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Conditions for Groundwater Wells in Focus Areas
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Requested Action(s)
recommendation
Review the draft resolution establishing conditions for new groundwater wells or alterations to existing groundwater wells in focus areas.
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Financial Impact:
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Background Information:
The draft resolution adopting conditions for groundwater wells or alterations to existing groundwater wells was presented to the Board of Directors on July 15, 2024. Following discussion from the Board, Commissioners, and members of the public, the Board tabled the items for 90 days with direction to staff to bring the resolution to the Commission for revision. The Board is requesting updates from the Commission every 30 days.
Key requests from the Board of Directors meeting were:
* Clarify the definition of focus areas and how often they are reassessed
* Exemptions for in-kind replacement wells
Governor's Executive Order N-7-22 mandates the following:
9. To protect health, safety, and the environment during this drought emergency, a county, city, or other public agency shall not:
a. Approve a permit for a new groundwater well or for alteration of an existing well in a basin subject to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and classified as medium- or high-priority without first obtaining written verification from a Groundwater Sustainability Agency managing the basin or area of the basin where the well is proposed to be located that groundwater extraction by the proposed well would not be inconsistent with any sustainable groundwater management program established in any applicable Sustainability Plan adopted by that Groundwater Sustainability Groundwater Agency and would not decrease the likelihood of achieving a sustainability goal for the basin covered by such a plan; or
b. Issue a permit for a new groundwater well or for alteration of an existing well without first determining that extraction of groundwater from the propose...
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