SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE NUMBER
TWO ON RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT
PROTECTION ENERGY WILL COME TO
ORDER ASK ALL MEMBERS OF THE
SUBCOMITTEE TO BE PRESENT IN
ROOM 2200 SO WE CAN ESTABLISH A
REQUIRE AND BEGIN THE HEARING.
WE DO HAVE AN UPDATE TO TODAY'S
AGENDA ISSUE NUMBER SIX FOR THE
STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL
BOARD, B èC P ON THE
ESTABLISHMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
OF INSTREAM FLOW OBJECTIVES IN
SCOTT RIVER AND SHASTA RIVER
WATERSHEDS IS PULLED OFF OF
TODAY'S CALENDAR AND WILL BE
HEARD AT A LATER DATE. BEFORE WE
BEGIN. LET'S ESTABLISH A QUORUM
CONSULTANT. PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL. BECKER HERE. BECKER HERE,
ALAN. BLAKESPEAR BLAKESPEAR HERE
, DOLLY DOLLY HERE! QUORUM HAS
BEEN ESTABLISHED. UH, WE WILL
BEGIN WITH DISCUSSION OF, UH,
ALL THE ISSUES LISTED IN THE
DISCUSSION SECTION OF THE AGENDA
BEFORE PRESENTING THE PROPOSALS.
EACH DEPARTMENT WILL PRICE WITH
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THEIR
ORGANIZATION AND THEN WE'LL
COMMENTS FROM FINANCE AND WE ARE
GOING TO BEGIN SLEEP WITH ISSUE
NUMBER 16.
QUICK. THANK YOU. PLEASE START
WHEN, UH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING,
CHAIR BECKER AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. I'M ARMA COSINA I'M
DEPUTY SECRETARY AT THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD
AND AGRICULTURE. AND I'M PRETTY
EXCITED TO BE HERE TO PROVIDE AN
OVERVIEW FOR YOU THIS MORNING OF
WHAT WE DO. WE LOVE WHAT WE DO
FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SO
AS YOU LIKELY KNOW, CALIFORNIA
PRODUCES A REMARKABLE ABUNDANCE
OF FRUITS AND NUTS, VEGETABLES,
GRAINS, LIVESTOCK, POULTRY,
LEAFY GREENS, FLOWERS, FIBERS
NURSERY. BASICALLY, IF YOU CAN
GROW IT, YOU CAN GROW IT IN
CALIFORNIA. AND THIS BOUNTY OF
MORE THAN 400 COMMODITIES WAS
VALUED AT NEARLY $60 BILLION IN
2022, AND IT REPRESENTS OVER A
THIRD OF THE COUNTRY'S
VEGETABLES AND NEARLY THREE
QUARTERS OF THE FRUITS AND NUTS
GROWN IN THE UNITED STATES. SO
SINCE 1919, THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF FOOD
AND AGRICULTURE CD'S MISSION HAS
BEEN TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF
CALIFORNIA EXCUSE ME AND WORK
WITH THIS VITAL INDUSTRY BY
PROMOTING AND PROTECTING A SAFE,
HEALTHY FOOD SUPPLY AND
ENHANCING LOCAL AND GLOBAL
AGRICULTURAL TRADE. WE DO THIS
THROUGH EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT,
INNOVATION AND SOUND SCIENCE
WITH A COMMITMENT TO
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. ONE
OF OUR MAIN GOALS IS TO WORK TO
PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE
CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL BRAND,
AND THAT'S A LOT MORE THAN JUST
WHAT WE GROW. UM ALL OF THOSE
DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, TYPES OF
COMMODITIES THAT I LISTED. IT'S
REALLY ABOUT HOW WE GROW IT IN
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SO THE
CALIFORNIA BRAND REALLY
REPRESENTS SUPERIOR QUALITY
VALUE AND SAFETY, ALL OF WHICH
ARE SUPPORTED BY THE ACTIVITIES
THAT WE DO AT THE DEPARTMENT.
CALIFORNIA'S FARMERS AND
RANCHERS MEET AND CONSISTENTLY
EXCEED SOME OF THE HIGHEST
MEASURES OF RESOURCE EFFICIENCY,
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP,
INNOVATION AND PRODUCT QUALITY
IN THE WORLD. AND AT èC Dð FA.
WE WORK TO SUPPORT THOSE
PRODUCERS AND WE ALSO WORK TO DO
THE SAME, SO OUR GOAL IS TO
OPTIMIZE OUR FISCAL RESOURCES
THROUGH COLLABORATION,
INNOVATION AND PROCESS
IMPROVEMENTS, AND WE ALSO WORK
TO IMPROVE REGULATORY EFFICIENCY
THROUGH PROACTIVE COORDINATIONS
WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS. NOW EVEN
IF YOU'RE NOT DIRECTLY RELATED
TO PRODUCING PRODUCTS AND
PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA ARE THE
SUPPLY CHAIN. I GUARANTEE YOU
THAT YOU LIKE TO EAT WHAT WE
GROW, AND THAT'S THE FOOD PART
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND
AG. SO TO THAT END OUR FINAL
GOAL I AT èC Dð F IS REALLY TO
CONNECT RURAL AND URBAN
COMMUNITIES BY SUPPORTING AND
PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAMS THAT
EMPHASIZE A MUTUAL APPRECIATION
OF THE VALUE OF DIVERSE FOOD AND
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
IN OUR STATE. THE GOVERNOR'S
BUDGET PROPOSES APPROXIMATELY
$682 MILLION TO SUPPORT CDFA AND
THE GOALS THAT I LAID OUT. OUR
MAJOR FUNDING. SOURCES INCLUDE
200 THREE $0.7 MILLION FROM THE
AGRICULTURE FUND. THESE ARE
LARGELY FEES AND ASSESSMENTS
COLLECTED TO SUPPORT INDUSTRY
PROGRAMS. THERE'S 100 AND $54.5
MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND,
100 AND 26.2 MILLION FROM A
FEDERAL FUNDS. $99.1 MILLION
PROPOSED IN BOND FUNDS FOR
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO
OUR BORDER PROTECT STATIONS AND
$98 MILLION IN OTHER FUNDS, LIKE
THE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION
FUND. THIS BUDGET SUPPORTS 263
POSITIONS EMBEDDED IN OVER 50
SITES THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND
ACROSS CDS, NINE DIVISIONS. SO
THESE DIVISIONS INCLUDE SOME OF
THE FUNCTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT
THINK OF, WHEN YOU THINK OF
PROMOTING AND PROTECTING
CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE DIVISIONS
LIKE OUR ANIMAL HEALTH AND FOOD
SAFETY SERVICES DIVISION, PLANT
HEALTH AND PEST PREVENTION
SERVICES DIVISION AND INSPECTION
SERVICES DIVISION. THOSE ARE THE
FUNCTIONS THAT ONE THINKS OF
THAT HELP TO SAFEGUARD. UM, OUR
STATE FROM PASS FROM ANIMAL
DISEASES AND TO MAKE SURE THAT
OUR PRODUCTS MEET QUALITY AND
FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS. THERE'S
ALSO A FEW FUNCTIONS THAT YOU
MIGHT NOT THINK OF. SO THERE'S
OUR DIVISION OF MARKETING
SERVICES, WHICH ARE DIVISION
DIRECTOR LIKES TO SAY DOES
EVERYTHING BUT MARKETING. SO
REALLY, THEY PROVIDE OVERSIGHT
FOR ALL OF THE BOARDS AND
COMMISSIONS THAT THAT ARE
AGRICULTURAL MARKET MARKETING
PROGRAMS, AND THEN THEY THIS
DIVISION ALSO PROVIDES OVERSIGHT
AND LEADERSHIP TO THE NETWORK OF
CALIFORNIA FAIRS. THERE'S ALSO
OUR OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL
FARMING AND INNOVATION, WHICH
PROMOTES AND SUPPORTS CLIMATE,
SMART AGRICULTURE IN OUR STATE
AND THEN OUR DIVISION OF
MEASUREMENT STANDARDS, WHICH IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENFORCEMENT
OF CALIFORNIA WEIGHTS AND
MEASURES LAWS TO PROMOTE THEIR
COMPETITION IN THE MARKETPLACE,
WHERE, AS MY COLLEAGUE LIKES TO
SAY, THE BACKBONE OF
CIVILIZATION AS WE KNOW IT,
THAT'S OUR DIVISION OF
MEASUREMENT STANDARDS. THEY'RE
SMALL BUT MIGHTY AND THEN ALL OF
THOSE FUNCTIONS ARE SUPPORTED BY
OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
DIVISION. OUR OFFICE OF
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
ARE FARMER EQUITY OFFICE AND THE
EXECUTIVE OFFICE. AND I COULD
TALK ABOUT èC Dð F ALL DAY, SO
I'LL JUST WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS
AND COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. UH,
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT
OVERVIEW. UH, VERY APPRECIATIVE.
UM YOU KNOW, WITH THE QUESTIONS?
I JUST HAD A VERY SPECIFIC UH,
QUESTION. ON THE, UH, B BORDER
PROTECTION STATION REPLACEMENT.
WE'VE SEEN THE REQUESTING
FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
UM AND DOING THIS IMPORTANT
SCREENING SITE FOR INVASIVE
SPECIES, WHICH WOULD BE A THEME
THIS YEAR. UM BUT THE ORIGINAL
STATION WAS BUILT IN 1958
DESIGNED TO COME AT ABOUT
600,000 VEHICLES ANNUALLY. UM
BUT EVEN FOR BUILT NOT REALLY
ABLE TO HèA HANDLE THE TRAFFIC.
SO UH, HAS èC FA ENSURED THAT
THE NEW STATION WILL MEET THE
EXPECTED TRAFFIC VOLUMES AT THE
TIME OF COMPLETION, AND IS THERE
A BUFFER AND CAPACITY IF THERE'S
INCREASED VOLUME IN THE FUTURE?
ABSOLUTELY GREAT QUESTION. WE
LIKE TO THINK THAT WE GOT A
LITTLE BIT BETTER SINCE 1919 58
IN HER ABILITY TO KIND OF
PROJECT THESE THINGS OUT. AS YOU
MENTIONED IN 1958. THE BUILDING
AS IT STANDS NOW WAS ORIGINALLY
DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE 600,000
VEHICLES ANNUALLY THAT FIRST
YEAR THAT IT WAS OPEN, IT
ACCOMMODATED 747,000 VEHICLES,
AND IN 2021, THE TRAFFIC
MEASURED MORE THAN 4 MILLION
VEHICLES, SO WE KNOW WE MIGHT
HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT OFF IN
OUR PROJECTIONS IN 58, BUT THE
DESIGN THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE
WAS BASED ON FORECASTED TRAFFIC
VOLUMES THROUGH 2040. SO WE
WORKED WITH THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY
ADMINISTRATION GROWTH RATES AND
THOSE WERE USED TO CALCULATE THE
FUTURE TRAFFIC VOLUMES ON
INTERSTATE 10, AT A GENERAL RATE
OF LIKE 1.6 PER YEAR, WAS USED
TO ESTIMATE THE GROWTH IN THE
FUTURE TRAFFIC VOLUMES AT THE
INTERSECTIONS AND ON THE RAMPS,
AND SO THE TRAFFIC FORECASTING
WAS THEN USED TO DETERMINE THE
NUMBER OF PASSENGER VEHICLES AND
TRUCK LANES REQUIRED STAFFING
AND TO INFORM THE OVERALL
STATION. FOR THE TRAFFIC VOLUMES
AT 2040. OK, SORRY. JUST SO FOR
2040. UM, AND WHAT IS THAT
ANTICIPATED TRAFFIC IN 2040 YOU
SAY. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. UM
I IT WE ESTIMATE OUR GROWTH OF
1.6% PER YEAR. UM, THROUGH 2040
THAT CAN'T DO THAT MATH. OK,
SORRY. OK, UM OK, UH, THAT IS
FINE. UM UH, A ANY FOLLOW UP
QUESTIONS HERE. THANK YOU, MR
CHAIR. UH, GOOD TO SEE YOU. SO I
HAVE A LITTLE DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE. UM I'M IN THE SEED
BUSINESS AND I'M REGULATED AND I
PAY UH, FOR THAT REGULATION TO
COME THROUGH, SO I HAVE IN THE
NORTH. WE HAVE, UM, INSPECTION
STATIONS IN COMING OUT OF NEVADA
AND OUT OF OREGON INTO
CALIFORNIA. AND SO, UM HOW DO
YOU? UH MY QUESTION IS THAT MOST
OF THE AGRICULTURE PRODUCERS ARE
IN THE LOOP AND HAVE THEIR BILL
OF LADENS WITH WHAT COMMODITIES
ARE BRINGING IN. BUT IT'S THE
IT'S THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THAT
DOES NOT HAVE, UM THE SAME. UH,
THEY'VE BEEN BUY SOME FRUIT OR
SOME SOMETHING IN ANOTHER STATE.
THAT DOESN'T THAT CAN'T COME
INTO CALIFORNIA BECAUSE OF THE
FRUIT FLY OR WHATEVER IT MAY
SHARPSHOOTER, YOU NAME IT. UM SO
HOW HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT
IDENTIFYING THO? I MEAN, I KNOW
THAT THEY'RE GOING. I GO THROUGH
THEM ALL THE TIME. AND TYPICALLY
WHEN I'M CARRYING SEED, I HAVE A
THEY KNOW I'M CARRYING SEED. AND
I HAD A HECK OF A TIME WITH THE
CEREAL LEAF BEETLE, WHICH WAS IN
OREGON. UH I WASN'T ALLOWED TO
COME TO CALIFORNIA AND I ANYWAY,
THE STORY COULD GO GO. I COULD
GO ON FOR A LONG TIME.
APPARENTLY THE SERIAL LEAF
BEETLE DOES NOT LIVE IN A £50
SACK BUT WILL LIVE IN A £2000
SACK. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS
PROCESSED. I HAD TO RE BAG THE
MATERIAL TO BRING IT INTO
CALIFORNIA HAD NOTHING TO DO
WITH THE S¼ LE. IT WAS JUST A
PACKAGING ISSUE, BUT MY QUESTION
IS WHAT? WHAT'S THE POLICY TO
TRY TO GET THE GENERAL PUBLIC
THAT I THINK IS WHERE WE GET
MOST OF OUR INVASIVE? THINGS
COMING INTO CALIFORNIA. WHAT IS
THE POLICY THERE? HOW? HOW DO
YOU FIND THEM? THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION. WHEN YOU GO THROUGH
THERE THEY THEY WAVE AT YOU. YOU
GO FROM TRUCKEE. TO SACRAMENTO.
