Major components of water overhaul pass Senate
Share this pageThe California Senate on Monday approved major portions of a plan to overhaul the state’s water system, putting the Legislature close to agreement after years of discussions about updating the aging infrastructure.
Legislative leaders say their proposals create “co-equal goals” of a more reliable water supply system for the state and a restored ecosystem in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The Senate approved a $9.99 billion bond, a new state agency for the delta and a strict water conservation mandate.
State leaders “know that a long history of benign neglect has not served the delta or our state well,” said Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, who sponsored the first bill approved by the Senate. The measure, SB7X 1, was approved on a 29-5 vote and creates a new state agency to oversee the delta that could approve a controversial peripheral canal.
Read the full story on the Chronicle website.