGE THE EXPORT PROHIBITION TO GIVE THE GSAS AN EXEMPTION THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO ALLOW EXPORT THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO MAKE A DETERMINATION THAT ALLOWS AN EXPORT AUTHORITY TO THE GS A, IT'S GIVING AUTHORITY.
THIS GSA IS SAYING WE'RE KEEPING A PROHIBITION.
THE, THE COUNTY HAS CAUSED THE WAY THE WATER RIGHTS ARE WITH THE GSAS NOW HAVING AUTHORITY OVER IT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE GSAS HAVING AUTHORITY OVER IT.
SO THEY'VE BEEN WORKING AND THE THREE GSAS CAME UP WITH THIS, WORKING ON IT TOGETHER, UH, AND HAD A C COMMITTEE JUST GO OVER OUR IDEAS ABOUT IT TO HAVE IT AT THE GSA LEVEL.
AND THEN ONCE THE COUNTY SAW WHAT THE GSAS WERE DOING, THEN THEY'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT AND POSSIBLY CHANGE IT THE NEXT MEETING.
ALL THREE GSAS IN THE BASIN HAVE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME POLICY.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? PUBLIC? ANY ONLINE, ANY? IT'S QUIET, RIGHT? WELL, UM, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A MOTION, RIGHT? UM, POTENTIALLY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE EXPORT POLICY OR NOT.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, UM, ADOPT THE EXPORT POLICY.
[7. WATER RIGHTS APPLICATION LETTER]
WATER RIGHTS APPLICATION LETTER.DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO SIGN A LETTER FROM MERC CITY IRRIGATION DISTRICT, STATE OF CALIFORNIA WATER RESOURCE CONTROL BOARD SUPPORTING THE PERMANENT WATER RIGHTS APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY MERCENARY DISTRICT, MERCED SUB BASIN, DSA AND OTHER MERCED SUB BASINS WATER DISTRICT.
SO AC AND JEANIE, I'LL, I'LL START AND THEN LET JEANIE ADD IF SHE HAS ANYTHING.
UM, THIS ITEM IS TO CONSIDER SIGNING ON TO A GROUP LETTER TO STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD SUPPORTING THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE MERCED WATER RIGHTS APPLICATION ON DECEMBER 30TH, IN 2019, MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT SUBMITTED A PERMANENT WATER RIGHT APPLICATION TO THE STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD FOR FLOOD WATERS ON THE MERCED RIVER AND ALL OF THE NATIONAL CREEKS IN THE MERCED SUB BASIN.
THE APPLICATION WAS FOR APPROXIMATELY 400,000 ACRE FEET OF WATER, WHICH WOULD ONLY BE AVAILABLE IN WET FLOOD YEARS.
IN MAY OF 2020, THE MERCED SUB BASIN, GSA AND OTHER LOCAL WATER AGENCIES ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH MID TO BE CO-APPLICANT ON THE A APPLICATION SHARE IN THE COST AND SHARE IN THE WATER THAT'S MADE AVAILABLE UNDER THE APPLICATION.
THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN PENDING BEFORE THE WATER BOARD SINCE THE FINAL SUBMISSION BY MID IN MAY OF 2020.
NEITHER BEEN ACCEPTED NOR REJECTED, AND MID IS NOW REQUESTING THAT THE PARTNERS IN THE APPLICATION SIGN A LETTER TO THE WATER BOARD, URGING THEM TO ACCEPT THE APPLICATION AND WORK WITH THE APPLICANTS IN A, IN A TIMELY PROCESSING OF THE APPLICATION.
SO THE LETTER WAS AVAILABLE TO YOU IN THE MEETING PACKET.
FEENIE HAS REVIEWED THE LETTER AS WELL.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE NOT ASKING THE WATER BOARD IN THIS LETTER TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION.
WE'RE SIMPLY ASKING THE WATER BOARD TO ACCEPT THE APPLICATION AND MOVE FORWARD IN WORKING WITH THE APPLICANTS TO, UM, GET TO A PLACE WHERE THE APPLICATION COULD BE ACCEPTED.
[00:15:01]
AND JEANNIE IS, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE'RE MISSING HERE? NO, I, I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD.THE ONLY THING IS WE AS CO APPLICANTS, HAVE UNFORTUNATELY NOT BEEN INVOLVED WITH MEETINGS WITH THE STATE BOARD OR CALLS WITH THE STATE BOARD.
SO WE'RE RELYING ON I'S INFORMATION, BUT THE WORDING OF THE LETTER IS TOTALLY APPROPRIATE AND I I WOULD URGE YOU TO APPROVE IT SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN THOSE COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE STATE BOARD.
HOW ABOUT, UH, WHO ELSE ARE WE CONTACTING OTHER THAN JUST THE STATE BOARD? I THINK ON THERE, THERE WAS CC TWO ASSEMBLY PEOPLE.
THE LETTER I'D, I'D HAVE TO LOOK UP THE LETTER.
UH, WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES COMING OUT OF THE LA FIRES AND HOW MUCH PUBLICITY, WATER STORAGE AND SAVING WATER GOING TO THE OCEAN AND STUFF COMING OUT, I, I'D SURE LIKE THEM TO SEE IT NOT ONLY ADDRESS TO THE WATER BOARD, BUT TO ANY AGENCY THAT INVOLVED WITH WATER, INCLUDING THE TOGETHER SO THAT WE PUT A LITTLE MORE PRESSURE ON THEM ALL TO SIT UP AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE CONSIDERING WATER ISSUES, WHY ARE WE IGNORING WATER ISSUES? YEAH.
IT DID GO OUT TO, UH, IT WILL GO OUT TO ASSEMBLY MEMBERS, THE STATE SENATOR AND, AND THEN THE REST IS JUST OUR APPLICATION TEAM.
WE GET FIVE STATE WATER BOARD.
SHOULD WE GET HIM TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OR SOMETHING ALSO SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE, YOU KNOW, EXPOSURE BEING THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PUBLICITY RIGHT NOW ON NOT WASTING WATER IN THE STATE.
WE, WE CAN REQUEST THAT THE GOVERNOR BE INCLUDED IN THE CC LIST HERE.
AND ANY OTHER GOOD IDEA, ANY OTHER WATER PURVEYORS PERTINENT TO CW IS NOT INVOLVED IN THIS.