NOBODY ASK YOU ANYTHING YOU JUST
DRIVE THROUGH. SO FOR ME, WHY WE
HAVE IT. WE DO. THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION FOR SOME OF OUR HIGHER
VOLUME STATIONS. IT'S REALLY
DIFFICULT, PARTICULARLY IN
PLACES THAT HAVE A HIGH COST OF
LIVING WHERE THERE MIGHT BE HIGH
TURNOVER AND STAFFING IS AN
ISSUE. WE HAVE A HARD TIME
ACCOMMODATING BOTH THE
COMMERCIAL LANES AND THE OTHER
LANES THAT THAT KIND OF REGULAR
TRAFFIC LANES. AND SO WE HAVE TO
PRIORITIZE THE COMMERCIAL LANES
WHERE WE KNOW THAT, UH, PRODUCT
IS ENTERING THE STATE. WE DO
HAVE, UM, ROTATIONS AND MAKE
SURE WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
HAVE PEOPLE IN THOSE THOSE LANES
, CHECKING OTHER VEHICLES AT ALL
TIMES. THAT'S PART OF OUR
OPERATIONAL PLANS AND I. I KNOW
THAT I HAVE PERSONALLY STOOD ON
SOME OF THOSE LANES AND CHECKED
AND AS TRAFFIC COMES INTO THE
INTO THE STATE AND THE STATUS A
LOT OF THOSE STAFF MEMBERS. THEY
KNOW THE FOLKS THAT ARE COMING
THROUGH REGULARLY, AND THEY'RE
REALLY ON THE LOOKOUT FOR PEOPLE
THAT ARE COMING THROUGH WITH
COOLERS. PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING
THROUGH WITH FIREWOOD. WE HAVE
LARGE OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS TO TRY
AND INFORM CALIFORNIA VISITORS
AND PEOPLE IN PASSENGER VEHICLES
OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. TO
HELP SPEED UP THE PROCESS AND
MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THE
IMPORTANCE OF THIS. THERE'S A
LOT OF VISIBILITY AT THESE
STATIONS, AND SO WE LIKE TO
LEVERAGE THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE HAVE OUTREACH GOING OUT TO
THESE FOLKS AS THEY'RE COMING
INTO OUR STATE. UM WE DO OUR
BEST TO CHECK EVERY VEHICLE AS
AS IT COMES THROUGH AND TO LOOK
IN THE BACK, UM DURING HIGH
TRAFFIC. HIGH TRAFFIC TIMES.
IT'S DIFFICULT, I'LL ADMIT, SO
I'M JUST GONNA I WANT IT FOR THE
RECORD FOR THE OTHER MEMBERS
THAT PROBABLY DON'T DRIVE
THROUGH THESE THINGS I'M AWARE
OF VERY OFTEN BECAUSE I HAVE I
BORDER OTHER STATES. MY DISTRICT
AND I WILL TELL YOU I HAVE NEVER
BEEN STOPPED. AND I AND I'M NOT
A LOCAL. I GO THROUGH THERE WHEN
I'M DOING MY LEGISLATIVE
BUSINESS, AND THERE'S HALF 99%
OF THE TIME. THERE'S NOT EVEN A
PERSON THERE. IT'S JUST ELAINE
AND YOU DRIVE THROUGH NOW, IF
I'M IN MY COMMERCIAL TRUCK WITH
A LOAD OF COMMODITIES, THEY'RE
GONNA CHECK MY BILL OF LATE AND
THEN THEY'RE GOING TO NOT WANT
TO KNOW WHAT I GOT. NOW, IF
YOU'RE COMING FROM OREGON ON 139
. THEY'LL ASK YOU WHAT YOU HAVE
IN YOUR IN YOUR BACK OF YOUR
TRUCK, AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR
IF I BOUGHT A WASHER OR DRYER
AND PAID SALES TAX IN
CALIFORNIA. SO I'M CONCERNED
ABOUT WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING.
ARE WE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT
WHAT WE'RE GETTING? BECAUSE AT
THE END OF THE DAY I WILL TELL
YOU THAT THE BIGGEST MAJORITY OF
INVASIVE SPECIES COMING INTO
CALIFORNIA IS NOT FROM COMMER
FROM AGRICULTURE PRODUCERS. IT'S
FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THAT
REALLY DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT
THE CHECK STATION DOES. IF YOU
LOOK THERE'S A MAYBE IT SAYS
FRUIT FLY EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE,
BUT THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON. SO I THINK
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO
DO A LOT BETTER JOB. IF WE'RE
GONNA DO IT, LET'S DO IT. IF
WE'RE NOT, THEN LET'S JUST SHUT
THEM DOWN AND QUIT WASTING THE
MONEY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY
DO GET SOME STOP SOME STUFF. BUT
FOR THE FOR THE 99. IN THE TIME
I'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THEM.
THEY'RE NOT CHECKING TO SEE IF I
HAVE ANYTHING IN THERE. AND
THAT'S JUST THE FACT. IF YOU
WANNA COME AND RIDE AROUND WITH
ME, I CAN SHOW YOU BECAUSE I
DRIVE THROUGH HIM ALL THE TIME.
THEY'RE THE ONE ON I 80 TRUCKEE,
THE ONE ON 139, THE ONE OUT OF
395 OUT OF OUT OF RENO, NEVADA,
AND THEY WAVE AT YOU EVERY TIME.
THERE. I DON'T SEE ANYBODY.
ASKING ANYBODY. DO YOU HAVE ANY
FRESH FRUIT? OR DO YOU HAVE
SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE LIST? SO
WE'RE GONNA SPEND A LOT OF MONEY
HERE TO UPDATE A FACILITY IN
BLYTHE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF
CARS THAT GO THROUGH IT. BUT ARE
WE ACTUALLY STOPPING STUFF FROM
COMING INTO CALIFORNIA? WE HAVE
AN OUTBREAK OF WHAT IS IT RIGHT
NOW? FOR THE FOR THE ORANGES?
YEAH THERE'S A BUG FOR THE
ORANGES AND 99% OF THAT'S COMING
FROM SOMEBODY'S BACKYARD, NOT A
COMMERCIAL PRODUCER. YEAH AND TO
YOUR I'M NOT GETTING ON YOU. I'M
JUST SAYING, IF WE'RE GONNA DO
IT, LET'S DO IT. IF WE'RE NOT
GONNA DO IT, THEN LET'S QUIT
WASTING MONEY AND OPEN THE GATE.
YEAH AND I. I APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENTS. I THINK TO YOUR POINT
ABOUT, UM WHAT WE'RE CHECKING
FOR AT DIFFERENT STATIONS. WE DO
TRY TO DO KIND OF RISK ANALYSIS,
AND WE HAVE DIFFERENT PROTOCOLS
FOR DIFFERENT FOR FOLKS COMING
IN FROM DIFFERENT STATES ABOUT
THE LIKELIHOOD OF WHAT MIGHT BE
COMING IN FROM THOSE STATES AND
WHICH TYPES OF VEHICLES TO LOOK
OUT FOR. UM THERE'S DEFINITELY A
LOT THAT WE LOVE TO DO WITH
THESE STATIONS. IN TERMS OF
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION. WE DO DO
A LOT OF OTHER CHECKS FOR, UM
NOT COMMERCIAL VEHICLE. BUT FOR
OTHER WAYS THAT PES ENTERED THE
STATE, SO WITH PACKAGE PACKAGING
FACILITIES AND TRYING TO DO
CHECKS, AS OTHER AS OTHER
MATERIAL COMES INTO THE STATE AS
WELL. WHAT ABOUT THE SCENE IF
THEY PAID SALES TAX FROM INTO
CALIFORNIA? PERSONALLY BEEN
STOPPED AND ASKED WHERE THE TWO
BY FOUR CAME FROM, AND MY
RECEIPT. I HAPPEN TO OWN A FARM
ON THE OTHER SIDE IN CALIFORNIA
ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND I BUY
STUFF AT THE HARDWARE STORE TO
TAKE TO MY OTHER RANCH, AND
THEY'RE ASKING ME TO SHOW MY
RECEIPT BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW
IF I PAID SALES TAX. IS THAT
PART OF THE, UH MISSION FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. WE
WORK WITH OUR AGENCIES ACROSS
THE ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE THAT ALL OF THE LAWS
ACROSS THE ADMINISTRATION ARE
ENFORCED IS EFFICIENTLY AS
POSSIBLE. AND SO IF FOLKS ARE
STOPPING IN FOR ONE REASON WE
TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
COVERING ALL OF THE POSSIBLE.
ARE THEY GOING TO BE CHECKING
THE REGISTRATION ON MY CAR NEXT
AND THERE ARE OTHER SOCKS FOR
THAT WE, WE'LL, WE'LL DEFER TO
OUR PARTNERS. IT'S AT THE CHP
AND THE Dð M VÆ FOR THAT. WELL,
JUST IT'S VERY HARD FOR ME TO
WANNA PASS A BUDGET THAT I'M
GETTING STOPPED ABOUT A SALES
TAX WHEN I'M WATCHING FRUIT
FLIES COME IN. I MEAN, WE NEED
TO GET OUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT.
NOT I'M NOT BEATING YOU UP
PERSONALLY, BUT IT'S LIKE I
MEAN, THE GENERAL PUBLIC'S NOT
GETTING WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR,
AND IT'S A RISK TO OUR STATE TO
HAVE THESE INVASIVE SPECIES COME
IN. IF YOU WANT TO SEE A REALLY
GOOD PROGRAM AND HOW IT'S RAN,
GO TO LAKE TAHOE AND SEE WHAT
THEY DO TO EVERY SINGLE VESSEL
THAT GOES ON THE LAKE IS CHECKED
SO THAT WE DON'T GET THE MUSCLES
IN THERE. THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT
WORKS BECAUSE THEY'RE MAKING
SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON
THAT PUTS A BOAT ON ON LAKE
TAHOE IS NOT HAVING A MUSCLE IN
THERE, SO I JUST WANNA LET THE
REST OF THE MEMBERS KNOW WHAT'S
REALLY HAPPENING OUT THERE.
WE'RE GONNA SPEND A LOT OF MONEY
IN BLYTHE. WHAT ARE WE GONNA
STOP COMING IN? YOU HAVE
IMPERIAL COUNTY. YOU HAVE
ARIZONA, WHICH IS BRINGING A LOT
OF MATERIALS INTO CALIFORNIA
AGRICULTURE MATERIALS THROUGH
THAT PORT. THANK YOU, SENATOR
DOLLY FOR RAISING THAT. UM I'M
APPRECIATIVE. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS. SPECIFICALLY I
REALIZED I DIDN'T HAVE THE
CHANCE TO DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
OR L A Ó TO SEE IF YOU HAD ANY
FOLLOW ON. COMMENTS TO THE JUST
ISSUE GENERALLY, UH, FRANKIE MEN
WITH THE LEGISLATIVE AND OFFICE,
UM THE PROPOSAL RA RAISED NÓ
CONCERNS FOR US, OK? NÓ COMMENT
FROM FINANCE. GREAT. UM WELL,
THANK YOU. DEPUTY SECRETARY.
COZZO APPRECIATE YOUR, UH,
PRESENTATION, AND, UH, WE WILL
MOVE ON NOW. UM TO OUR NEXT
ISSUE, 17. THIS RECORD. I MEAN,
THEY'RE GONNA GET BACK TO US
ABOUT THE QUESTIONS RAISED BY
SENATOR DALEY IS AT THE PLAN.
YEAH, I'LL MAKE SURE WE FOLLOW
UP. OK I THINK THERE'S SOME GOOD
QUESTIONS. YEAH, I THOUGHT THAT
MYSELF, ACTUALLY. YEAH AND WE
FOLLOW UP WITH THE, UH,
DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. WHICH
YOUR MANAGER ANDRES THANK YOU.
WELL WE, UM WE HAVE TIME FOR A
BIT OF AN OVERVIEW AND OF
EXPEDITION PARK AND THEN WE CAN
TALK ABOUT THE POSITIONS.
THANKS. THANK YOU, SENATOR. UH
AND, UH, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU
AGAIN, AS WELL AS THE OTHER
MEMBERS. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT
EXPOSITION PARK, LOCATED IN LOS
ANGELES REALLY APPRECIATED YOUR
VISIT RECENTLY, UH, TO SEE THE
DEVELOPMENTS UNDERWAY AT THE
PARK. UH A BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT
EXPOSITION PARK AND ITS TIMELY
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER
DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE STATE
CDFA IN PARTICULAR EXPOSITION
PARK BEGAN AS AN AGRICULTURAL
DISTRICT AND IN FACT, STILL IS
THE SIX AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT
FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. IT
IS NOW, HOWEVER BETTER AND
EXPANDED MORE THAN EVER. WE ARE
HOME TO WORLD CLASS MUSEUMS. WE
ARE HOME TO, UH INSTITUTIONS,
SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT VENUES.
WE ARE HOME TO RECREATION
CENTERS FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE
RECEIVE APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 4 TO
6 MILLION VISITORS A YEAR AND
THAT REALLY WAS AN ESTIMATE
PRIOR TO COVID. SINCE WE'VE BEEN
OPENING OUR DOORS TO VARIOUS
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND
EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE
PARK, WE'VE BEEN SEEING A REALLY
INCREDIBLE INCREASE IN VISITORS
TO THE PARK. UH, THOSE
INSTITUTIONS INCLUDE TWO STATE
INSTITUTIONS. THE CALIFORNIA
AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM, THE
CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER HOME
TO THE SPACE SHUTTLE. ENDEAVOR
WHICH WE'RE PROUD TO HOST. ALSO
THE, UM UH NEW LUCAS MUSEUM,
WHICH IS COMING IN THE LUCAS
MUSEUM OF NARRATIVE ART WERE
ALSO EXCITED TO HOST THE NATURAL
HISTORY MUSEUM FOR L, A COUNTY.
WE ALSO HOST THE L A MEMORIAL
COLISEUM WHERE THE HISTORIC U S¼
èC FOOTBALL TEAM PLAYS AND
WHERE WE'VE HAD TWO OLYMPICS
PREVIOUSLY. WE ALSO HAVE A
RECREATION CENTER. WE HAVE THE
ROSE GARDEN, AND WE ALSO HAVE
THE BEMO STADIUM WHERE LAF èC
AND ANGEL CITY PLAY THEIR
CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS, SO AS YOU
CAN IMAGINE, IT'S A BUSY PLACE
AT EXPOSITION PARK EVERY DAY.
