HomeMy WebLinkAboutAB 145 LTR to Hernandez 201307011772
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Cityof sAntuis oBisiv
0�1OFFICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
/ g O990 Palm Street ■ San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-3249 ■ 805/781-7119
July 1, 2013
VIA FACSIMILE ONLY 916-445-0485
The Honorable Ed Hernandez
Chair, Senate Committee on Health
State Capitol, Room 2191
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: AB 145 State Water Resources Control Board: Drink Water
NOTICE OF OPPOSITION
Dear Senator Hernandez:
On behalf of the City of San Luis Obispo, I urge the Committee to oppose Assembly Bill
145 (Perea) as written and amended June 18, 2013, and request that the bill be further amended
to make changes that would strengthen the State's oversight structure to improve water system
compliance with drinking water regulations.
Assembly Member Perea's goal of AB 145 is worthy, but transferring the regulatory
authority of the State's Drinking Water Program will not address the deficiencies sought in this
legislation. AB 145 should be amended to consider the following issues:
• Fix the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF). We understand the urgency to
provide all drinking water systems with the appropriate mechanisms to meet all drinking
water standards. The current under -utilization rate of federal funds, as documented in a
critical letter from the US Environmental Protection Agency, should be addressed and
corrected.
• California's Drinking Water Program is not broken. The regulatory programs,
laboratory function, and the field offices are effective in regulating California's safe
drinking water needs and this success should not be compromised.
The State Water Resources Control Board is the not the best location for the
Drinking Water Program. The State Board has a different mission and very different
regulatory emphasis than that of the Drinking Water Program. Transferring a public
health agency to a principally water resource management agency would not ensure the
necessary enforcement of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
j
city of san luis oBispo
AB 145. State Water Resources Control Board: Drink Water
July 1, 2013
Page 2
The City of San Luis Obispo encourages the Committee to study the above recommendations
in further amending AB 145.
Cc: City Council
David Mullinax, League of California Cities
Katie Lichtig
Carrie Mattingly
Wade Horton
Dean Furukawa
Ij
Sincerely,
Jan Marx
Mayor