THE WATER BOARD ISSUE MM-HMM
AND THIS IS, UM, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, ONE OF THE STATE WATER BOARDS OPTION WAS TELL US TO READ REAPPLY.
AND THIS IS, WE'RE TRYING NOT TO REAPPLY, RIGHT? WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM TO ACCEPT THE APPLICATION AS, AS IT WAS SUBMITTED FOUR YEARS AGO.
WE, WE'VE REACHED, MID HAS RECEIVED NOTHING IN WRITING FROM THE STATE WATER BOARD, BUT THEY HAVE HEARD, UM, VERBAL COMMUNICATION THAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING, UM, NOT ACCEPTING THIS APPLICATION AND ASKING THE APPLICANTS TO REAPPLY IF THE APPLICANTS, IF WE AS A GROUP DO REAPPLY, WE LOSE THE $500,000 APPLICATION PC THAT WAS ALREADY PAID, AND WE HAVE TO PAY A NEW APPLICATION FEE UNDER THE NEW FEE SCHEDULE, WHICH IS A HIGHER RATE THAN BEFORE.
AND ALSO IF WE DO HAVE TO REAPPLY, WE LOSE OUR SENIORITY OR OUR KIND OF PLACE IN LINE LINE.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A PLACE IN LINE FROM DECEMBER OF 2019.
OTHERS HAVE APPLIED FOR WATER, FOR FLOOD WATER ON THE SAN WAS RIVER, WHICH COULD BE SOME OF THE SAME WATER AFTER THIS APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED.
IF THIS IS NOT ACCEPTED AND WE HAVE TO RESUBMIT, THEN WE LOSE OUR PLACE IN LINE.
AND WE'RE NOW BEHIND ALL OF THOSE FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE APPLYING FOR THE SAME PRODUCT UNLESS THEY ALL GET REJECTED MM-HMM
AND THEY CAUSE EVERYBODY TO REAPPLY.
BUT, AND THEN WE'LL NOT REFUND OUR PREVIOUS APPLICATION 500,000.
UH, JEANNIE ARE WE LOOKING AS A GSA TO GET MORE INVOLVED WITH THE, THE, UH, NEGOTIATIONS OR AGREEMENT WITH THE WATER BOARD SO WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON? THAT IS SOMETHING I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT WITH MID, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST WE DO AND, UH, BE INVOLVED IN ALL MEETINGS WITH THE STATE BOARD GOING FORWARD.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC ON IT, PLEASE PASS THE MIC AROUND OR YEAH.
I I WANTED TO STEP BACK JUST A BIT.
WHEN, WHEN THE FIRST, THIS FIRST AGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE PARTICIPATION IN, IN, UH, THIS APPLICATION, UH, IN, UH, MAY, JUNE, 2020, UM, WE SUPPORTED THE IDEA, ACTUALLY WENT TO THE STATE THAT I WAS THERE WITH
AND THEN, UH, UH, NEGOTIATIONS WENT FORWARD AS TO PART, UH, APPORTIONING THE, THE COST OF THE APPLICATION.
YOU WILL NOTICE IN THE AGREEMENT THAT STEVENSON AND LIN ARE NOT, NOT SIGNATORY, NOT, DOES NOT DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN HIS, UH, IN THE COST SHARING, UH, AGREEMENT.
UM, SHORTLY AFTER THAT, UH, APPROVAL, UH, I LEFT THE BOARD AND, UH, ERIC SWITZER
[00:20:01]
TOOK MY PLACE.WHEN, WHEN THE, WHEN THE, UH, UH, SECOND ROUND OF, UH, THE, UH, PROP TWO 18 CAME ABOUT, THE COST FOR THESE WATER RIGHTS WERE, WERE DROPPED INTO EVERYBODY, INCLUDING STEVENSON AND BERKELEY.
I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT UNTIL UNTIL AFTER THE FACT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS, I THOUGHT WE WERE OUT OF IT BECAUSE WE DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN, IN THE, IN THIS AGREEMENT.
UH, AND THE REASON WE DIDN'T PARTICIPATE, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF, OF APPROPRIATE WATER LICENSES AS, AS WE, WE, UH, UH, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY SEEN.
THERE'S NO REASON FOR US TO, TO PARTICIPATE IN, IN ANOTHER WATER, RIGHT? WE SUPPORT IT, BUT WE DON'T WANT, WE DIDN'T PARTICIPATE THIS, THIS, WHILE A GOOD, GOOD IDEA STILL DOES NOT MAKE SENSE FOR STEVENSON AND MERLIN TO HAVE TO PAY GOING FORWARD FOR, UH, UH, THAT DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN AND WOULD NOT SEE ANY WATERFRONT.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THE WAY THE TWO 18 IS, IS THE WHITE AREA HAS A SEPARATE PART A ADD-ON FOR THAT TWO 18.
AND GREG AND LACEY COLLECT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT TO COVER THE COST OF THE WATER RIGHTS APPLICATION THAT THE AGENCIES THEMSELVES AREN'T BEING CHARGED.
STEVE STEVENSON AND MARTIN AND THE WHITE AREAS ARE INCLUDED.
SORRY, FOR FOR, FOR THE GSA PORTION.
WE GOT WRAPPED IN, BECAUSE WE'RE PART OF THE GSA AND THE IDEA WAS, WELL, YOU'RE GONNA BENEFIT FROM BEING IN THE GSA, WE'RE, WE'RE CURRENTLY SUSTAINABLE.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE ENOUGH WATER RIGHTS.
THIS APPLICATION IS NOT GOING TO, TO, UH, UH, UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA ACTUALLY SEE ANY BENEFIT FROM THIS APPLICATION.
WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE CONCERN THAT THAT, THAT WE WANT TO EXPRESS AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
WE DON'T WANT TO GET IN, IN A A ANOTHER, ANOTHER, UH, UH, LEGAL, UH, UH, ISSUE WITH THE, WITH THE GSA.
UM, AND, UH, I DON'T THINK IT DOES GSA ANY GOOD OR DOES US ANY GOOD TO PAY A BUNCH OF LAWYERS TO START TO FIGHT THIS.
BUT IT, IT IS CLEAR THAT THERE ARE, UH, CONTEMPLATION OF REIMBURSEMENTS THAT, THAT ARE GONNA BE APPLIED TO, UH, EACH ONE OF THE ENTITIES THEY'RE PARTICIPATING IN, WHICH IT, IT, IT SHOULD BE THAT THERE'LL BE SOME
SO, UM, I, I, UH, COME SOME FEBRUARY, I, I'LL BE TAKING DAYS OF PLACE UP THERE ON THE BOARD.