WE'RE EXCITED TO WELCOME ALL
CALIFORNIANS AND PARTICULARLY
THE LOCAL RESIDENTS. THAT
COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR IS, UH,
ONE OF THE MOST DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES, UH, IN THE STATE.
UH, IT ACTUALLY IS, UH, ONE OF
THE LEAST PARK POOR OR ONE OF
THE MOST PARK POOR COMMUNITIES.
UM UNFORTUNATELY, THE
SURROUNDING AREA EXPERIENCES
LESS THAN ONE ACRE OF GREEN
SPACE. SO EXPOSITION PARK REALLY
IS AN URBAN OASIS FOR THE
COMMUNITY. THEY HAVE SOME OF THE
HIGHEST RATES OF POOR AIR
QUALITY. THE HIGHEST RATES OF PM
2.5, THE HIGHEST, UH, UH, LOW
INCOME RATES. UH, IT'S A
PREDOMINANTLY LATINO COMMUNITY
CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY THE AFRICAN
AMERICAN COMMUNITY. SO WHEN
THINK ABOUT SERVING EXPOSITION
PARK VISITORS. WE THINK ABOUT
THE LOCAL RESIDENTS AND THE
PATRONS THAT WE SERVE, AND WE
ALSO THINK ABOUT THE TOURISTS
THAT WE WILL WELCOME. WE'RE VERY
EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE
HOSTING THE 2028 OLYMPICS AND
PARALYMPIC GAMES. JUST IN A FEW
YEARS. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO
DO. AND PART OF OUR BUDGET
PROPOSAL IS TO PREPARE FOR THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES. UH, LASTLY, I'LL
MENTION THAT WHILE WE ARE
EXCITED THAT THE 2026 WORLD CUP
IS COMING TO LOS ANGELES, WE'RE
ALSO HOPEFUL TO HOST ON STATE
PROPERTY. SOME OF THOSE
ENGAGEMENTS SO WITH ALL OF THOSE
, UH UH, EVENTS WITH ALL OF
THOSE INSTITUTIONS, WE CERTAINLY
ARE SEEING AN INFLUX AGAIN OF
RESIDENTS VISITING, UH, VISITORS
AND TOURISTS. SO UH, ALL OF THE
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WE
NEED TO MAKE AT THE PARK OR
TIMELY AND WE'RE CONFIDENT WE
CAN DO THAT BY THE 2028
OLYMPICS. UH, EXCELLENT. THANK
YOU, UM WE WOULD GIVE THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE A LEO
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON ANY
PIECES OF. SURE. WHICH ARE
ANYTHING FROM TO FINANCE OR
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. NOTHING
TO ADD. YEAH. UH, ARE WE GONNA
WALK THROUGH THE BUDGET PROPOSAL
SPECIFICALLY? OR WOULD YOU LIKE
ME TO COMMENT ON THOSE? WE DON'T
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY COMMENT ON
THE OVERVIEW. I GUESS ON THE, UM
QUESTION. SENATOR BLAKE ALSO HAS
A QUESTION. UM SO IT WAS REALLY
COMMENT ON THAT. BUT CENTER
BLAKE DID YOU WANT OH, UM YEAH.
GOT IT. OK SO WHY DON'T WE TALK
TO AS YOU SAID THIS YEAR? 17
SPECIFICALLY, UM AND THEN, UM
UH, I THOUGHT MAYBE THAT COVERED
SORT OF SIMILAR THE CAPACITY,
BUT, UH AND THERE'S A FURTHER
PRESENTATION, SO MAYBE YOU CAN
SPEAK MORE SPECIFICALLY TO THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL SURE. THANK YOU.
UH SO, UH, WITH EXPOSITION PARKS
, UH, INCREASED, UH, NEEDS TO
MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE PUBLIC.
WE HAVE TWO PROPOSALS UPON YOU,
UH, FIRST IS TO EXPAND OUR
CAPACITY ON OUR STAFF. WE ARE
SMALL BUT MIGHTY STAFF, UH BUT
IN ORDER TO MEET THE MILLIONS OF
ADDITIONAL VISITORS, WE DO NEED
SOME, UM, UH, SUPPORT ON STAFF
FOR COMMUNICATIONS TO THE PUBLIC
FOR OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WELL
INFORMING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT
THE DEVELOPMENTS AND ENGAGEMENTS
AT THE PARK. WE UH, ALSO SEE A
NEED FOR FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.
INFRASTRUCTURE IS A HIGH NEED,
UH, FOR US TO, UH, FOCUS ON. SO
UH, WE ARE LOOKING FOR A
POSITION IN THAT SENSE. WE'RE
ALSO FOCUSED ON NEW EVENTS AND
REVENUE GENERATION TO THE PARK
TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF THE
OPERATIONAL NEEDS THAT WE HAVE
ARE MET THROUGH OUR IN HOUSE
FUND, WHICH I CAN SPEAK TO, UM,
SHORTLY AND THEN, UH, LASTLY,
OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR PUBLIC
BOARD, AS WELL AS OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS ON CAMPUS WOULD BE
SUPPORTED THROUGH THE PROPOSED
POSITION. EXPOSITION PARK IS
FUNDED AND RESOURCED THROUGH OUR
OWN INTERNAL REVENUE. UH,
COLLECTION. SO WE, UH HAVE A DO
A PREDOMINANTLY A MAJORITY OF
RESOURCED, UH, FUNDS THROUGH OUR
PARKING REVENUE, AS WELL AS OUR
LEASE AGREEMENTS AND PAYMENTS
THAT WE RECEIVE AS WELL AS OUR
RENTAL OF OUR EVENT SPACES? UH,
LARGELY NEARLY ABOUT 70% OF OUR
REVENUE IS COLLECTED THROUGH OUR
PARKING SO THE SECOND PROPOSAL
THAT WHICH I CAN SPEAK ABOUT IN
IN A SECOND WOULD HELP SUPPORT
THAT. BUT WITH THESE ADDITIONAL
POSITIONS, IT WOULD REALLY AID
OUR ABILITY TO ACCOMMODATE. UH A
SAFE, UM, ENVIRONMENT FOR THE
VISITORS THAT ARE COMING TO THE
PARK. GOT IT. THANK YOU. UM SO
ON THAT NOW WE'LL HAVE ANY
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM
DEPARTMENT FINANCE OR NOTHING TO
ADD HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
MORNING RACHEL ALORS WITH THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST OFFICE. WE
DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT
ISSUE 17. WE THOUGHT THE
POSITIONS WERE JUSTIFIED. OK, UM
GREAT. WELL NOW OPEN THAT UP
FOR, UH, QUESTIONS, SENATOR
BLAKESPEAR. YES, THANK YOU. MY
QUESTION IS ABOUT, UH WHAT WOULD
BE THE IMPACT OF DELAYING
FUNDING FOR THE HEADQUARTERS,
THE FACILITY'S HEADQUARTER
CONSTRUCTION. THANK YOU. THAT'S
UM RELATED TO, UM UH, THE
UNDERGROUND PARKING STRUCTURE
PROJECT THAT WE'RE, UM, ALSO
SEEKING, UM, AS PART OF
EXPOSITION PARKS EFFORT TO
ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH
RESOURCES TO MEET THE INCREASE
IN INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, THAT WE
NEED TO HAVE AT THE PARK. WE'RE
LOOKING FOR GENERATING AS MUCH
REVENUE AS POSSIBLE THROUGH OUR
PARKING. CURRENTLY WE ONLY HAVE
ABOUT 5000 PARKING SPACES ON
CAMPUS TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF
HUNDREDS OF 1000. OF VISITORS
THAT WE RECEIVE, UH, ACTUALLY ON
A DAILY BASIS, UM, WITH THE
UNDERGROUND PARKING STRUCTURE
PROPOSAL. WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT
OPPORTUNITY TO GENERATE THAT
ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO MEET ALL
OF THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE
IMPROVEMENTS. SO I OFFER THAT IN
THAT WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THIS
WILL BE A SOURCE FOR US TO
PREPARE OURSELVES NOT ONLY FOR
THE INCREASE IN TRAFFIC, BUT THE
INCREASE IN VISITORS,
ALLEVIATING A BURDEN ON THE
GENERAL FUND. UM IN THE LONG
TERM FOR ALL OF THE OPERATION.
IMPROVEMENTS UM, WITH REGARD TO
THE POSITIONS, UM ONE OF THOSE
POSITIONS SPECIFICALLY WOULD
SUPPORT. UH, IN THIS FIRST PHASE
. THE UH, THE CREATION OF THE
UNDERGROUND PARKING STRUCTURE
AND THE DELAY IN NOT ALLOWING US
TO KIND OF MEET THOSE
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS WOULD BE A
LOSS OF REVENUE TO THE STATE AND
HOW MANY PARKING SPACES ARE
ADDED TO 5000 WITH THIS WE HAVE
AN ESTIMATE. AT MINIMUM. WE'RE
SEEKING TO ACCOMMODATE 1300.
WE'RE AIMING TO KIND OF BE AS
JUDICIOUS AS POSSIBLE AND
MAXIMIZE THAT OPPORTUNITY. UM
WE'RE AIMING FOR A MINIMUM OF A
30% INCREASE. OK, AND HOW MUCH
ARE YOU CHARGING FOR PARKING PER
HOUR? CURRENTLY OUR DAILY RATES
ARE $15 AN HOUR FOR THE ENTIRE
DAY. YOU CAN VISIT TWO FREE
INSTITUTIONS. CALIFORNIA AFRICAN
AMERICAN MUSEUM, THE CALIFORNIA
SCIENCE CENTER AS WELL AS ALL OF
THOSE OTHERS THAT I MENTIONED
AND ARE A SPECIAL EVENT RATE IS
$18. AND IS THERE ANY EFFORT TO
IMPROVE TRANSIT ACCESS? YES WE
ARE THE ONLY SITE IN THE CITY
THAT HAS TWO METRO STOPS. UH WE
ALSO HAVE ONE RIGHT ACROSS THE
STREET. WHERE UH, IN
CONVERSATIONS WITH METRO TO, UH,
NOT ONLY PROMOTE AND AMPLIFY THE
ACCESS TO THE PARK THROUGH MORE
ACCESSIBLE OPTIONS, INCLUDING
METRO AND OTHER BUSES, BUT WE'RE
ALSO THINKING ABOUT EXPANSIONS
OF OTHER, UH, ALTERNATE VEHICLES
. THE PART OF THE UNDERGROUND
PARKING STRUCTURE PROJECT HAS A
COMPONENT RELATED TO E VÆ
CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT
WE'RE EXCITED TO BRING IN THE
WAY I SEE IT WHEN WE HAVE THE
GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT WITH THE 2028
OLYMPICS AND PARALYMPIC GAMES ON
US. LET'S PUT OUR BEST FOOT
FORWARD AND DEMONSTRATE TO THE
WORLD. UH WHAT ALTERNATIVE
STRATEGIES AND TECHNOLOGIES ARE
AVAILABLE? YES ESPECIALLY
BECAUSE THE OLYMPICS ARE
SUPPOSED TO BE CAR FREE. THAT'S
RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S AN
AMBITIOUS GOAL. YES, WE HAVE A
BUS PARKING AREA AND BUS PARKING
STATION OR BUS, E, VÆ CHARGING
STATIONS OR SOMETHING THAT WERE
ALSO CONSIDERING, UH, WITH THE
OLYMPICS. UM WE, UH ARE AND WE
ARE IN CLOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH
THEM. WE PLAN TO, UM, BE ABLE TO
AFFORD, UH, SPACE FOR ALL OF THE
SHUTTLES AND ALL OF THE BUSES
THAT ARE GOING TO BE TRAFFICKING
A LOT OF THE VISITORS TO THE
PARK AND ALSO THE OTHER KIND OF,
UM, KEY ATTENDEES WILL UTILIZE
THE UNDERGROUND PARKING SPACES
AND WE WILL ON THE, UH, KIND OF
SURFACE OF THE UNDERGROUND
PARKING STRUCTURE WILL ALSO USE
THAT SPACE AS A RENTAL AREA, SO
WE WILL BE GENERATING VENUE FOR
THE STATE IN THAT WAY, TOO. OK,
THANK YOU AND THANK YOU CHAIR.
SURE UH, WHAT WHAT PERCENT OF
PEOPLE COME RIGHT NOW, DO YOU?
WOULD YOU ESTIMATE ON PUBLIC
TRANSIT VERSUS UM VERSUS
DRIVING? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION,
SENATOR. I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH
THE EXACT STATISTIC. I WOULD
ESTIMATE. UM, PROBABLY ABOUT A
QUARTER OF VISITORS. UM THE, UH,
METRO SYSTEM HAS BEEN ENGAGING
IN, UM ADDITIONAL OUTREACH
CAMPAIGNS TO THE COMMUNITY TO
ENCOURAGE MORE PUBLIC ACCESS.
USABILITY UM, AND WE WANNA WORK
REALLY CLOSELY WITH THEM TO
PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION SHARED
TO THE PUBLIC SO THEY CAN GET TO
EXPOSITION PARK IN DIFFERENT
WAYS. OKAY, GOOD. WELL WE KIND
OF GOTTEN INTO, UM, 18 YEARS
AGO. BUT FIRST LET ME JUST ON
17. WELL WE WE'LL SKIP THAT
QUESTION FOR NOW ON AN ISSUE 18.
YEAH. ARE THERE ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS MAYBE FROM TAR AND
FINANCE? LIKE ME IN THIS
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE NÓ
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM FINANCE
AT THIS TIME. OK, HOW ABOUT YOU
SEE I WAS FROM YEAH, THANK YOU.
I JUST, UM AS NOTED IN YOUR
AGENDA YOU ARE IN THE
LEGISLATURE FUNDED THE INITIAL
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA PHASE OF
THIS PROJECT LAST YEAR, BUT NOW
IT'S COMING BEFORE YOU AGAIN FOR
KIND OF THE BIG DECISION. DO YOU
WANT TO AUTHORIZE THE DESIGN
BUILD PHASE? UM, THE PROJECT IS
ESTIMATED TO COST OVER THREE
$150 MILLION. WHILE THERE'S A
HOPE THAT THERE WILL BE REVENUE
GENERATION TO HELP PAY OFF THE
DEBT SERVICE ON THAT LEASE
REVENUE BOND, AT LEAST THE, UM,
ESTIMATES WE'VE SEEN SUGGEST IT
WON'T BE SUFFICIENT, AND SO
THERE WILL BE A LIKELY A NEED
FOR SOME GENERAL FUND. UH, THE
DEBT SERVICE COST ESTIMATES. WE
HAVE OUR 25 MILLION PER YEAR FOR
25 YEARS, SO THERE'S CERTAINLY
MERIT TO THE PROJECT. BUT WE
JUST WANNA FLAG FOR YOU THAT
THAT THERE ARE ALSO COSTS AND IS
THIS AMONG YOUR HIGHEST
PRIORITIES BECAUSE THIS IS THE
DECISION POINT AT THIS POINT.
