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Assembly committee advances bill to temporarily exempt small water systems and managed wetlands from certain SGMA reductions
Summary
The Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife advanced AB 929, which would temporarily exempt historical groundwater amounts needed by small community water systems and managed wetlands from SGMA pumping reductions and fees while requiring groundwater sustainability plans to better account for those uses.
The Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife advanced AB 929 on a party-line voice vote Friday, moving the bill to the Appropriations Committee after extended debate on protections for small water systems and managed wetlands.
AB 929, presented by Assemblymember Connolly, would temporarily exempt the amount of groundwater historically required to support small community water systems (systems with fewer than 3,000 connections) and to annually flood managed wetlands from pumping reductions and fines imposed under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The exemption would be narrow, limited to historical water needs, and would sunset after three years under the amendments the author accepted.
Supporters, including Audubon California and the Community Water Center, said the bill protects wetlands that provide habitat for migratory birds and small disadvantaged communities that rely almost entirely on groundwater. “Managed wetlands generally make up less than 1% of irrigated lands in overdrafted basins,” Mike Lines of Audubon California told the committee, adding the bill helps implement state commitments such as 30x30 and no-net-loss of wetlands.
Opponents led by California Farm Bureau and Valley Ag Water Coalition said AB 929 would undermine local GSAs’ ability to achieve basin sustainability and could shift costs and water reductions onto agricultural users. “When you prioritize supply for some pumpers and not others, you move the bar higher for everybody else in the basin,” said a Farm Bureau representative in testimony.
The bill also directs groundwater sustainability plans to include analysis of impacts on managed wetlands and small community water systems going forward. The author said legislative counsel has advised AB 929 does not violate Propositions 26 or 218; critics remain unconvinced. Committee members debated whether the measure risks weakening SGMA implementation and whether it would survive a gubernatorial review if passed.
AB 929 now goes to the Appropriations Committee for further consideration.
Ending note: The bill’s supporters and opponents both said they are willing to continue negotiations; the committee accepted amendments that narrow the exemption and add reporting and sunset provisions.