UH, I, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO, TO TAKE AN ADVERSARIAL POSITION, BUT, UM, WE, WE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF, OF COST GOING FORWARD AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED HAPPENED, BUT WE, WE DON'T WANT THIS, UM, UH, UH, THIS NEW, UH, POSITION LETTER THAT THE STATE TO CREATE EXPENSES FOR A WATER RIGHT APPLICATION THAT WE DON'T
UM, WE CAN'T CHANGE THE OLD TWO 18, BUT IT'S GONNA SUNSET SHORTLY.
SO, UH, WELL, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THE POINT.
THERE'S GONNA BE EXPENSES INVOLVED IN, IN, IN THIS APPLICATION AND, AND WE DON'T NEED, NO DOUBT, WE DON'T NEED PARTICIPATION.
I JUST WANTED TO STATE KIND OF SPEAKING TOWARDS A LOT OF THE AGENCIES OR FOR A LOT OF THE AGENCIES THAT ARE SIGNATORIES, UH, MA, PALOMA, AMSTERDAM, LA GRAND LON, AND SANDY MUSH ALL LOCATED WITHIN THE SUB BASIN THAT ACTUALLY LAG.
GRAND
SO, UM, WE SUPPORT WE'RE ALL OF THOSE AGENCIES WILL BE ON, UH, GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS, BUT WE'LL KEEP PUTTING THEIR, UH, LOGOS ON THIS LETTER PARTICIPATING FORWARD AS WELL.
AND THEN, UM, I AGREE WITH JEANIE.
ANY PARTICIPATION FROM ALL OF US WHO ARE ALSO PENDING WOULD BE WELCOME.
[00:25:01]
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC OR THE BOARD OR ONLINE? NOT SEEING ANY ONLINE.THE BOARD MAKE A MOTION TO SIGN ON THE, THE LETTER FOR MERC CITY IRRIGATION DISTRICT TO THE CALIFORNIA STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD.
I'LL SECOND, I'LL SECOND THAT SECOND FROM DIRECTOR TI.
ALL OPPOSED AT THE SAME TIME? MOTION CARRIES.
[8. MULTIBENEFIT LAND REPURPOSING PROGRAM]
UM, MULTI-BENEFIT LAND REPURPOSING PROGRAM.UH, BRIAN'S GONNA GIVE US AN UPDATE BREATH.
YOU GUYS HAVE A PRETTY LOADED TODAY.
UM, BUT SORT OF, THERE'S TWO CRITICAL ITEMS THAT WE WANNA, THAT WE WANNA TAKE ON TODAY.
THE MLRP PROGRAM IS MOVING REALLY AGGRESSIVELY, CONTINUES TO DO SO IN MERCED SUB BASIN.
THERE ARE TWO REALLY IMPORTANT SORT OF ITEMS FOR TODAY'S AGENDA FOR THE BOARD.
THE FIRST, UH, IS RELATED TO THE PROPOSAL SOLICITATION.
UM, SO THE MLRP PROGRAM WAS INITIALLY RELEASED A LITTLE OVER $5 MILLION TO THE, UM, UH, ME SET SUB BASIN, UH, FOR MLRP PROJECTS.
THAT SOLICITATION HAS BEEN OPEN SINCE NOVEMBER.
UM, BASED ON A SERIES OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANT INTERACTIONS WITH LANDOWNERS AND SORT OF THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE FOR LANDOWNERS, WE EXTENDED THAT DEADLINE TO MARCH 14TH.
UM, SO FOLKS MAY HAVE RECEIVED A PRIOR VERSION OF LIKE A POSTCARD OR LANDOWNERS MAY HAVE RECEIVED A POSTCARD IN PRIOR EXCHANGES THAT HAD THAT JANUARY 31ST DEADLINE.
HOWEVER, UM, WE'RE GONNA EXTEND THAT BY ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF TO MARCH 14TH.
I STILL GIVE LANDOWNERS A LITTLE MORE TIME TO IDEATE ON THIS.
WE RECEIVED SIZABLE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WITH THE REQUEST OF THIS PROGRAM.
UH, SO WE WANTED TO GIVE FOLKS A LITTLE MORE TIME, UM, WITH THEIR PROJECTS TOGETHER.
RIGHT NOW THERE'S A TECHNIC WHOLE TECHNICAL TEAM THAT'S BEING MOBILIZED FOR TECHNICAL OR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LANDOWNERS.
THAT INCLUDES VALLEY ECO VAN HARROW, UH, EKI, ALONG WITH RIVER PARTNERS AND SEEDS.
SO PRETTY SIGNIFICANT GROUP OF FOLKS.
UH, AND THE EAST ME RCPA PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, UH, GROUP OF FOLKS BEING DEPLOYED.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY HAD ABOUT, UH, WE EXPECT, UM, WELL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RESPONSE LIKE BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
UM, SO PRETTY, AGAIN, I I'M PRETTY EXCITED ACTUALLY ABOUT THE NATURE OF PROJECTS.
IT'S ALSO BEEN JUST VERY CANDIDLY, AND I GUESS IT'S NOT PERTINENT, IT'S REALLY HIGHLIGHTS TO ME LIKE THE STRAIN THAT IT'S KIND OF CREATING FOR GROWERS.
SO OFTENTIMES WE'RE LIKE AN MLRP AND IT'S, THERE'S LOTS OF COOL THINGS THAT COULD COME OUT WITH THE MLRP PROCESS, BUT EVERY TIME I GO OUT THERE, I'M LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS A LOT OF GROUND.
THIS IS LIKE A LOT OF PERSPECTIVE OPTIONS THAT LANDOWNERS ARE EVALUATING SORT OF IN THE FACE OF THESE SIGMAS CONSTRAINTS.
AND ALTHOUGH MLRP IS A TOOL TO BE DEPLOYED, IT JUST IS CONTINUOUSLY HIGHLIGHTING TO ME THAT WE NEED OTHER FUNDS IN THE GSA, LIKE POST MLRP TO CONTINUE THESE LAND SERVICING ACTIONS.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW, JUST QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT, THERE'LL BE SOME FLYERS THAT'LL GO OUT TO BOTH M-S-G-S-A AND MES LANDOWNERS.
UH, THERE ABOUT 700 POSTCARDS TO GO OUT NEXT WEEK, UH, WITH THIS UPDATED INFORMATION.