ADDITIONALLY THERE'S A COMPONENT
OF THE PROJECT THAT WASN'T
REALLY SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT
LAST YEAR TO BUILD A
HEADQUARTERS BUILDING IN A
COMMUNITY CENTER AS PART OF THE
PROJECT. UM, WHEN YOU APPROVE
THE PERFORMANCE CRI LAST YEAR.
THAT WASN'T CLEAR THAT NOW IS
INCLUDED. SO THAT'S ANOTHER
OPTION. YOU HAVE, UH IF YOU
WANTED TO THINK ABOUT PROCEEDING
WITH THE PARKING, BUT MAYBE
SCALING DOWN THE PROJECT AGAIN.
THIS IS YOUR DECISION. TIME TO
DECIDE WHETHER YOU WANT TO
PROCEED. IS THIS THEIR HIGHEST
PRIORITY? AND WHAT COMPONENTS DO
YOU WANT TO INCLUDE IN IT? WELL,
THANK YOU. AND I KNOW WE WON'T
BE VOTING ON THIS TODAY. BUT SO
THIS IS ARE GOOD THINGS TO KEEP
IN MIND. UM YEAH, I JUST ALONG
THOSE LINES, UM WOULD APPRECIATE
YOUR THOUGHTS, GIVEN THE
SIGNIFICANT BUDGET ISSUES WITH
THE STATE, UM WHAT IS
ADMINISTRATION'S PLAN TO
MINIMIZE RELIANCE ON THE GENERAL
FUND FOR THESE DEBT SERVICE
PAYMENTS AND, UM AND WILL THE
IMPROVEMENT PARK IMPROVEMENT
FUND. UM YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO,
YOU KNOW, KIND OF BEAR THE
LION'S SHARE OF THESE PAYMENTS.
UH, GOOD MORNING, DAVID JENSEN
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. THE
ADMINISTRATION WILL CLOSELY
MONITOR BOTH THE EXPOSITION PARK
IMPROVEMENT FUND AND THE GENERAL
FUND STATES GOING FORWARD THE
USE OF REVENUE BONDS TO FINANCE
THIS PROJECT DOES ALLOW FOR A
DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY. UH IN
UTILIZING BOTH OF THE FUNDS, AS
UM, APPROPRIATIONS ARE
RECONSIDERED ANNUALLY AS PART OF
THE BUDGET CYCLE. UM IN TERMS OF
LIMITED, UH, IN TIMES EXCUSE ME
OF LIMITED, UH, GENERAL FUND
AVAILABILITY. THE EXPOSITION
PART IMPROVEMENT FUND MAY
PROVIDE A GREATER SHARE OF THE
DEBT SERVICE TO REDUCE RELIANCE
ON THE GENERAL FUND. AND
FURTHERMORE, IT HAS ANDREA HAS
MENTIONED, UM FUNDING FROM THE
PARKING STRUCTURE ITSELF WILL
SUPPORT AND GROW THE EXPOSITION
PARK IMPROVEMENT FUND TO FUND
THE PROJECT. WHAT'S THE
CONDITION OF THE FUND RIGHT NOW?
UH, I WILL DEFER TO THE
DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU, UH,
PARDON? UH WE HAVE AN ONGOING
EFFORT TO INCREASE OUR REVENUES
OF ABOVE, UH, KIND OF OUR, UM
OUR ADDITIONAL TARGETS. MY
COLLEAGUE AT DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE WILL BE JOINING US AS
WELL. UH WE ARE A STRONG AND
SOUND FUND A REGULARLY WE EXCEED
OUR, UH, REVENUE SHARE AND
RETURN TO THE STATE. SO I AM
CONFIDENT THAT THE RESOURCES
THAT WE WILL YIELD FROM NOT ONLY
INCREASED PARKING, UH, REVENUE
GENERATION BUT ALSO THE
ADDITIONAL EVENTS AND
ENGAGEMENTS. WORLD CUP OLYMPICS
ARE GOING TO SUPPORT OUR FUND.
THE ZIRI DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
WOULD JUST ADD THAT THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET PROJECTS THE
FINAL HAVE AN ENDING FUND
BALANCE OF ABOUT EIGHT POINT
THREE MILLION DOLLARS AT THE END
OF BUDGET YEAR. THIS IS
INCLUSIVE OF THE, UH, EXPO PARK
CAPACITY BUILDING PROPOSAL. AND
WHILE WE DO SHOW THAT THE FUND
IS STRUCTURALLY IMBALANCE, WITH
EXPENDITURES EXCEEDING REVENUES,
AS ANDREA HAS SPOKEN TO, THERE
ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR
ADDITIONAL REVENUE GENERATION TO
SUSTAIN THE FUND ON AN ONGOING
BASIS. OK? WELL, I APPRECIATE
IT. OBVIOUSLY, IT'S A, UM UM,
AND WAS GOOD TO BE THERE WITH
SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES AND TO
REALLY SEE, UH, WHAT'S WHAT'S UM
, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW
AND SOME OF THE CONTINUED
EXPANSION AND I UNDERSTAND HOW
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF IT.
BUT IT IS A BIG DECISION FOR US
BECAUSE IT'S A IT'S A FAIR
AMOUNT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A
BIG BIG COMMITMENT. UM BUT
CERTAINLY A WORTHY UH, YOU KNOW,
W WORTHY EFFORT. ANY OTHER
CENTER BLAKE? SURE. YEAH, I JUST
I JUST WANTED TO REFOCUS ON THE
SPECIFICS OF MY QUESTION, WHICH
WAS ACTUALLY ABOUT DELAYING
FUNDING FOR THE HEADQUARTERS NOT
TALKING ABOUT THE PARKING
DELAYING BUT THE HEADQUARTERS.
SO CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO THAT
SPECIFICALLY, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO CLARIFY
THAT, UH, THE HEADQUARTERS IT
WAS NAMED SOMETHING DIFFERENT AS
A PART OF THE ORIGINAL MASTER
PLAN, WHICH IS, UH UH, THE
PROJECT PROPOSAL UPON YOU, UH,
THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A COMPONENT
INTO, UH, THIS PROJECT. IT WAS
NAMED DIFFERENTLY. AND UM BY A,
UM, OVERSIGHT. UH THAT NAME WAS
THAT THE CHANGE IN NAME WAS
OMITTED. UM, BUT IT WAS ALWAYS A
PART OF THE PACKAGE. IN FACT, WE
WERE ABLE TO DECREASE THE TOTAL
AMOUNT OF THE COST THAT WE
ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED. STILL
MAINTAINING THIS, UH,
HEADQUARTERS AND COMMUNITY
CENTER STRUCTURE, PLUS THE
UNDERGROUND PARKING PARKING
STRUCTURE. AND ALSO INCREASING
THE NUMBER OF SPACES THAT WE
WERE ANTICIPATING. SO UM, IT'S
ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF THE
ORIGINAL VISION OF THE PARK. UM
WHAT WE'VE FOUND IS THAT THERE
IS A REALLY BIG DISCONNECT AND
MISUNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A
STATE PROPERTY, AND IT'S AN
INCREDIBLE VALUE. ADD FOR, UM,
THIS COMMUNITY BUT ALSO FOR THE
STATE TO HAVE THIS, UH SPECIFIC
PROPERTY AND BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE
THAT IT IS, UH, WORKING ON
BEHALF OF THE STATE AND FOR THE
RESIDENTS IN THE AREA SO THAT
COMMUNITY CENTER IS GOING TO BE
NOT ONLY A GATHERING PLACE, BUT
THEN ALSO A SPACE WHERE WE CAN
SHARE THE HISTORY OF THE PARK
AND THEN ALSO, UH, KIND OF SHARE
RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITY LIKE
PUBLIC SAFETY, WATER STATIONS,
BATHROOMS, THINGS THAT CURRENTLY
DON'T EXIST TO THE PUBLIC. OK,
I'M JUST GONNA SUMMARIZE WHAT
YOU'VE SAID, BECAUSE BASICALLY,
I STILL DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU
REALLY ANSWERING MY QUESTION,
WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY GIVEN THE
SIZE OF THE BUDGET DEFICIT. IF
WE WERE LOOKING AT PHASING
THINGS HERE, AND THE
HEADQUARTERS WAS NOT BUILT AT
THE SAME TIME AS SOME OF THESE
OTHER THINGS I RECOGNIZE THEY
ALL HAVE TREMENDOUS VALUE AND
THEY WILL BE A GREAT ASSET FOR
THE COMMUNITY. AND IT WILL BE
SOMETHING THE STATE IS VERY
PROUD OF. SO I GUESS, I DON'T
WANT TO BADGER YOU ABOUT THIS.
BUT IF YOU WANTED TO ADDRESS
WHAT WOULD BE ACTUALLY THE
IMPACT OF DELAYING FUNDING
SPECIFICALLY FOR THE
HEADQUARTERS IF WE WERE TO WANT
TO PHASE IT AND REDUCE COSTS FOR
THIS IMMEDIATE BUDGET YEAR,
WHICH WE'RE ALL TASKED WITH
MANAGING, SO THE PROJECT IS
CURRENTLY IN THE PERFORMANCE
CRITERIA PHASE, WHICH MEANS THAT
THERE'S ALREADY WORK UNDERWAY
THAT ASSUMES THAT THIS PORTION
OF THE PROJECT IS INCLUDED IN
THE SCOPE. THERE WOULD LIKELY BE
SOME LOST PRODUCTIVITY A LITTLE
BIT OF, UM PREVIOUSLY SPENT
FUNDS THAT WOULD EFFECTIVELY BE,
UM UH, NÓ LONGER USEFUL FOR THE
CURRENT ITERATION OF THE PROJECT
. IF THAT PORTION OF IT WAS TO
BE SEPARATED OUT, ADDITIONALLY
BY INCLUDING THE, UM THE
HEADQUARTERS IN THE PROJECT.
THERE IS A DEGREE OF EFFICIENCY,
WHICH WILL BE ACHIEVED BY HAVING
A SINGLE CONTRACTOR THAT'S ABLE
TO DO THE WHOLE THING. IT WILL
REDUCE SOME OF THE OVERHEAD
ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT AND
BY DELAYING THE PROJECT. WE WILL
LIKELY SEE COST INCREASES AS
UNFORTUNATELY THE CONSTRUCTION
MARKET DOES TEND TO INCREASE
OVER TIME. ADDITIONALLY I WOULD
NOTE THAT THE PROJECT IS GOING
TO BE BOND FUNDED, AND AS A
RESULT, THE PAYMENTS ON THE DEBT
SERVICE WILL NOT START UNTIL THE
FACILITY IS OCCUPY SO LIKELY IN
2020. SO IT WILL BE A FEW YEARS
OUT BEFORE WE START TO SEE THESE
DEFERRED PAYMENTS, WHICH WILL
ULTIMATELY BE SPREAD OVER A
PERIOD OF APPROXIMATELY 25
YEARS, DEPENDING ON THE TERMS OF
THE BOND. OK, THANK YOU. THAT'S
ALL IMPORTANT CONTEXT. I
APPRECIATE YOU SHARING IT. THANK
YOU. SIT AROUND. UH, FIRST OF
ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK
. I MEAN, THIS IS A FACILITY.
THAT'S YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY NOT
IN MY DISTRICT, BUT, UM, I, I
CAN CERTAINLY SPEAK TO THE
IMPORTANCE THAT IT HAS FOR THE
ENTIRE SOUTHLAND. UH AS A AS A
CONVENOR OF PEOPLE COMING TO
LEARN ABOUT, UM, SO MANY
DIFFERENT THINGS FROM SCIENCE TO
NATURAL HISTORY. AFRICAN
AMERICAN ISSUES. UM YOU KNOW, OF
COURSE, THE LUCAS MUSEUM IS
GONNA BE WONDERFUL. AND I THINK
WE'RE ALL VERY EXCITED ABOUT
THAT. AND THEN, OF COURSE I
OBVIOUSLY ALL THE SPORTS
FACILITIES AND, UM SO III I, AND
IT'S ALSO JUST A WONDERFUL RES,
A PLACE OF RESPITE. VERY FAMILY
FRIENDLY. UM I. I WANTED TO AND
AS WE AS MENTIONED DIRECTLY
CONNECTED TO TRANSIT, AND NOW
YOU CAN HOP ON A TRAIN FROM
CATHERINE'S DISTRICT AND UH UH.
NOW YOU CAN TAKE A DIRECT TRAIN
TO STRAIGHT FROM UNION STATION
RIGHT TO THE PARK NOW, WHICH IS
REALLY EXCITING. UM A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS. WHERE WHERE IS WHERE
IS THIS HEADQUARTERS? WHERE
WHERE IS IT GOING TO BE SITUATED
IN THE PARK. IS THAT THE
OPERATION CENTER? THAT'S THAT'S
THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE COS THAT'S
RIGHT. YEAH THIS ENTIRE PROJECT
IS AT THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE
PARK, AND IT'S IMMEDIATELY
ADJACENT TO THE RESIDENTIAL
COMMUNITY. WHICH IS WHY WE'RE SO
EXCITED FOR IT TO BE EXACTLY AS
YOU MENTIONED THE RESPITE FOR
THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO ACCESS
THE PARK. UH, THE CENTER IS
IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE
UNDERGROUND PARKING STRUCTURE
AND THERE'LL BE A, UM WE'RE
ENVISIONING A CONNECTION FROM
THE UNDERGROUND PARKING
STRUCTURE TO THAT BUILDING. SO
UM INDIVIDUALS ARE ABLE TO
ACCESS SOME OF THOSE PUBLIC
SERVICES THAT WE'RE GOING TO
PROVIDE. YOU OK? YEAH, I MEAN,
AND I DO. I DO, UM, VALUE ALL OF
THE EMPHASIS ON ON GREEN SPACE.
