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Assembly committee advances bill to recognize tribal water uses as a statewide beneficial use
Summary
The Assembly committee voted to advance AB 362, which would add tribal uses of water to the State Water Board’s list of beneficial uses and require improved tribal consultation; supporters said it addresses long-standing injustices, while water agencies urged changes to avoid legal and programmatic uncertainty.
A California Assembly committee advanced legislation on a vote Tuesday that would add tribal uses of water to the list of statewide beneficial uses and direct state agencies to better consult with tribes when setting water quality standards.
Assemblymember Ramos, the bill’s author, described AB 362 as an attempt "to repair legacies of injustices faced by Native American tribes in the state of California when it comes to water policy," and said the measure would place tribal water uses “on equal footing with other statewide beneficial uses of water, such as recreation and agriculture.”
The measure drew packed public testimony. Melissa Tayaba, vice chair for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians and the tribe’s director of traditional ecological knowledge, told the committee her people "have relied upon these waterways and the cultural landscapes connected to them since long before European colonization," and said degraded river conditions threaten tribes’ ability to maintain food…
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