IF FOLKS ONLINE ARE IN THE ROOM, ARE INTERESTED IN TALKING TO FOLKS OR GETTING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, YOU CAN GO TO ED RP.ORG OR YOU CAN CLICK YOUR PHONE ON, UM, THE SCREEN THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO IF YOU WANT DO ANY COMBINATION OF THE TWO, THERE'S A FLYER IN THE BACK THAT YOU CAN PICK UP ON YOUR WAY OUT TODAY.
UM, AND WELL, I'M GONNA GO STRAIGHT INTO THE NEXT AND WE CAN OPEN TO COMMENT THAT.
THE SECOND AND PROBABLY TRICKIER SPACE, AND I THINK THIS WILL RESULT IN A PERSPECTIVE ACTION ITEM FROM THE BOARD TODAY.
FIRST, THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION UPDATED GUIDANCE TO THEIR 2022 MLRP PROGRAM IN THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET ACT OF 2021, THERE'S A CHALLENGING PIECE OF LANGUAGE THAT EXISTS THAT IS AND WATER RECHARGED BY THE STATE AND THEN MISQUOTED IT.
THE WATER, ESSENTIALLY WATER THAT'S RECHARGED BY THE STATE WAS TO BE SUBTRACTED FROM EXTRACTABLE GROUNDWATER ALLOCATIONS IN THE SUB BASIN.
WE FLAGGED THIS FROM DAY ONE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, AND THEY HAD BEEN WORKING ON LANGUAGE BACK AND FORTH WITH GSAS AND SUB BASINS ESSENTIALLY DEFINE RECHARGING IN A WAY,
[00:30:01]
OR ACT LIKE STAY RECHARGING IN A WAY THAT WOULD ALLOW THOSE TWO LANES TO BE SEPARATED.AND THE GSAS MANAGEMENT AND LANDOWNER MANAGEMENT OF GROUNDWATER WOULD BE SEPARATED FROM A LOT OF THE ACTIONS THAT THE MLRP WAS GONNA BE FUNDING.
NEW GUIDANCE RELEASED AT THE END OF DECEMBER, RIGHT BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS, UM, SORT OF FLIPPED THE PRIOR COMP THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR OVER A YEAR, FULL 180 ON THAT CONVERSATION.
AND EXPLICITLY ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE AIMING TO DO IN RECHARGE WERE CALLED OUT AS STATE, SORT OF STATE RECHARGE ACTIONS.
THE ACTION FOR THE BOARD THAT, THE REQUEST FOR THE BOARD, AND, AND WE CAN GO INTO COMMENT IN JUST A MOMENT, BUT WE WOULD REQUEST FROM THE BOARD IS TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, ONE WOULD BE A DIRECT CORRESPONDENCE TO THE, TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE CHALLENGES THAT THIS INTERPRETATION OF THAT LAW CREATES FOR MLRP AND WHOLE AND SORT OF THE BASIS AND INTENT TO REACH SUSTAINABILITY.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS AN INTRA OR INTER, EXCUSE ME, BASIN LETTER ALSO GOING THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION.
THIS IS ALL MORP BASINS, SORT OF COLLECTIVELY TELLING THE STATE THAT THE CURRENT GUIDANCE, THE PROPOSED GUIDANCE, SORT OF AS LAID OUT IN THEIR MOST UP MOST RECENT UPDATE IS PROBLEMATIC FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF OR FOR MLS BE AT LARGE.
SO BOTH OF THESE THINGS WILL HAPPEN CONCURRENTLY, BUT THEY'LL ASK IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF, UM, FORMAL GUIDANCE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ON AN ACTION.
I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO YOU.
AND THEN ALSO ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, FROM THE PUBLIC? I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO WHY DOES THE STATE SEE IT AS STATE RECHARGE? THEY, WE DID APPROVE THE, THEY DID APPROVE A RECHARGE PROJECT.
IS THE STATE FUNDED THE BILL OR LIKE RIGHT THERE? THEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM.
SO THE, WHERE WE WERE GOING WAS THAT THE AIM WAS WE HAD CERTIFICATION LANGUAGE THAT WE PUT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION SORT OF INFORMALLY, BUT IN, IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION STAFF.
THAT LANGUAGE HAD LAID OUT THAT THE MLRP ACTIONS WOULD BE BUYING THINGS LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE AND UM, BUILDING LEVEES AND PUTTING IN HABITAT AND PUTTING IN, UM, FENCES FOR GRANGE LINES, ET CETERA.
THESE RELATIVELY TASK BASED ITEMS. RIGHT? UM, AND THAT WE WERE GONNA LEAVE THE ACTIVE RECHARGE, WE'RE GONNA BUY WATER, WE WEREN'T GONNA DELIVER WATER.
LIKE THE MOVEMENT AND ACTIVE RECHARGE OF WATER WAS WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE LANDOWNER, THE DISTRICT, THE GSA.
AND WE WEREN'T GONNA STEP ON THE POLICY OR WATER LAW ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
UM, THE NEW GUIDANCE BASICALLY IS IMPLYING THAT THE FUNDING OF PUTTING IN A BERM WITH STATE DOLLARS, YOU CREATE THAT STATE NEXUS FOR RECHARGE THAT IS NOW STATE RECHARGE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PUSHING BACK ON.
IS THAT LIKE IT KIND OF DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF IT? WELL THAT'S, SO, SO I WAS GONNA GET AT IT, THE STATE'S TRYING TO GET THIS CONSERVATION, BUT THE STATE JUST GETS CREDIT.
WHY AS A FARMER WOULD I WANT TO DO THAT ON MY PROPERTY? YEAH, RIGHT.
AND VERY CANDIDLY, WHERE'S THE MULTI BENEFIT, RIGHT? WELL, IT'S STILL MULTI BENEFIT, JUST NOT FOR, I'M ONLY GET PINNACLE HERE.
UH, THE, THE TRUTH IS, AND THIS IS REALLY THE, TO SPEAK TO THIS IS WHAT'S IN ESSENTIALLY GONNA BE IN BOTH LETTERS, ASIDE FROM A LOT OF LIKE LEGALESE IS VERY CANDIDLY, WHY WOULD A LANDOWNER DO THIS, RIGHT? SO LIKE, ALTHOUGH YOU GET THESE PERIPHERAL BENEFITS, LIKE REALLY MLRP ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY FOR THE ACTION.