I MEAN, IT IS A VERY PARK POOR
AREA, AND, UM AND SO MUCH OF THE
PARK, UNFORTUNATELY, IS HANDED
OVER TO CONCRETE RIGHT NOW. UM
BECAUSE OF ALL THE PARKING AND,
UM NOW YOU MENTIONED THE WORLD
CUP. NOW IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
THE WORLD CUP. UH, IS ALL OVER
IT. SO, UH WHAT? WHAT'S THE
VISION FOR? UH, FOR THE EXPO
PARK WITH REGARDS TO THE WORLD
CUP. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN
EITHER SUPPORTING THE WORLD CUP
THROUGH FAN ACTIVATIONS THROUGH
EITHER A FAN FESTIVAL ON CAMPUS
AND, OR, UM, ANY OTHER KIND OF
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS THAT THE, UH,
FIFA ASSOCIATION OR OTHER TEAMS
ARE INTERESTED IN HOSTING SO
GIVEN THAT WE ARE A PUBLIC
FACILITY, WE'RE A PUBLIC SPACE.
WE THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL
OPPORTUNITY TO INVITE, UH,
INDIVIDUALS TO ATTEND THE PARK
IN A PUBLIC SETTING IN A PUBLIC
FORUM. FOR SPECIFICALLY THOSE
THAT AREN'T ABLE TO SECURE A
TICKET TO THE GAME. THEY CAN
COME TO THE PARK FOR FREE. GOT
YOU OK, UM, BUT SO THAT'S STILL
BEING FIGURED OUT IS THAT IT IS.
WE'RE AN ONGOING CONVERSATIONS
WITH WITH AND OTHER PARTNERS AND
THEN THE OLYMPICS VISION. COULD
YOU SORT OF GIVE US A RUNDOWN OF
WHAT? UM ALL OF THAT LOOKS LIKE
AND ARE THESE PROJECTS THERE?
YOU YOU'RE SEEKING TO HAVE THESE
DONE? BY 26, OR BY 28 OR OR OR
WITH THE UNDERGROUND PARKING
STRUCTURE WE'RE SEEKING AND
CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN MEET THE
DEADLINE OF THE END OF 2027 SO
IMMEDIATELY, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE
TO BEGIN COLLECTING REVENUE AND
ENGAGE THE L, A 28 PLANNING
COMMITTEE TO USE THOSE SPACES.
SO THIS IS ALL IN THE MIND. SO
NONE OF THESE PROJECTS ARE BEING
DONE WITH THE WORLD CUP IN MY,
IT'S ALL OLYMPICS, UH, RIGHT FOR
THE UNDERGROUND PARKING
STRUCTURE THAT WOULD BE CREATED
BY THE OLYMPICS. HOWEVER THE
REVENUE GENERATION THAT WE SEE,
UH, COMING FROM SOME OF THE
OTHER FACIL THAT WE HAVE ON
CAMPUS. UM WILL HELP US MAKE ALL
OF THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE
IMPROVEMENTS TO MEET THE WORLD
CUP. UH, INCREASED DEMAND AS AN
EXAMPLE, THE LUCAS MUSEUM IS
SLATED TO OPEN UP IN 2025 2026.
WE HAVE A PARKING STRUCTURE
THERE THAT WILL BE OPEN, THEN TO
ACCOMMODATE THOSE, UH VISITORS
AND ALSO THE ADDITIONAL VISITORS
, SO EVERY SINGLE OPPORTUNITY
THAT WE CAN TO, UH ENGAGE MORE
VISITORS TO THE PARK IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COLLECT
MORE RESOURCES AND THEN PUT THEM
DIRECTLY BACK. DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR
INTO THE PARK. OK SO GIVE US A
SENSE OF JUST I THINK IT WOULD
BE GOOD FOR MEMBERS TO JUST GET
A SENSE OF EXACTLY WHAT THE PLAN
IS FOR 28. I MEAN EXPOSES PARK
WAS WAS ABSOLUTELY THE CENTER
OF, UH, BOTH THE 32 AND THE 84
OLYMPICS AND SO MUCH OF THE
INFRASTRUCTURE COMES FROM THOSE
TWO EXPERIENCES. UM, ALL THAT
BEING SAID, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW
SO FAR IS NOW TAKING. I THINK
THEY'RE TAKING IN A LOT OF THE
ACTION, AND THEN IT'S GONNA BE
SITES ALL OVER THE CITY. OF
COURSE. SO UM, LOVE TO GET AN
OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE VISION FOR
THE PARK IS FOR THE OLYMPICS.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HOST THE OLYMPICS
. UH, WE WILL BE AS A STATE. UH,
SITE, THE ONLY PLACE IN THE
WORLD IN HISTORY TO HOST THE
OLYMPIADS FOR THE THIRD TIME.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY.
A HISTORIC MOMENT FOR US THE, UH
, SITE AND THE PERIMETER OF THE
ENTIRE PARK. UM, IN THE
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE USAGE
STILL, UH, UNDERWAY IN
DISCUSSION WITH THE L A 28 OUR
PARTNERS WITH, UM WHOM WE WORK
CLOSELY. UM THE IDEA NOW IS FOR
THE OLYMPICS. THE OPENING GAMES
TO BE HELD, UH, LIKELY AT SOFI,
WHICH IS ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE A
BIT MORE, UM, TICKET HOLDERS
INSIDE. UH, BUT BECAUSE WE ARE
THE L, A MEMORIAL COLISEUM, UM,
KIND OF HOST SITE, WHICH HAS A
HISTORIC TORCH. WE DO ANTICIPATE
PLAYING A ROLE IN NOT ONLY THE
OPENING, UM BUT VERY, UH,
STRONG. AND IF NOT HOSTING THE
CLOSING CEREMONIES AT EXPOSITION
PARK. ADDITIONALLY WE'RE LOOKING
FORWARD TO USING THE L A
MEMORIAL COLISEUM. UH, FOR SOME
OF THE, UM UH, NOTABLE GAMES,
TRACK AND FIELD AND A FEW OTHERS
, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO THINKING
ABOUT, UH, HOW WE CAN USE. UH,
THE BANK OF MONTREAL STADIUM AS
WELL AS EXPO CENTER, WHICH IS,
UH, THE HOME OF THE HISTORIC 32
AND 84 POOL THAT WAS USED FOR
THOSE OLYMPICS AGAIN FOR THESE
GAMES, SO WE'RE GOING BE USING
EXISTING STRUCTURES. UH A
CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE TO MEET
IS ENSURING THAT OUR ROADWAYS
ARE PREPARED, ENSURING WE HAVE
BATHROOMS AVAILABLE, ENSURING
THAT WE HAVE LIGHTING, ENSURING
WE HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, READY
TO GO FOR THE INCREASE IN
VISITORS, AND THAT INCREASE IS
ALREADY OCCURRING. NOW IT'S ONLY
GOING TO KIND OF TRIPLE
QUADRUPLE, UH, EVEN MORE SO WHEN
WE HAVE THE OLYMPICS, SO THE
PLAN IS FOR TRACK AND FIELD TO
BE AT THE COLISEUM. THERE'S A
DISCUSSION AND A PLAN TO PROPOSE
THE GAMES BEING HELD THERE ALL
OF THOSE FINAL AGREEMENTS AND
VENUE ASSIGNMENTS ARE STILL IN
DISCUSSION. AND IT'S UP TO L A
28. BUT WE ARE, UH, PROPOSING
THAT THEY COULD BE AT L A
MEMORIAL COL. YOU KNOW, IS THERE
A TIMELINE AS TO WHEN THEY'RE
GOING TO MAKE THAT DECISION? DO
YOU KNOW IN MY RECENT
CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM? UM THEY
ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING
THAT ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE, UH,
FORTHCOMING MONTHS. UH, BY THE
TIME, UM HOPEFULLY, UH, PARIS
GAMES OCCUR. AND SPEAKING IN
PARIS. I I UNDERSTAND THE MAYOR
WAS JUST THERE WITH THE WHOLE
TEAM. UM ARE YOU PART OF THAT
CONVERSATION? II I APPARENTLY
THEY'VE A LOT OF LESSONS LEARNED
, INCLUDING, UM SOME THINGS
THEY'RE NERVOUS ABOUT, UM, ANY
ANY, UM, THOUGHTS COMING OUT OF
THAT TRIP WAS WAS EXPO PARK.
PART OF THAT THAT, UM,
CONVERSATION CAUSE ONE OF THE
THINGS I DO GET CONCERNED ABOUT.
YOU KNOW OUR STATE ENTITY, WHICH
IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY, AND YET,
UM SO MUCH OF THIS IS BEING
DRIVEN BY LOCALS. THANK YOU FOR
THAT QUESTION. UH, YES, WE ARE
IN CLOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH
MAYOR ABBAS'S OFFICE AND TEAM.
UM WE WEREN'T ABLE TO, UH, JOIN
THEIR DELEGATION VISIT DURING
THIS MEETING. BUT WE HAVE TALKED
ABOUT FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS NOT
ONLY TO CREATE EITHER A STATE
DELEGATION BUT POTENTIALLY TO
PARTNER WITH, UH, THE MAYOR'S
TEAM FOR ONE OF HER FUTURE
DELEGATIONS. UH, AS I UNDERSTAND
IT, THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS, UH,
TO POTENTIALLY, UH, VISIT SITES
PRE AND DURING POTENTIALLY EVEN
POST THE OLYMPICS. UNDERSTAND
AGAIN. INFRASTRUCTURE
IMPROVEMENTS NEEDS PUBLIC SAFETY
, WHICH IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
UM OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH THEM HAS
BEEN REALLY I THINK PRODUCTIVE.
UM WE'VE BEEN, UM, REALLY
CLOSELY TIED TO THINKING ABOUT
THE IMPACT IT'S GOING TO HAVE
THE OLYMPICS WILL HAVE IN THE
SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AS WELL AS
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE, UM
SOUTHLAND. UM I'LL I'LL MENTION
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALREADY, UH
, KIND OF STEPPED INTO. WE'VE
COMMISSIONED THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOMELAND SECURITY, CYBER
SECURITY AND STRUCTURE SECURITY
AGENCY, WHICH IS THE ENTITY THAT
PARTNERS WITH THE SECRET SERVICE
AND ALSO A COUPLE OF OTHER
PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES TO, UH,
KIND OF CREATE SECURITY
ASSESSMENTS OF THE AREA. WE'VE
ALREADY DONE THAT AT EXPOSITION
PARK, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD
TO THAT REPORT TO GIVE US
ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK ON THE
IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED,
PARTICULARLY AROUND PUBLIC
SAFETY AT THE PARK, BUT TO YOUR
QUESTION OUR ENGAGEMENTS WITH,
UM NOT ONLY MAYOR BASS'S OFFICE,
BUT L A 28, IN ADDITION TO THE
COUNTY, IN ADDITION TO OUR
FEDERAL ARE ONGOING AND
CONSISTENT, AND, UM, WE'RE
LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING SURE
THAT THIS PARK IS CAPABLE AND
PREPARED TO ACCOMMODATE ALL OF
THE VISITORS. OK, ALL RIGHT. I
APPRECIATE ALL THAT, UM YEAH,
AND THERE THERE'S OBVIOUSLY UH
UH, YOU KNOW, I THE WHOLE
BUSINESS MODEL OF BOTH THE
OLYMPICS AND THE, UM FIFA WORLD
CUP HAVE CHANGED IN WAYS THAT I
THINK ARE REALLY DISADVANTAGEOUS
TO, UM LOCAL FOLKS. I MEAN, THE
TRUTH IS THAT YOU KNOW, THE 84
OLYMPICS IS STILL PAYING
DIVIDENDS. UH YOU KNOW, WE HAVE
THIS L A 84 FOUNDATION BECAUSE
IT WAS, YOU KNOW, THEY CALL IT
THE GAMES THAT SAVE THE GAMES
BECAUSE WAS. I THINK MONTREAL
JUST FINISHED PAY OFF ITS DEBT
FROM 1976. BUT SOME OF THESE
FOLKS, UH UH, YOU KNOW, UH I
MEAN, SO I 11 OF MY QUESTIONS, I
GUESS IS ARE ARE ARE YOU UM, HOW
CONFIDENT ARE YOU ABOUT BEING
ABLE TO GET SOME RESOURCES TO
HELP WITH SOME OF THE NECESSARY
OLYMPICS REALLY RELATED UPGRADES
FROM L A 28 GIVEN THEIR FUNDING
CONSTRAINTS, AND HOW DOES THAT
PLAY INTO YOUR PLANNING? IT
PLAYS REALLY, UH CLOSELY INTO
OUR PLANNING LAST YEAR WITH THE
LEGISLATURE'S SUPPORT, WE
RECEIVED THE STATUTORY. UM UH,
LANGUAGE THAT ALLOWED US TO
CREATE AN EXPOSITION PARK
FOUNDATION, WHICH WILL NOW
BECOME A NONPROFIT ARM. UH, THAT
WILL ALLOW US TO FUNDRAISE FOR
ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE
PARK. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
THAT BEING ANOTHER RESOURCE TO
SUPPORT THESE DEVELOPMENTS AT
THE PARK. NOT ONLY THE PARK, UH,
ON TOP OF THE UNDERGROUND
PARKING STRUCTURE, BUT OTHER
WIDE. UM INFRASTRUCTURE
IMPROVEMENTS. UH IN OUR
CONVERSATIONS WITH L, A 28. WE
RECOGNIZE THAT THEY HAVE THEIR
OWN, UH, OBJECTIVES AND
FUNDRAISING GOALS. UH, WE ARE
SEEKING TO ENSURE THAT ANY OF
THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE
NECESSARY FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES,
UH ARE PROVIDED, UM, IN A
SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM MANNER SO
THAT IT WILL ACTUALLY BENEFIT
THE PARK AND THE COMMUNITY
RESIDENTS THAT WILL BE ACTIVATED
. UM, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE
LOCAL COMMUNITY THAT IS BEARING
THE BURDEN OF THE VISITORS, UM,
FOR THE DURATION OF THE OLY AND
THE PARALYMPIC GAMES, SO THAT
WILL BE ALL THROUGHOUT JULY AS
WELL AS AUGUST OF 2028. I REALLY
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THOSE
SPACES, UH, PRE AND POST, UM,
BUT PARTICULARLY FOR THE LONG
TERM FUTURE, SO WE HAVE ONGOING
CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, UM L 28
WILL, UM, AT THIS POINT, UM, NOT
BE PROVIDING ANY MAJOR
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO
THE PARK. UH AND THIS IS WHY
REALLY, IT'S UH, INCUMBENT UPON,
UH, US USING OUR FUNDS OUR
RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE
MEETING THE NEEDS, AND WE'RE
TRYING TO LEVERAGE THIS
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE OLYMPICS,
THE WORLD CUP, THE ATTENTION
THAT IT'S BRINGING TO, UH, KIND
OF THE, UM, THE AREA WITH ALL OF
THE INCREASED TRAFFIC TO MAKE
THOSE KIND OF A NEW COLLECTIONS
SO WE CAN AGAIN PUT A DOLLAR FOR
DOLLAR BACK INTO THE PARK. YEAH
YEAH, OK, I APPRECIATE ALL THAT
AND I. I MEAN, LOOK, IT'S A IT'S
A WONDERFUL PLACE. IT'S AN
IMPORTANT PLACE AND EVERY TIME
YOU KNOW I BRING MY FAMILY
THERE. I'M ALWAYS STRUCK BY HOW
UH, FAMILY FRIENDLY IT IS AND
HOW MANY PEOPLE FROM SO MANY
DIFFERENT, UM, WALKS OF LIFE,
INCLUDING ALL OVER THE WORLD
COME TO ENJOY THE AMENITIES
THERE. IT REALLY IS A SPECIAL
PLACE AND IT'S GONNA BE ALL THE
MORE SPECIAL BECAUSE OF THESE
GREAT INTERNATIONAL EVENTS THAT
WILL BE TAKING PLACE THERE. THAT
BEING SAID I, I, YOU KNOW, I DO.
WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM WE'RE
ALL AWARE AND TAKING THOSE KINDS
OF CONSTRAINTS INTO INTO
CONSIDERATION AS WE BOTH SUPPORT
YOU, BUT ALSO PUT PRESSURE ON
SOME OF THE POWERS THAT BE, UH
TO ENSURE THAT, UM THAT THEY
THEY, YOU KNOW, PAYING THEIR
FAIR SHARE AND GIVEN ALL THAT
YOU'RE BEING EXPECTED TO DO, AND
WE KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO STEP UP
AND PROVIDE A REALLY TOP NOTCH
VISITOR SERVING EXPERIENCE FOR
PEOPLE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE
WORLD FOR BOTH, UH, BOTH OF
THOSE EVENTS AND, UM YOU KNOW
THOSE THOSE, UH YOU KNOW THE
FOLKS RESPONSIBLE OUT OF OUT TO
BE CHIPPING IN AND, UM YOU KNOW,
I'LL I'LL I. I CERTAINLY COUNT
ME IN ON ON ON ON PRESSURE
ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. EFFORT UH
AND, YOU KNOW, LET'S LET'S SEE,
BUT BUT BUT ALSO LET'S USE THESE
, UM EVENTS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
REALLY UPGRADE THE PARK AND TAKE
IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. I THINK
THERE'S SO MUCH MOMENTUM THERE
RIGHT NOW. AND YOU MENTIONED THE
LUCAS MUSEUM, OF COURSE, IS THE
LATEST GOOD NEWS. UH, THERE'S SO
MUCH OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY, UM
YOU KNOW, TURN THIS EXISTING GEM
INTO A EVEN BRIGHTER DIAMOND. SO
THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU,
GENTLEMEN. OH, 10 DOLLY, I I'M
STILL HERE. FIRST OFF. I WANNA
JUST SAY, UM AS SOMEBODY FROM
THE NORTH I'VE ACTUALLY VISITED
THE PARK. UM ASSEMBLY MEMBER
JOAN SAWYER TOOK ME ON A TOUR
THERE. IT WAS AWESOME. I REALLY,
UH LIKE THE IDEA OF OPEN SPACE
IN AN IN AN AREA WHERE THERE'S
NOT A LOT OF OPEN SPACE. I HAVE
A TON OF IT. MY HISTORY CAN BUT
IF YOU'RE LIVE IN THAT
NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT'S A GREAT
PLACE TO GO. SO I'M SUPPORTIVE
OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO. BUT
I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS
BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE GOVERNOR'S
3030 BY BY 3030 PLAN IS TRYING
TO GET US AWAY FROM PARKING. AND
WE'RE GONNA SO DID YOU SAY $15
AN HOUR IS THE RATE WHAT YOU SAY
? I DIDN'T $15 A DAY DAY. YEAH,
IT IT IS, UH, ABOUT ONE OF THE
LOWEST IN THE LOCAL AREA. AND SO
WHAT IS THE WHAT IS YOUR, UM
RIGHT NOW. WHAT ARE YOU
GENERATING OFF? ARE YOU? IS IT
MAXED OUT? IS IT FULL? ARE YOU
WHAT'S YOUR REVENUE COMING OFF
OF IT RIGHT NOW. YEAH UM, FOR
THIS PAST YEAR, AND, UM THAT
WELL, I SHOULD SAY FOR THE 2220
THREE YEAR THAT WAS COMPLETED.
WE GENERATED ABOUT, UM, BELIEVE
6 MILLION MORE THAN WHAT WE HAD
INITIALLY ANTICIPATED BECAUSE OF
ALL OF THE INCREASED EVENTS, SO
WHENEVER WE HAVE AND ACTUALLY
REALLY DID HELP US WHEN LAF èC
ONE, AND WHEN ANGEL CITY WON,
BECAUSE THAT MEANT THAT WE HAD
MORE GAMES TO HOST AT THE PARK,
WHICH MEANT MORE VISITORS. MORE
TRAFFIC. MORE CARS PARKED. UH,
AND AGAIN, ALL OF THOSE DOLLARS
WENT STRAIGHT BACK INTO THE
PARK. UH SO IT IT WAS A GOOD
OPPORTUNITY FOR US. UM, WHICH IS
ALSO WHY WE WEAR THEIR COLORS.
UH AS WELL, UM, WE KNOW THAT
WITH THOSE INCREASED EVENTS AND
PART OF WHAT, UH, THE PROPOSAL
IS TO SUPPORT A POSITION THAT
WOULD ENCOURAGE MORE BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT AT THE PARK TO YIELD
MORE REVENUE, SO WE ARE
EXPECTING THAT THERE WILL BE AN
INCREASE IN RETURN. SO YOU HAD A
SPIKE THIS LAST YEAR. BUT
PREVIOUS TO THAT, SO I MEAN,
THAT'S NOT A GOOD BUSINESS MODEL
. I MEAN, BECAUSE YOU YOU THE
BUSINESS MODEL WOULD BE ANYBODY
IN BUSINESS WOULD LOOK AT LIKE
10 YEARS OF REVENUE AND THEN YOU
KNOW, AVERAGE THAT OUT. AND THEN
OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE
GONNA GET THE OLYMPICS. WE'RE
GONNA DO MORE THINGS. UM BUT
THOSE HAVE TO COME TO FRUITION
FIRST AND YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT
THE BACKWARDS. I'M CONCERNED
ABOUT. UM IT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
IT'S 350 MILLION. PLUS, BY THE
TIME YOU PAY IT BACK, IT'S
DOUBLE THAT. RIGHT, SO THAT THAT
MEANS YOU HAVE TO GET $625
MILLION IN REVENUES TO OFFSET
THAT, AND IF YOU DON'T, WE'RE ON
THE HOOK FOR IT, AND I THINK
THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE
DISCUSSED. HERE IS THAT YOU
KNOW, AND IT'S AND IT'S FUTURE
GENERATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO
PICK 25 YEARS IS A LONG TIME TO
BE PAYING THOSE DEBTS OFF, UM,
ON A BUSINESS MODEL THAT HAS ONE
YEAR BLIP IN IT, AND SO I THAT'S
WHY I ASK GOD, IF YOU'RE IF YOUR
PARKING LOT WAS COMPLETELY FULL
EVERY DAY, AND YOU KNOW THAT
THAT HEY, WE IF WE EXPAND IT,
WE'RE GOING TO GENERATE ANOTHER
40% OF REVENUE. UM THAT'S A
DIFFERENT MODEL. BUT THE MODEL
THAT I'M SEEING IS KIND OF
SKETCHY IF I CAN ADD TO THAT, SO
IN 2018 2019, WE BUILT THE NEW
BEMO STADIUM. WHICH IS WHAT
BROUGHT ANGEL CITY AND LAF èC
TO THE PARK. THAT'S REALLY WHAT
FACILITATED INCREASED TRAFFIC TO
THE PARK IN 2018 2019. WE
AVERAGED ABOUT THREE 163,000
VEHICLES PARKED IN 2022 20.
THREE WE HAD 1.07 MILLION CARS
PARKED, UH AND THAT WAS WITH
THE, UH, KIND OF LIMITATIONS
THAT WE HAD IN BEING ABLE TO
MANAGE. THE MULTIPLE EVENTS
REQUESTED THAT WE ACTUALLY
WEREN'T ABLE TO MEET WE HAVE
RECEIVED NEARLY DOUBLE REQUEST
FOR EVENTS FOR ACTIVATIONS FOR
SPACES AND RENTALS. UH WHICH IS
WHY WE KNOW WE HAVE TO MEET THE
INCREASED DEMANDS OF VISITORS
WANTING TO COME TO THE PARK
WANTING TO HOST GAMES. IT'S A
REALLY GOOD PROBLEM FOR US TO
HAVE, I SUPPOSE IN THAT, UH WE
HAVE KIND OF ENDLESS EVENTS AT
THE PARK EVERY SINGLE DAY. UM
AND IT MEANS THAT WE JUST NEED
TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THAT. SO WE
ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE NOT
ONLY GOING TO SEE INCREASED
TRAFFIC BUT THEN INCREASED
VISITOR SHIP AS WELL FROM FROM
HERE ON OUT, UH AND WHY I TOOK
THE 2220. THREE YEARS IS BECAUSE
PRIOR WE WERE IMPACTED BY COVID,
UH, KIND OF WITH THE LIMITATIONS
OF, UH, ENGAGEMENTS AND THE
CLOSURES OF MANY OF OUR MUSEUMS
AND FACILITIES. THANK YOU FOR
THAT INFORMATION. I JUST WANT TO
SAY THAT YOU KNOW, WE HEAR A LOT
IN THIS BUILDING ABOUT HOW WE'RE
MOVING AWAY FROM TRANSPORTATION
AND PEOPLE AND CARS, BUT WE'RE
FUNDING OUR FUTURE ON PEOPLE
PARKING CARS, AND SO I BELIEVE
WE'LL STILL BE USING A LOT OF
CARS IN THE FUTURE. AND UM I
DON'T THINK THE TRANSIT THING.
IT HASN'T PROVED OUT YET TO WORK
VERY WELL. OBVIOUSLY YOU SAID A
THIRD OF YOUR PEOPLE OR ABOUT A
THIRD IS COMING ON TRANSIT. BUT,
UH, ANYWAY, I THANK YOU FOR
THOSE THAT INFORMATION I WANT TO
SEE TO SUCCEED. I REALLY THINK
THIS IS A GEM FOR THE
NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I THINK IT'S
GREAT FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE, UH,
NOT THE ABILITY TO JUST WALK OUT
INTO THE OF COURSE, IT'S A PLACE
TO GO AND GET SOME OPEN SPACE
AND IT'S AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL. AND
THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD HISTORY
THERE SO WELL, THANK YOU. YEAH
LEAVING THE SERVICE WILL BE 1 TO
2 MILLION PEOPLE TAKING TRANSIT,
WHICH, ACCORDING TO YOUR NUMBERS
, WHICH WOULD BE QUITE GOOD. UM
BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL INCREASE
THAT. UH THANK YOU. GENERAL
MANAGER. AMB. I APPRECIATE IT.
UM WE ARE GOING TO, UM, PULL
THAT OPEN AND MOVE ON TO THE
NEXT ITEM. THANK YOU, SENATORS.
WILL NOW MOVE TO AN OVERVIEW OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE
REGULATION. Dð PR AND I
UNDERSTAND THAT, UM YOU'LL DO AN
OVERVIEW AND THEN PROBABLY MOVE
RIGHT INTO OUR NEXT. UH, ISSUE.
UH, ISSUE 19, WHICH IS
SUSTAINABLE FUNDING FOR PEST
MANAGEMENT AT Dð PR. SO THIS IS
VERY IMPORTANT. A TOPIC RIGHT
NOW GIVEN SOME THINGS HAVE BEEN
GOING ON IN THE STATE. SO I
APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE
AND, UM DIRECTOR HENDERSON YEAH.
THANK YOU. UH, GOOD MORNING. I'M
JULIE HENDERSON. I'M DIRECTOR OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE
REGULATION, AND KAREN MORRISON,
WHO'S TO MY LEFT IS OUR CHIEF
DEPUTY DIRECTOR. UM, AND AS YOU
MENTIONED, I'LL BE PROVIDING A
GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE
DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITIES
AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO THE
BUDGET PRESENTATION. UM SO PEST
MANAGEMENT PLAYS AN ABSOLUTELY
CRITICAL ROLE IN THE STATE BOTH
TO SUPPORT AGRICULTURE AND OUR
HEALTHY FOOD SUPPLY AS WELL AS
PROTECTING PEOPLE AND THE
ENVIRONMENT AND OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE. UM, WE AT THE
DEPARTMENT SUPPORT ACCESS TO
SAFE, EFFECTIVE PEST MANAGEMENT
TOOLS AND PRACTICES THAT PROTECT
OUR FOOD SUPPLY AND ALSO OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE AND CALIFORNIANS
AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS ROLE
HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY CRITICAL
AS CLIMATE CHANGE AND EXTREME
WEATHER CONDITIONS HAVE
INTRODUCED NEW AND INCREASING P
PRESSURES AS PARTICULARLY LOW
RISK. PEST MANAGEMENT TOOLS ARE
DECLINING IN EFFICACY AND ALSO
AS SCIENCE IS SHOWING, UM NEW
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PESTICIDES
, UM, THAT LEAD TO INCREASING
RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR USE. AND
SO I'LL START JUST BY RUNNING
THROUGH QUICKLY. WHAT WE DO AT
THE DEPARTMENT. UM EVALUATION
AND REGISTRATION IS SORT OF AT
THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO. UM U S¼
EPA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIRST
EVALUATION, EVALUATING AND
REGISTERING PESTICIDES AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL BEFORE THEY'RE
USED AND ALSO INCLUDES
RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR USE AS
NECESSARY AND THEN MOVES
REGISTRATION'S MOVE TO THE
DEPARTMENT WHERE WE EVALUATE, UM
PESTICIDES FOR CALIFORNIA
SPECIFIC CONDITIONS, UM, BEFORE
THEY CAN BE USED IN CALIFORNIA.
SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION THAT
PRECEDES REGISTRATION, UM AND
CONTINUES AFTER REGISTRATION IS
DRIVEN BY EMERGING SCIENCE AND
IS REALLY AT THE CORE OF THE
WORK THAT WE DO AND OUR STRICT
REGULATORY OVERSIGHT IN
CALIFORNIA. UM, BEFORE MAKING A
REGISTRATION DECISION, OUR
SCIENTISTS EVALUATE AND ASSESS
THE PESTICIDES, POTENTIAL HUMAN
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS
AND DETERMINE WHETHER THOSE
RISKS CAN BE MITIGATED. AND IF
THEY CAN'T, THEN WE WILL NOT
REGISTER THE PESTICIDE. UM AS I
MENTIONED, UM EVEN AFTER
PESTICIDES ARE REGISTERED. WE
CONTINUE TO EVALUATE PESTICIDE
USE FOR POTENTIAL RISKS. AND
THAT IS DONE. UM, BOTH FOR OUR
PESTICIDE USE MONITORING AS WELL
AS INVESTIGATIONS OF REPORTED
ADVERSE EFFECTS AS WELL AS
PESTICIDE ILLNESSES. WE ALSO
MONITOR THE AIR, GROUNDWATER AND
SURFACE WATER AND PRODUCE FOR
THE PRESENCE OF PESTICIDES. UM
RE EVALUATION IS ONE FORM OF OUR
WAY OF EVALUATING RISKS. IT'S
DESIGNED TO COLLECT NEW
INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIFIC
SCIENTIFIC QUESTIONS, UM, AND
CAN LEAD TO AN INFORMED
ADDITIONAL MITIGATION MEASURES.
UM THIS TYPE OF, UM, ASSESSMENT
CAN TAKE SEVERAL YEARS TO
COMPLETE AND THAT IS DEPENDENT
IN LARGE PART UPON THE
COMPLEXITY OF DATA REQUIREMENTS.
UM AS WELL AS THE SITES WHERE
PESTICIDES ARE USED, UM AS WELL
AS ANY DATA GAPS AND THE
DEVELOPMENT OF MITIGATION
MEASURES AND REGULATORY EFFORTS
THAT ARE REQUIRED. UM WE ALSO
USE ADDITIONAL MECHANISMS TO
EVALUATE RISKS THAT ARE LESS
TIME INTENSIVE, AND THAT
INCLUDES MORE FOCUSED RISK
ASSESSMENTS ON POTENTIAL CHANGES
TO LABELS. UM AND ALSO JUST AN
ADDITIONAL MITIGATION MEASURES.
UM WE ALSO WILL PLACE ADDITIONAL
RESTRICTIONS ON PESTICIDES AS
NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT THEY
PROTECT THEIR USE AS PROTECT
PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. ARE
UM ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
BRANCH MONITORS THE ENVIRONMENT
TO DETERMINE THE POTENTIAL FOR
PESTICIDE EXPOSURE IN AIR,
SURFACE WATER AND GROUND WATER.
OUR WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY
BRANCH, UM PROMOTES WORKER
HEALTH AND SAFETY THROUGH
PESTICIDE SAFETY OUTREACH, UM,
EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR
WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS, AND WE
ALSO AND THEY ALSO CONTINUOUSLY
EVALUATE WORKPLACE SAFETY AND
DEVELOP MITIGATION MEASURES TO
ADDRESS WORKPLACE RISKS. UM OUR
ENFORCEMENT, UH, BRANCH OVERSEES
STATEWIDE ENFORCEMENT THAT IS
LARGELY CARRIED OUT AT THE LOCAL
LEVEL BY COUNTY AGRICULTURAL
COMMISSIONERS. UM THE
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS. ALSO
UM IS REVIEW AND ISSUE
RESTRICTED MATERIAL PERMITS. UM
THOSE ARE HIGHER RISK PESTICIDES
THEY CAN CONDUCT ON SITE
INSPECTIONS. UM WORKER HEALTH
AND SAFETY INSPECTIONS AND ALSO
INVESTIGATE PESTICIDE INCIDENTS.
UM Dð PR STAFF, CONDUCT
OVERSIGHT INSPECTIONS AND
PROVIDE TRAINING, CO ORDINATION,
TECHNICAL AND LEGAL SUPPORT. UM,
FOR THE COUNTIES. WE ALSO
OVERSEE COMPLIANCE AND PESTICIDE
USE. HAVE OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY
FOR PESTICIDE INCIDENT
INVESTIGATIONS, UM, AS WELL AS
IMPORTED, PRODUCE PESTICIDE
RESIDUES AND ENSURE COMPLIANCE,
UH WITH PRODUCT REGISTRATIONS.
AND LABELING REQUIREMENTS ARE
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT
BRANCH ADVANCES, UM, THE
EFFECTIVE, SUSTAINABLE AND SAFE
PEST MANAGEMENT USE, UM BY
OFFERING GRANTS. UM, BOTH FOR
RESEARCH AND EDUCATION AND
OUTREACH. UM, THEY ALSO PROVIDE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE USE
OF INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT
PRACTICES AT SCHOOLS, UM, AND
ALSO PROVIDE COMPLIANCE
ASSISTANCE FOR THE HEALTHY
SCHOOLS ACT AND TRACK PESTICIDE
USE STATEWIDE. UM AS YOU MAY
HAVE HEARD, UM WE HAVE BEEN
DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE PEST
MANAGEMENT, SUSTAINABLE PEST
MANAGEMENT ROAD MAP, AND THAT
REALLY BUILDS ON, UM, DECADES
LONG PRACTICE OF INTEGRATED PEST
MANAGEMENT ACROSS THE STATE BY
INCORPORATING BROADER
CONSIDERATIONS OF HUMAN HEALTH
AND SOCIAL EQUITY, AS WELL AS
BROADER CONSIDERATIONS OF
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND
CONSIDERING ECONOMIC VIABILITY.
UM SO I'LL NOW SHIFT TO OUR
PROPOSAL. UM OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL DECADES, THE DEPARTMENT
HAS EXPERIENCED AN EXPANSION. IN
OUR STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AND
ALSO IN OUR ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS,
AND THOSE INCLUDE THE SCIENTIFIC
EVALUATION AND REGISTRATION OF
PESTICIDES AND MITIGATION OF
THEIR RISKS, SUPPORT FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SAFE AND
SUSTAINABLE PEST MANAGEMENT
ALTERNATIVES. UM THE ENFORCEMENT
OF PESTICIDE LAWS AND
REGULATIONS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
OUR AG COMMISSIONER PARTNERS, AS
WELL AS INCREASED COLLABORATIVE
ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS
AND COMMUNITY. UH COMMUNITIES,
UM, TO HOLISTICALLY ADDRESS, UM,
THE DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT NEEDS
TODAY AND THE STATE. UM WE NEED
SUSTAINABLE FUNDING TO CONTINUE
OUR FOUNDATIONAL FUND. UH,
FUNCTIONS, UM, TO PROTECT PEOPLE
IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND ALSO TO
SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT AND
ADOPTION OF SAFER, MORE
SUSTAINABLE PEST MANAGEMENT
ALTERNATIVES AND TO BRING THOSE
TO MARKET FASTER AND TO
ENCOURAGE COLLABORATIONS THAT
BROADLY EXPAND TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE FOR PEST MANAGERS,
OUR PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE. THE
MILL ASSESSMENT COMES FROM THE
FIRST SALE OF PESTICIDES INTO
CALIFORNIA AND HAS BEEN
STATUTORILY FOR THE LAST 20
YEARS AND DOESN'T ADEQUATELY
SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT'S
FUNCTIONS AND PROGRAMMATIC
RESPONSIBILITIES. AS A RESULT,
UM WE ARE OPERATING WITH A
STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE. UM
PESTICIDE REGISTRATION FEES
ACCOUNT FOR, UM, APPROXIMATELY,
AND I SHOULD MENTION THAT, UM,
THAT THE MILL ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT
80% OF OUR FUNDING. UM AND THAT
FEE IS PAID BY PRIMARILY BY
PESTICIDE RETAILERS,
MANUFACTURERS AND WHOLESALERS
WHEN THE PESTICIDE IS FIRST SOLD
INTO CALIFORNIA. PESTICIDE
REGISTRATION FEES ACCOUNT FOR
ABOUT 15% OF OUR OVERALL FUNDING
AND LICENSING FEES ACCOUNT FOR
ABOUT 3. UM, REVENUE THAT'S
GENERATED FROM THE MILL SUPPORTS
OUR CORE FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING,
UM, PESTICIDE EVALUATION AND
GRANTS THAT SUPPORT THE
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
OF SAFER ALTERNATIVES. UM, IT
ALSO SUPPORTS PESTICIDE USE
ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE
ENGAGEMENT WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND
OTHER ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH
OUR PESTICIDE REGULATORY
PROGRAM. UM, THE MILL REGULATE
MILL REVENUE ALSO SUPPORTS OUR
LOCAL PARTNERS, THE AG
COMMISSIONERS AS WELL AS UM èC
Dð F, A'S OFFICE OF PESTICIDE
CONSULTATION AND ANALYSIS. TO
SUPPORT A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
TO IDENTIFYING OUR CURRENT NEEDS
AND PROGRAMMATIC GAPS. THE 2021
BUDGET ACT ALLOCATED FUNDING FOR
AN INDEPENDENT STAKEHOLDER
ENGAGED MILL ASSESSMENT STUDY.
UM, WE RELEASED THE RESULTS OF
THAT STUDY LAST FALL THAT FOUND
THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS
CRITICALLY UNDERFUNDED. TO
PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT WITH
STABLE LONG TERM FUNDING. THE
STUDY RECOMMENDED A FLAT FEE
PHASED IN INCREASE OF THE MILL
ASSESSMENT OVER THREE YEARS FROM
THE CURRENT 2.1. CENTS FOR EVERY
DOLLAR OF PESTICIDES SOLD IN
CALIFORNIA. UM, UP TO, UH THREE
POINT THREE NINE CENTS PER
DOLLAR OF PESTICIDE SALES. THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET IS A
MORE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH
APPROACH. UM THAT INCLUDES
LEGISLATION TO PHASE IN THE MILL
ASSESSMENT AT Dð PR AND AT èC
Dð FA. UM FOR THE DEPARTMENT,
UH, OF PESTICIDE REGULATION
LEGISLATION PROPOSES THAT OVER
3,000,003 YEARS, UM, THAT WOULD
GO FROM, UM 2.64 CENTS ON THE
DOLLAR IN 2425 TO 2.75 CENTS ON
THE DOLLAR AND 2526 AND THEN
2.86 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR IN
FISCAL YEAR 2627 AND FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND
AGRICULTURE. THE LEGISLATION
PROPOSES TO INCREASE THE MILL
ASSESSMENT FROM THE CURRENT CAP
OF THREE QUARTERS OF A MIL TO
1.04 MILS. Dð PR IS ALSO
REQUESTING 117.4 POSITIONS AND
30 THREE POINT THREE MILLION IN
THE Dð PR FUND AND THE
GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION FUND
THAT WOULD PHASE IN OVER THREE
YEARS TO SUPPORT OUR ESSENTIAL
WORK. MORE SPECIFICALLY, UM, THE
BUDGET WOULD PROVIDE 17.9
MILLION FROM THE Dð PR FUND TO
STREAMLINE PROCESSES THAT WOULD
SUPPORT ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING
ACCELERATED, UM, ACCELERATING
OUR PESTICIDE REGISTRATION AND
EVALUATION PROJECT. TIMELINES
EFFECTIVE BRING EFFECTIVE
PESTICIDES AND SAFE PESTICIDES
TO MARKET FASTER. WE WOULD ALSO
SIGNAL EARLIER RISKS TO
PESTICIDES. UM AND ALSO THE NEED
FOR ALTERNATIVES AND SUPPORT,
INNOVATIVE ALTERNATIVES AND
RESEARCH. THE PROPOSAL ALSO
INCLUDES $8.6 MILLION AND 33.2
POSITIONS FROM THE Dð PR FUND IN
592,000 FROM THE G Tð RF TO
STRENGTHEN STATEWIDE SERVICES
THAT SUPPORT STATEWIDE AND CROSS
JURISDICTIONAL PESTICIDE USE
ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE AS
WELL AS PESTICIDE MONITORING AND
DATA EVALUATION AND RISK
EVALUATION AND REGULATION
DEVELOPMENT. FINALLY THE
PROPOSAL INCLUDES 6.1 MILLION
FROM THE Dð PR FUND AND 125,000
FROM GGRF TO PROVIDE CRITICAL
SUPPORT FOR LOCAL PARTNERS AND
COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING PESTICIDE
USE, ENFORCEMENT AND TRAINING
AND COMPLIANCE SUPPORT FOR
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL
COMMISSIONERS AND LOCAL
ENGAGEMENT WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS
AS WELL AS INCREASED
TRANSPARENCY. THE INCLUSION OF
BOTH THE Dð PR FUND AND G GR F
REFLECTS A CONSISTENT APPROACH
TO FUNDING FOR A B 617 RELATED
ACTIVITIES ACROSS STATE
GOVERNMENT. AND ALSO REFLECTS
THE IMPORTANT IMPORTANCE OF
DIVERSIFIED FUNDING. SOURCES IN
SUMMARY THE PROPOSED BUDGET
PROVIDES Dð PR WITH THE
ESSENTIAL LONG TERM STABLE
FUNDING. WE NEED TO SUPPORT
STATEWIDE PEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
THAT IS SAFE, EFFECTIVE AND
SUSTAINABLE FOR EVERYONE. ON
ALTERNATE OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE
AT THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HENDERSON.
AND GOOD MORNING. UH, MR CHAIR
AND MEMBERS CHRISTIAN BELTRAN
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE.
