Committee advances bill to remove sunset on RD 108 hydropower authority

Assemblymember Agiarcuri urged the Local Government Committee to approve AB 59, which would remove a statutory sunset that would otherwise end Reclamation District 108’s authority to participate in hydropower projects on Jan. 1, 2026.

“Reclamation District 108 provides water to nearly 48,000 acres of farmland in Colusa County and Northern Yolo County,” Assemblymember Agiarcuri said. “Without this authority, RD 108 will lack the certainty it needs to engage in long term infrastructure planning and projects because the availability and cost of financing depends upon statutory authority.”

The bill’s author and supporters told the committee that RD 108 has identified potential small hydropower opportunities in existing canals but needs assurance that it can participate in such projects for multiple decades to make financing feasible. Dorese Klausbeck Smith, chair of the Colusa County Board of Supervisors, said she was “in strong support of AB 59” and described RD 108 as an innovator on flood control and habitat projects.

Lewis Baer, identified in testimony as general manager of RD 108, urged the committee to remove the sunset so the district could pursue projects that reduce energy costs used for pumping. “Recovering energy that we use to pump water is really important,” Baer said. He described RD 108 as “the second largest diverter on the Sacramento River” and said the district sees hydropower recovery as part of its stewardship role.

Several water-sector groups registered support in the hearing: Ivy Britton of the Northern California Water Association; Raquel Ayala of REAP Government Relations on behalf of the California Central Valley Flood Control Association; and Jeff Veil representing Yolo County.

The committee recorded that the bill was advanced out of committee; the chair said the bill is “out” and would be left open for members to add on. The transcript does not record a roll-call tally for the final committee disposition in the excerpt provided.

Why it matters: Supporters said removing the sunset is meant to provide the statutory certainty necessary for RD 108 to obtain long-term financing for infrastructure that could lower water-service energy costs and support local water management and habitat projects.

The hearing record shows no formal opposition witnesses registered against the measure during the hearing excerpt.

Votes and next steps: The chair reported the measure was advanced out of committee and left open for additional members to add on. The committee did not supply a final roll-call tally in the excerpted transcript.