LIKE THE LANDOWNER IS KIND OF WILLING TO INVEST INTO THAT SPACE BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THEM TO SUSTAINABLY MANAGE THE REST OF THEIR OPERATION WITHOUT THAT INCENTIVE, IT DOESN'T HELP IN INFECT THE LANDOWNERS BACK IN THE SAME POSITION THAT THEY'RE OVERDRAFTING.
AND SO THIS IS ESSENTIALLY THE NATURE OF THE COMMUNICATION THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
EVERY SUB BASIN IN THE ENTIRE MLRP PROGRAM IS IN SIMILAR, THAT THIS IS BASICALLY, I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S A DEATH NAIL FOR THE PROGRAM, BUT IT'S RELATIVELY CRIPPLING TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM.
AND THOSE RECHARGE ACTIONS, WHICH ARE PROBABLY THE GREATEST COMMUNITY WATER BENEFIT ACTIONS THAT CAN OCCUR, THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY ACTIONS THAT CAN OCCUR, THOSE ARE REALLY BADLY, UH, INJURED BY THIS INTERPRETATION OF THE LANGUAGE.
HOW SOON DO DOES THIS? YOU THEY NEED A RESPONSE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER FROM, SO WE NEED A RESPONSE BY NEXT FRIDAY, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE A PERSPECTIVE BOARD ACTION TO ASK LLOYD TO SIGN OFF ON THAT.
UM, I DON'T FROM US OR FROM FROM THE BOARD.
SO THE BOARD WILL HAVE, FROM YOUR BOARD I TALKING AS WHAT? FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION.
WHEN DO WE NEED, WHEN WHEN'S THEIR DEADLINE? THEIR DEADLINE IS NEXT, THEIR DEADLINE'S NEXT FRIDAY.
LIKE I SAID, NOT TO RESPOND THE NUMBER ONE LINE TO RESPOND.
BECAUSE THEY'RE OH TO THEIR PERFORM COME COMING.
SO BY I'M, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE SORT OF CHALLENGING LANGUAGE THAT I'M USING.
UM, BUT THE, WE NEED TO RESPOND BY NEXT FRIDAY.
ONE OF THE LETTER COMMENTS I THINK THAT'LL BE PARALLELED
[00:35:01]
IN BOTH IS JUST AN EXTENSION OF TIME YOU TO RELEASE THAT GUIDANCE, UM, GOING UNTIL FRIDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS, AND THEN BASICALLY ON THE 30 DAY NOTICE.SO THERE'S REALLY NOT A WHOLE LOT OF TIME OF FUNCTIONING RESPONSE
I THINK WE WERE THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION STAFF IS THEY GET IT.
TO MY UNDERSTANDING, A LOT OF THIS IS DRIVEN BY PUSHBACK FROM DEPARTMENT LAWYERS.
AND SO THEY'VE BEEN AN ALLY IN PROCESS.
WE'RE MEETING WITH THEM GOING FORWARD.
WE'RE SO OPTIMISTIC THAT WE CAN FIX THIS.
UM, AND SO I WOULD SAY IT'S, WE'RE IN LIKE A, WILL THEY HAVE THEIR RULING OUT BY THE TIME THE APPLICATIONS ARE DUE ON THE MARCH 14TH? YEAH.
SO THIS IS ANOTHER, WE GOT LUCKY.
IT'S BETTER TO BE LUCKY THAN GOOD MOST OF THE TIME.
SO WE WERE EXTENDING THE APPLICATION ANYWAY.
WE WOULDN'T ENTER INTO CONTRACTS.
WE WON'T ENTER INTO CONTRACT AND ANYTHING UNTIL WE HAD THAT CEMENTED IN CAN GROWER.
AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, I'LL SAY LIKE IN THE KOREA SUB BASIN, THERE'S FIVE RECHARGE PROJECTS THAT ARE ALREADY LIKE IN CONTRACT WITH THAT REGION, RIGHT? SO THIS REPRESENTS, LIKE FOR THEM AND LIKE BASICALLY A SWEEP A RISK OF AN ENTIRE SWEEP OF THOSE PROJECTS, WHICH ARE THE ONLY PROJECTS IN MLIP RIGHT NOW.
SO THERE ARE, THERE'S INCENTIVES FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
I'M NOT FREAKED OUT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE ACTIVE IN GETTING COMMENTARY ACROSS ALL BASINS TO THE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THAT IT'S A VERY CLEAR WHAT CHALLENGES THIS PRESENT.
MAYBE I ANY QUESTION FROM THE BOARD BEFORE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, I'M GONNA ADD 'CAUSE WE ARE INVOLVED IN THIS BOTH WITH, UM, THE MERCED SUB BASE AND CONVERSATIONS AND THAT REN HAS BEEN ORGANIZING, BUT ALSO FOR MADERA.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IN THE LANGUAGE THAT MAY BE A PATHWAY FORWARD IS A PROPORTIONALITY LANGUAGE.
SO IT'S THEIR, THEIR ISSUE IS A GIFT TO PUBLIC FUNDS, RIGHT? GIVE PUBLIC FUNDS TO A PRIVATE LANDOWNER TO BUILD A RECHARGE BASIN.
AND THEY'RE, THE LAWYERS ARE ALL WORRIED ABOUT THEM GETTING SOME BENEFIT OUT OF THAT BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE WAS IN THE BUDGET ACT.
THEY DO HAVE WORDS OF PROPORTIONALITY.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RECHARGE POLICIES, HAVING LEAVE BEHIND, THERE'S THE POTENTIAL TO LOOK AT A PROPORTIONALITY, THE EQUATES TO THE LEAVE BEHIND THAT.
THE GSA WOULD BE THE CERTIFIER THAT SAYS, HEY, YOU PUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT IN AND THERE'S A 10% OR A 20% LEAVE BEHIND COVERS THE PROPORTIONALITY ASSOCIATED WITH ANY FUNDS COMING FORWARD.
SO THAT'S ONE PATHWAY THAT WE'RE ALL COLLECTIVELY TALKING ABOUT.
UM, FOR SOME OF THESE PROJECTS IN MADERA THERE, THEY HAD 70 PRE-APP APPLICATIONS, 21 OF 'EM HAVE RECHARGE BASINS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO I MEAN, IT IS DEFINITELY AN ISSUE.
IT MAY NOT, THERE'S VARIOUS WAYS TO LOOK AT THE BUDGETS AND OTHER THINGS.
