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Resident urges Porterville to re-evaluate membership in Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency
Summary
A Porterville resident urged the council to have staff reassess the city’s participation in the Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency (ETGSA), citing rejected sustainability plans, reports of land subsidence and potential financial liability.
A Porterville resident told the council the city should reconsider its role in the Eastern Tule Groundwater Sustainability Agency (ETGSA) because of concerns about the regional agency’s sustainability plan and potential liabilities.
Andrew Buzzelli told council that California groundwater regulators had rejected ETGSA sustainability plans and that there are reports of ongoing land subsidence that may threaten infrastructure such as the Friant-Kern Canal. He said two nearby irrigation districts left the regional agency to form their own GSAs and that those departures indicate significant doubts about ETGSA’s approach.
Buzzelli asked the city to direct staff to reevaluate how the city will achieve groundwater sustainability, whether it should remain in ETGSA, join the breakaway entities or consider forming a city-specific GSA. He said he could not make a recommendation without more information but urged staff to study the risks and possible financial exposure for Porterville.
Council staff later invited Buzzelli to take a business card from a staff member to continue the conversation; staff did not take formal action at the meeting.
