California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a state Assembly bill by Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg) on Thursday that would beef up water regulations during droughts on the coast. AB 1272 would have made the State Water Resources Control Board outline guidelines for water use and diversion in some coastal watersheds during times of drought.“While I support efforts to protect coastal watersheds from the extreme dry conditions exacerbated by climate change, this bill creates significant, ongoing costs in the millions of dollars that should be considered in the annual budget process,” Newsom wrote in his veto message.An Assembly floor analysis of the bill said the State Water Resources Control Board estimated a one-time cost of about $10 million and ongoing costs of $1.1 million annually to administer the program. The Department of Fish and Wildlife estimated approximately $1 million in costs annually to pay for new positions. The state is facing a deficit projected to be $27.3 billion in 2025-26.The bill, introduced in early 2023, includes watersheds along the North Coast like the Eel River, plus those near the San Francisco Bay and the Central Coast. It would have added teeth to guidelines by authorizing the board to issue cease-and-desist orders if guidelines were violated, and would authorize up to a $500-per-day civil liability.Keep Reading