SO YOU CAN MAYBE SAY, WELL, NONE OF THAT FUND WAS FOR RECHARGE.
THAT WAS FOR, YOU KNOW, PLANTING HABITAT ON THE BERM OR STRIPPING OLD TREES OUT OR DOING SOMETHING.
SO IT'S, THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO TRY AND LOOK AT THIS.
SO IT'S KIND OF FOLLOWING WHAT REN WAS SAYING.
OPTIMISTIC AND DOC STAFF SEEMS TO WANT TO FIND A PATH FORWARD, BUT THERE'S A WEIRD TIMING CRUNCH THAT JUST DROPPED ON US, IS YOU ALSO SHOULDN'T BE DROPPING GUIDELINES CHANGES IN THE MIDDLE OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE WORKING.
SO ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL THINGS, AND THIS WAS RENS IDEA GRANDFATHER, ALL THE GRANT, THE EARLY BLOCK GRANTEES IN, IF YOU WANNA MAKE GUIDANCE DEAL WITH IT, IT FOR FUTURE BLOCK GRANTEES, IT MIGHT VARY BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY GONE DOWN THE PATH BEFORE, BUT THEY, BUT THEY STILL WANT THAT.
BUT IF THEY WANT THIS PROGRAM TO KEEP ON WORKING, MOVING FORWARD, THEY CHANGE IT.
NO FARMER'S GONNA SIGN UP FOR THIS.
YOU KNOW, JUST AS A, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THERE'S PROSPECTIVELY THREE LIKE PATH BOARDS THAT WE HAD IDENTIFIED.
WE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO THINK ABOUT THIS IN THE CLEAR, JUST THE WAY THEIR BOARDS LINE, THEIR TIMING LINES OUT, THE THREE PATHWAYS GOING FORWARD.
THERE'S, UH, NUMBER ONE, FIX THE LANGUAGE IT HAS, IF WE CAN JUST FIX THAT TO YOUR POINT, THAT JUST SOLVES THE PROBLEM FOR EVERYBODY FOREVER, RIGHT? SO THE, THAT'S THE INTENT.
NUMBER ONE, FIX THE LANGUAGE, SORT OF REMOVE THIS ISSUE.
TWO WOULD BE, AND IT DOESN'T HEL ME SAID, WHICH IS GRANDFATHERING AND EXISTING PROJECTS, MAYBE GRANDFATHERING EXISTING PROGRAM PROGRAMS POTENTIALLY, BUT THAT SEEMS INVI AS IT'S CONSTRUCTED.
THIRD IS WHAT GREG'S ALLUDING TO, WHICH IS BEING VERY TACTICAL ABOUT HOW WE AND WHAT WE BUY WITH THAT MONEY, RIGHT? SO ESSENTIALLY BEING VERY STRATEGIC ABOUT WHAT ACTIONS MLRP IS PAYING FOR.
I WILL SAY, BASED ON THIS LANGUAGE STRUCTURE, I FIND, AND, UH, THE PROPORTIONATE LEFT LEAVE BEHIND IS A GOOD STRATEGY.
UM, HOWEVER, AS IT'S STRUCTURED, I DON'T THINK THAT IT CAN BE READILY DEPLOYED WITHOUT MODIFICATION AND
[00:40:01]
THE, YEAH.SO I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT THERE.
SO WE DO THINK THAT'S A GOOD STRATEGY THAT IS FAIR AND EQUITABLE, BUT THE LANGUAGE THAT I THINK AS STRUCTURED IS STILL PROBLEMATIC FOR THE BEHIND MODEL AND STILL SHOULD PUSH ON IT.
UM, IN MY, IN MY OPINION, IF THE LANGUAGE PAYS AS IT IS, WHAT CHANGE OUR, OUR SCORING CRITERIA, RIGHT? YEAH.
WAIT, ANYTHING OUT? YEAH, I SUSPECT, AND I AM ONLY GOING OFF OF MY OWN INTERACTIONS WITH LANDOWNERS.
I SUSPECT THAT IF THIS LANGUAGE IS IN PLACE, I DON'T EXPECT ANY RECHARGE PROJECTS TO SHOW UP.
SO I, AGAIN, ANYONE WHO YEAH, IN THAT SPACE JUST UNDERSTANDS WHY THAT'S THE CASE.
AND, AND AS A PERCENTAGE, THIS STUFF YOU'VE DONE ACROSS THE VALLEY MM-HMM
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE PROJECTS ARE RECHARGED PROJECTS? FIVE OUT SIX RIGHT NOW.
FIVE OUT EIGHT WISE STATEWIDE OR RECHARGE.
SO 80 OR MORE, THE ONLY OTHER PROJECT, SORRY, 20 OUT OF 70 RECHARGE OUT MADERA.
BUT YOU LOOK ON THE LIST, THE PROJECT SITES, YOU JUST TAKE RECHARGE BASED OFF, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF OTHER THINGS AND THERE'S A LOT OF THOSE THAT COME FORWARD.
THE, TO YOUR POINT, IT'S THE RANKING, RIGHT? LIKE THERE ARE JUST BENEFITS OF A RECHARGE ACTION.
HOW CAN YOU PAY FOR A SOLAR FIELD? AND THEN SOMEONE'S GETTING A BENEFIT FROM GENERATING POWER, RIGHT? I MEAN, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
I MEAN, I'M JUST SAYING YOU, I I HEAR YOU.
AND I APOLOGIZE THAT SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IS PROBLEMATIC.
NO OTHER ACTION AFFECTS ALLOCATIONS OR EVEN IMPLIES, AND I'M NOT EVEN SUPERIOR THAT YOU CAN DO THAT.
BUT, UM, NO OTHER, LIKE, SO IF A, A GROWER WAS TO FOLLOW A PARCEL AND NOT DRAW WATER FROM IT, HOW THE GSA SHUFFLE THAT WATER ALLOCATION IS THE GSA.
SO MLRP DOESN'T IMPINGE ON THAT.
AND NOW THE, ANY OTHER WORKFLOW EXCEPT FOR THIS ONE SENTENCE AND IT'S IN INTERPRETATION.
SO YOU CAN HEAR JUST IN THE NATURE OF THIS CONVERSATION, THE CRITICALITY TO REALLY ADDRESS IT IN SOME SORT.
AND THEN THE URGENCY AT MINIMUM, WE NEED THE STATE TO ADD MORE TIME AND ABSOLUTE THE MINIMUM FOR COMMENTARY FROM FOLKS.
AND SO THAT'S THE SORT OF THE ASK OF THE BOARD MAY AN ACTION WITH YOUR CORRESPONDENCE, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE A POSSIBLE ACTION, UM, LISTED ON YOUR AGENDA.
SO YOU CAN TAKE ACTION TO, UH, SEND YOUR OWN M-S-G-S-A LETTER.
YOU CAN TAKE ACTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CHAIR TO SIGN ON TO THE GROUP LETTER OF MLRP GRANT RECIPIENT.
AND JEANNIE HAS ALSO BEEN LOOPED INTO THIS IN DRAFTING M-S-G-S-A LETTER.
SO SHE'LL BE A PART OF ALL OF THAT.
MY REQUEST WOULD BE BOTH IF POSSIBLE.
SO HAS OUR LEGAL COUNSELOR, YOU SEEN THE LETTER LETTER THAT WE MIGHT SIGN ON TO THE, UH, WE HAVE A COPY OF THE LETTER THAT WE MIGHT SIGN ONTO THAT NEEDS TO BE SENT TO JEANIE.
THIS IS, I DON'T KNOW HOW FAST THIS CAME TOGETHER, BUT YOU GUYS ARE ASKING A LOT YESTERDAY.
BUT YOU GUYS ARE ASKING A LOT OF A BOARD TO GO SIGN ON SOMETHING THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN OR SURE, SURE.
YOU WANT SIGN OFF? WELL, I'M PRETTY SURE I'M JUST GETTING, YEAH, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I, IT, IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE IF IT WAS IN OUR PACKET, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT.
JUST ABSOLUTELY WE CAN, WE CAN EMAIL IT OUT, BUT WE'RE GOOD STAFF.
ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS GOOD WITH THE LETTER.
WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE? YOU WANT THE LETTER.
THERE'S AN INDEPENDENT LETTER FROM THAT'S JEANIE CRAFTED AND THEN THERE'S UH, FRANKLY LIKE A SOFTER LETTER FROM ALL SUB BASIN, LIKE THE LEAST COMMON DENOMINATOR ACROSS LIKE, HEY, WE NEED MORE TIME.
THIS IS PROBABLY AN UNFAIR AND SORT OF ASK BASED ON WHERE WE ARE IN THE TIMELINE.
AND SO LIKE WE HAVE THIS GENERAL SOFTER LETTER, WE EXPECT EVERY SUB BASIN WILL ALSO SEND THEIR POTENTIALLY MORE TARGETED LETTER.
UM, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PUBLIC? SURE.
HI, ELLEN WEIR, UM, EAST GRASSLAND WETLANDS ASSOCIATION,
THAT'S VERY COMPLICATED, BUT IT'S STILL, IT'S A CONCEPT THAT I THINK THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION WOULD BE AMENABLE OR COULD BE AMENABLE TO.
IT WOULDN'T BE WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, BUT MAYBE IT'S A MIDDLE GROUND THAT COULD BE USEFUL TO THE GSA AND SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ADVOCATE FOR IF, IF, UM, DESIRED AS INDIVIDUAL LANDOWNERS.
UM, 'CAUSE THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION FUNDS A LOT OF WETLAND IMPROVEMENTS AND A LOT OF HABITAT VALUES ON PRIVATE LANDS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SO THEY'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT STATE PUBLIC TRUST AND PERHAPS
[00:45:01]
THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THEY CONSIDER IN THE FUTURE.ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PUBLIC OR COMMENT? ANY ONLINE? NOT ONLINE.
THAT'S WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR? ONE IS JUST SIGNING ON WITH THE OTHER GSA OR OTHER BASINS AND THE OTHER IS A DIRECT LETTER.
I'LL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR GSA BOARD TO SIGN ON TO A LETTER AND L OR P LETTER WITH THE OTHER GSA BOARD AND THEN FOR JEANIE TO FINISH UP THE LETTER SHE CRAFTED.
UM, WE'RE PERSONALIZED FOR US TO SIGN ON PEA.
MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO THANK.
SORRY, ONE OTHER QUESTION THAT IS IN OUR PACKET THAT GREAT VALLEY SEATS.
THERE'S NO MORE, BUT YOU'LL FIND SOMEONE TO REPLACE.
SO ONE OF THE, A FLAG A ONE OF THE STRATEGIES OF THE MERCED MLRP PROGRAM WAS TO FACILITATE LOCAL NATIVE SEED.
WE, BUT CANDIDLY, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH NATIVE SEED TO DO THE AMOUNT OF WORK WE NEED TO DO.
JUST FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A PROJECT THAT'S, I DON'T KNOW, 400 ACRES IN ULA COUNTY THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SEED NATIVE PLANTS TO SEED 400 ACRES LIKE AVAILABLE.
AND SO ONE OF THE STRATEGIES OF THE MLRP PROGRAM WAS TO GO COLLECT WILD SEEDS AND THEN USE GRAY VALLEY SEED AS A CONTRACTOR TO GROW THAT NATIVE SEED OUT.
SO WE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH SEED WITH THE PROJECTS, UM, THE SORT OF GREAT VALUE SEEDS GOING OUTTA BUSINESS.
I GUESS WE'RE TOO SLOW WITH THE STRATEGY.
UH, THAT WAS A
UH, BUT THE GUTS OF THE MODEL, I BELIEVE ARE STILL GOOD.
WE'RE GONNA OVER THE NEXT MONTH WORK WITH THE ML RRP COMMITTEE OF THIS BOARD TO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF SORT SHIFTING AND FINDING OTHER GROWERS IN THE REGION THAT MAY BE SORT OF WILLING TO TAKE UP THE MANTLE OF NATIVE SEED DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF COOL WAYS THAT, IN MY OPINION, THAT THAT CAN SHAKE OUT, BUT WE WON'T BRING, WELL WE'LL BRING THAT TO THE BOARD NEXT MONTH.
THERE'S A CHANCE THAT WE HASH IT OUT AND WE'RE LIKE, HEY, WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES OR TIME TO TAKE ON THIS TYPE OF EFFORT, WHICH IS A TOTALLY RELIABLE PERSPECTIVE.
BUT, UM, AS OF NOW, I GUESS WE'LL HAVE A SORT OF STRONGER TAKE FOR THE BOARD'S REVIEW IN A MONTH.
DOES IT HAVE TO BE NATIVE TO THIS AREA? BE CONSIDERED NATIVE? YEAH, I WANT SWITCH HATS FROM AN I'LL JUST BE CAN ON SWITCHING HATS FROM AN MLRP HAT TO LIKE MY COLLEGE'S HAT? IT DOES, AND I'M BIASED BECAUSE I'M AN ECOLOGIST BY TRADE.
SO NATIVE PLANTS THAT ARE LOCAL SURVIVE BETTER AND THEY HAVE THE GENETICS.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT LIKE THE SAME SPECIES OF MILKWEED IN TULARE COUNTY VERSUS HALLA, THEY, YOU'LL SEE LIKE THE, LIKE JUST VISIBLY, THE LEAF STRUCTURE IS DIFFERENT.
ONE IS BASICALLY EVOLVED TO SURVIVE THAT EIGHT INCHES OF RAIN SCENARIO VERSUS THE 24.
UM, SO ONE, THERE'S LIKE ACTUAL SURVIVABILITY OF LOCAL ECOTYPES AND TWO, THERE'S A GENETIC, LIKE, I DON'T WANNA SAY GENETIC POLLUTION, BUT THAT'S THE WORD.
THERE'S GENETIC POLLUTION OF THE POPULATION, RIGHT? SO IF YOU BRING IN NON-NATIVE GENETICS, THEN THOSE GENETICS PROLIFERATE AND DILUTE YOUR LOCAL GENETICS.
IT HAPPENS TO MORE MACRO FAUNA A LOT VERY COMMONLY.
UM, WHERE LIKE ENTIRE SPECIES ESSENTIALLY BREED THEMSELVES FEED THEIR NATIVE POPULATION OUT OVER TIME.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S SORT OF THE TWO PARADIGMS WITHIN NATIVE PLANTS.
SO, SO WHAT IF, LET, LET, LET'S SAY YOU WANNA REDUCE YOUR WATER USAGE WHILE, AND IT BENEFITS WILDLIFE, BUT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ACCESS TO NATIVE FROM THIS AREA FEED.
BUT IT THAT WHAT YOU'RE GETTING TO AS A PROGRAM CORRECT.
COULD ALLOW FOR THAT IF DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY.
'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE TOOL, RIGHT? YOU CAN'T ASK SOMEONE TO USE A POWER DRILL.
ALL YOU HAVE IS A SCREWDRIVER.
USE THE SCREWDRIVER AS A PUTTING NATIVE PLANTS IN JUST AGAIN, ECOLOGIST HAT, NOT PROGRAMMATIC HAT.
THAT'S THE BEST ECOLOGICAL OUTCOME.
THE NEXT LEVEL WOULD BE WE HAVE LOCAL MATERIALS AVAILABLE.
THERE'S ALSO COST, JUST VERY CANDIDLY, THERE'S COST ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH NATIVE SEEDS THAT ARE PROBLEMATIC.
AND SO HAVING LOCAL, LIKE PRODUCERS GROWING SEED TO SORT OF LEVEL OUT THE MARKETPLACE, RELATIVELY A RELATIVE MONOPOLY.
UM, THEY COLLECTED TWO MAYBE THREE TIMES FOR ALMOST $20,000.
HOW MUCH SEED DID THEY COLLECT OR HOW MANY ACRES
[00:50:01]
DID YOU THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.DOZENS OF AND JUST DISCLOSURE VALUE GO HELPED WITH NATIVE SEED COLLECTIONS IN THE REGION.
UM, BOTH WITH, WITH THIS PROGRAM BUT THEN ALSO WITH THE A RCD, CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF RCD.
SO NO MORE COLLECTIONS WOULD HAVE TO OCCUR.
THAT SEED IS COLLECTED EITHER THROUGH THIS PROGRAM THE A RCD HAS OFF.
WE BASICALLY LET THEM KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE AGREED TO ALLOW THEIR COLLECT LOCAL COLLECTIONS TO ALSO BE PROPAGATED.
SO WE HAVE ALL THE PARENT MATERIAL WE WOULD NEED.
IT'S JUST TAKING THAT TO THE GROUP.
SO EITHER WE HAVE IT IN HAND, LIKE IN OWNERSHIP OF THE GSA OR TO RCD WILL DONATE, BUT HERE CD WILL DONATE IT TO US SO THAT WE CAN PROPAGATE IT ON WORKFLOW AND WE'LL GO INTO, WE'LL GET SUCKED INTO THE AGRONOMY.
BUT A LOT OF THIS STUFF WOULD GO TO GREENHOUSES, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU'RE TAKING LIKE TOMATOES, YOU'RE TAKING SMALL VOLUMES OF SEEDS AND TRYING TO CREATE THE MAXIMUM POPULATION OUT OF IT.
WE'RE DONE WITH THE MULTI LAMB REPURPOSING PROGRAM UPDATE.
[9. CONSENT CALENDAR]
CONSENT CALENDAR.HOW'D THAT SNAKE WAY DOWN HERE? WE WERE TRYING TO DO THE IMPORTANT TOPICS.
UM, AND A NOTE FOR THIS ONE, UH, THERE IS GOING TO BE A EDIT TO THE MINUTES TO REFLECT THE ATTENDANCE OF BOARD MEMBER RETTI AT THE DECEMBER MEETING.
WHAT COULD HAVE WE
ACCEPT THE CONSENT CALENDAR IS AMENDED.
[11. BOARD REPORTS]
THAT NOTHING.WELL, ONLY THAT, UH, I BROUGHT THIS, UH, PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE NEW, UH, AWARD FOR THE MULTI-BENEFIT LAND REPURPOSING PROGRAM EXTENSION OF, UH, SECRETARY ROSS THAT THE, UH, GOT ALL HANDS ON DECK.
ANYTHING MR. RUBINO? NO, I'M GOOD SIR.
YEAH, I DO WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO DAVE.
UM, GREW A LOT MORE AND MORE CASUAL ON I LIKE IT TOO.
I THINK THIS IS A BETTER WAY TO RESPOND TO THE PUBLIC AND INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC.
[12. FUTURE MEETINGS]
FUTURE MEETINGS, THERE IS A TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING JANUARY 28TH AT 2:00 PM AND OUR NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETING IS FEBRUARY 13TH AT 2:00 PM SO THERE'S NOTHING LEFT IN BETWEEN, RIGHT? THAT'S IT.WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO ADJOURN.
SO YEAH, AND I AGAIN,