I JUST LIKE TO ADD, UH, JUST A
FEW BRIEF POINTS TO HELP, UH,
PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT
FOR THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS. UM,
AS MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION
, UM FROM DIRECTOR HENDERSON, Dð
PR IS FACED WITH A SIGNIFICANT
CHALLENGE WITHOUT ANY ACTION TO
INCREASE THE MILL ASSESSMENT CAP
. UH, THAT IS STATE STAGNANT FOR
THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES. UH,
THE ADMINISTRATION IS PROJECTING
THAT THE Dð PR FUND WILL FALL
INTO A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT
BEGINNING IN THE BUDGET YEAR OF
2425. ADDITIONALLY, IT IS
CRITICAL TO NOTE THAT THE
REQUESTED INCREASES THAT IS
CURRENTLY INCLUDED IN THE
TRAILER BILL. LANGUAGE WILL NOT
ONLY HELP ADDRESS THE PROJECTED
DEFICIT, BUT IT WILL ALSO ALLOW
Dð PR TO INVEST IN CRITICAL PRO,
UH CRITICAL PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
TO MORE EFFICIENTLY DELIVER ON
ITS MISSION OF REGULATING
PESTICIDES IN A HEALTH,
PROTECTIVE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY
SUSTAINABLE MANNER, WHILE ALSO
PRIORITIZING THE URGENCY OF
DELIVERING NEW PEST MANAGEMENT
APPROACHES, GIVEN, UH,
INCREASING PRESSURES DUE TO
CLIMATE CHANGE WITH THAT HAPPY
TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE
COMMITTEE. THANK YOU AND LEO. UM
FRANK JIMENEZ WITH THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST OFFICE. UM,
WHEN IT COMES TO THIS PROPOSAL,
WE RECOMMEND THAT THE
LEGISLATURE APPROVE A FLAT
INCREASE TO THE MILL ASSESSMENT
THAT ADDRESSES THE STRUCTURAL
DEFICIT WITHIN THE Dð PR FUND
AND SUPPORTS HIGH PRIORITY
PROGRAMS. WE FIND THAT A FLAT
INCREASE TO THE MILL ASSESSMENT,
AS THE GOVERNOR HAS PROPOSED IS
A REASONABLE APPROACH THAT
PROVIDES SEVERAL BENEFITS, SUCH
AS PROVIDING A MORE STABLE
REVENUE STREAM AND BEING EASIER
TO ADMINISTER. THIS APPROACH
ALSO ALIGNS WITH THE
RECOMMENDATIONS PROVIDED BY THE
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR, THE Dð
PR HIRED TO ASSESS THE
APPROPRIATE RATE AND STRUCTURE
OF THE MILL ASSESSMENT. ALONG
WITH THE FLAT INCREASE. HE
RECOMMEND THAT THE LEGISLATURE
INCORPORATES STATUTORY CAPS TO
THE MILL ASSESSMENT. THIS WILL
PROVIDE A MECHANISM TO ENSURE
THAT REVENUES ALIGN WITH
EXPENDITURES APPROVED BY THE
LEGISLATURE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET
ACT. UM THE STATUTORY CAPS THAT
ARE PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNOR
APPEAR TO BE REASONABLE. BUT
HIGHER OR LOWER CAPS IDENTIFIED
BY THE LEGISLATURE COULD ALSO BE
JUST AS REASONABLE AS WELL. WHEN
IT COMES TO THE PRO PROGRAMMATIC
EXPANSIONS. UNDER THE PROPOSAL,
WE RECOMMEND THAT THE
LEGISLATURE ENSURE THAT ITS
SPENDING PRIORITIES ARE
REFLECTED IN THE SCOPE OF WORK
AND THE APPROVED FUNDING LEVELS.
THIS COULD INCLUDE MODIFYING THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL OR ADDING TO
THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL. IN OUR
REPORT, WE IDENTIFIED THREE
AREAS IN WHICH THE LEGISLATURE
COULD EXPLORE FURTHER DURING THE
SPRING BUDGET PROCESS. UM THIS
INCLUDES FUNDING TO SUPPORT
ACTIVITIES TO IMPLEMENT THE
DEPARTMENT'S SUSTAINABLE PEST
MANAGEMENT ROAD MAP. UM, THESE
ACTIVITIES INCLUDE THE
ACCELERATION OF REGISTERING
SAFER PESTICIDES AND ALSO
IDENTIFYING PRIORITY PESTICIDES.
WHICH THE DEPARTMENT UM AIMS TO
ELIMINATE THE USE OF BY 2050.
WELL THERE COULD BE SOME
BENEFITS TO THESE ACTIVITIES.
UM, WE NOTE THAT THE SUSTAINABLE
PEST MANAGEMENT ROAD MAP IS AN
ADMINISTRATION LED INITIATIVE.
UM WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE
LEGISLATURE ENSURE THAT THESE
ACTIVITIES ARE AMONG ITS HIGHEST
PRIORITIES, AND IF ANY STATUTORY
GUIDANCE IS NEEDED TO ALIGN
THESE ACTIVITIES WITH THE
LEGISLATURE'S OVERALL PRIORITIES
FOR PESTICIDES. WE ALSO NOTE
THAT THE PROPOSAL DOES NOT
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR
AGRI COUNTY AGRICULTURAL
COMMISSIONERS AND THEIR UM
PESTICIDE USE, UM, ENFORCEMENT
ACTIVITIES. WE NOTE THAT THE
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS REPORT
FOUND THERE TO BE ABOUT A $10
MILLION NEED ACROSS THE STATE,
AND WE ALSO NOTE THAT THE LAST
TIME THE LEGISLATURE INCREASED
THE MILL ASSESSMENT, ADDITIONAL
FUNDING WAS PROVIDED THE COUNTY
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS.
WHILE CURRENT ALLOTMENTS COULD
BE SUFFICIENT, UM, THE
OPPORTUNITY THAT ADJUSTING THE
MILL ASSESSMENT PROVIDES IT
PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE
LEGISLATURE TO DETERMINE WHETHER
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL
COMMISSIONERS ARE SUFFICIENTLY
RESOURCED TO CARRY OUT THEIR
STATUTORILY REQUIRED ACTIVITIES.
WE KNOW THAT THE PROPOSAL ALSO
DOESN'T PROVIDE FUNDING TO
SUPPORT RECENTLY CHAPTERED
LEGISLATION. UM WE FEEL THAT
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE
LEGISLATURE TO ENSURE THAT
FUNDING FOR CHAPTER LEGISLATION
IS ULTIMATELY INCLUDED IN THE
FINAL BUDGET PACKAGE,
PARTICULARLY GIVEN THAT THESE
CONVERSATIONS AROUND UM THIS, UM
, PROPOSAL ARE IDENTIFYING
FUNDING FOR Dð PR TO CARRY OUT
ITS STATUTORILY REQUIRED, UM
ENVIRONMENT. UM MOST OF THE
NEARLY ALL OF THE FUNDING
PROVIDED UNDER THE PROPOSAL
WOULD COME FROM THE Dð PR FUND
WITH A SMALL AMOUNT COMING FROM
THE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION
FUND TO SUPPORT UM, AIR
MONITORING AND COMMUNITY
OUTREACH. UM, WE RECOMMEND THAT
THE LEGISLATURE INSTEAD, UM,
SUPPORT THESE ACTIVITIES WITH
THE Dð PR FUND. UM, THESE
ACTIVITIES SEEM TO BE CORE
DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS, AND WE
FIND IT REASONABLE TO SUPPORT IT
WITH THE Dð PR FUND, WHICH IS
THE DEPARTMENT'S PRIMARY FUNDING
SOURCE. UM AND OVERALL WITHIN
THE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION
FUND, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE
LEGISLATURE, UM REDUCE OUT YOUR
COMMITMENTS FROM THE FUND TO
ENSURE THAT IT HAS FLEXIBILITY
IN FUTURE BUDGET YEARS, UM, TO
OFFSET ANY DEFICITS, WHICH OUR
OFFICE AND THE ADMINISTRATION
RECOMMEND THE STATE WILL BE
FACING IN THE COMING YEARS. UM
GIVEN THE INCREASE IN THE
OVERALL PROGRAMMATIC SPENDING
FOR THE DEPARTMENT, UM THE
LEGISLATURE MAY WANT TO CONSIDER
ADDING ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES
TO ENSURE THAT THE FUNDING IS
HAVING ITS INTENDED OUTCOMES.
UM, ACROSS ALL OF THE SPENDING
WITHIN THIS PROPOSAL, IT
REPRESENTS A 25% INCREASE IN THE
DEPARTMENT SPENDING SO QUITE A
SIGNIFICANT INCREASE. AND THEN
FINALLY RECOMMEND THAT THE
LEGISLATURE APPROVE THE VARIOUS
POLICY CHANGES INCLUDED IN THE
TRAILER BOW LANGUAGE. WE FIND
THAT THE POLICY CHANGES ALIGN
WITH THE INTENT OF THE PROPOSAL
AND CAN IMPROVE STATE PROCESSES
BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. OK, WELL ALONG THOSE
LINES I'LL START OUT WITH, UM
QUESTION MY OVERVIEW AND THEN
I'M SURE I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES
WILL HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AS
WELL. UM WE TALK ABOUT THE
MISSION, AND WE KNOW THE MISSION
TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH AND THE
ENVIRONMENT BY REGULATING
PESTICIDES, SALES AND USE AND
BUT ALSO FOSTERING REDUCED RISK.
PEST MANAGEMENT. UM SO WHAT
DEPARTMENT DO TO RESEARCH OR
ENCOURAGE THE USE OF NON
SYNTHETIC ORGANIC METHODS TO
MANAGE PESTS, WEEDS AND DISEASE.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. UM,
CHAIR, UM IN IN GENERAL AS
BACKGROUND. UM, WE CONDUCT A
NUMBER OF OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
THAT PROMOTE LOWER RISK PESTIS
PEST MANAGEMENT USE AND THAT'S
THROUGH, UM, OUR WEBSITE SOCIAL
MEDIA. WE ALSO ENGAGE, UM,
REGULARLY THROUGH PRESENTATIONS
AND PARTICIPATION AT EVENTS LIKE
COMMUNITIES AND INDUSTRY EVENTS.
UM WE OFFER, UH, BOTH RESEARCH
AND OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT
GRANTS THAT SUPPORT THE
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW LOWER RISK
PEST MANAGEMENT TOOLS AND
PRACTICES AS AS WELL AS UM,
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT GRANTS
THAT SUPPORT THE ADOPTION OF
THOSE PRACTICES. UM, WE ALSO, UM
WE JUST HAD OUR 30TH CELEBRATE
YOUR CELEBRATION OF RECOGNIZING
LEADERSHIP AND INTEGRATED PEST
MANAGEMENT. UM AND SO, UM, ARE
ARE REALLY CELEBRATING THOSE WHO
ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGING IN THIS
PRACTICE. UM WE ARE, UM, IN THE
MIDST OF, UH, CONDUCTING A STUDY
OF FUMIGANT ALTERNATIVES, SO
UNDERSTANDING THE RISKS ON THAT
FE GOODS PROPOSE AND THE NEED TO
DEVELOP ALTERNATIVES TO THEM. WE
ARE IN THE MIDST OF A STUDY THAT
YOU AT THE LEGISLATURE FUNDED
LAST YEAR TO LOOK AT, UM
FUMIGANT USE, UM, IN CALIFORNIA
AND BEYOND, AS WELL AS LAWS AND
REGULATIONS THAT ARE IN PLACE TO
MITIGATE RISKS FOR FUMIGANTS
HERE AND BEYOND, UM, AND ALSO
LOOK AT WHAT AVAIL. ALTERNATIVES
ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AND
WHERE ADDITIONAL RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT MAY PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL, UM, ALTERNATIVES. SO
I THINK ACTIVITIES LIKE THAT.
THAT REALLY FOCUS ON UM WHERE WE
NEED ALTERNATIVES. UM, TO
DEVELOP OUR IS OUR OUR WAYS IN
WHICH, UM, WE'RE TO PROMOTE THE
USE OF LOW RISK PESTICIDES. AND
THEN, OF COURSE, UM, THE WORK
THAT WE DID IN CONVENING THE
SUSTAINABLE PEST MANAGEMENT. UM
WORK GROUP, UM, BROUGHT TOGETHER
A REAL DIVERSITY OF STAKEHOLDERS
. UM, FOCUS BOTH ON AGRICULTURAL
AND URBAN PEST MANAGEMENT USE,
UM, TO REALLY IDENTIFY THE
CHALLENGES, UM, THAT THE STATE
HAS FACED AND WIDE SCALE
ADOPTION OF INTEGRATED PEST
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. UM, AND
THAT ROAD MAP WAS UNDEVELOPED BY
THE GROUP, UM, TO IDENTIFY THE
TWO KEY GOALS OF BY 2050 MOVING
BEYOND HIGH RISK PESTICIDES AND
TRANSITIONING TO SAFE
ALTERNATIVES. UM AND IDENTIFIED
KEYSTONE ACTIONS, INCLUDING PEST
PREVENTION, UM, AS WELL AS
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND
EDUCATION, UM, AND STREAMLINING
OUR REGISTRATION AND EVALUATION
PROCESSES TO GET SAFER
ALTERNATIVES ON THE MARKET
FASTER, UM, TO BE ABLE TO
SUPPORT THE USE OF THOSE LOW
RISK PRODUCTS, WHICH INCLUDE NON
SYNTHETIC ALTERNATIVES AS WELL
AS ORGANIC PRACTICES. UM AND
WHAT WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS
ON WAS HAVING VERY BROAD RANGE
OF ALTERNATIVES. SO THAT PEST
MANAGEMENT NEEDS CAN BE MET BY A
WIDE VARIETY OF PESTS FOR A WIDE
VARIETY OF CROPS, CROPS IN
CALIFORNIA. OK GOOD MAY HAVE A
COUPLE FALLS SO TERMS OF CENTER
DOLLY FIRST THANK YOU, MR
CHAIRMAN. SO GOT A LOT IN THIS
AREA. I KNOW. UM FIRST, I JUST
WANNA SAY THAT, UM YOU KNOW, YOU
LOOK BACK AT THE AT THE HISTORY
OF, UH, THE DEPARTMENT AND THE
UH, THE ENVIRONMENT TOXICS IN
THIS BOTH HOUSES AS THE VICE
CHAIR FOR MANY YEARS, AND THIS
IS AN AREA THAT, UM I? I'M VERY
ENGAGED. I'M A FARMER. AND
AGRICULTURE IS GONNA PAY THE
LYING SHARE OF THIS MILLS
ASSESSMENT TAX. THAT'S JUST BE
HONEST AND AT THE SAME, AND I'M
AN ORGANIC FARMER, BY THE WAY,
BUT I WILL TELL YOU UM, THAT
THERE ARE SOME THAT I HAVE TO
HAVE. UM NON ORGANIC TYPE IN
SOME OF MY CIRCUMSTANCES THAT I
WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PRODUCE. AT
THE SAME TIME. CALIFORNIA IS
PUSHING ME OUT OF BUSINESS BY
REGULATORY ME AND MOST OF MY
NEIGHBORS ARE GOING TO MEXICO
AND USING ALL THE FUMIGANTS AND
ALL THE THINGS THEY NEED DOWN
THERE AND SHIPPING THE PRODUCTS
IN HERE THAT ARE HAVE THOSE
PESTICIDES. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING
HERE? ARE WE REALLY KEEPING
CALIFORNIA FARMERS AND THE
PUBLIC SAFE OR WE JUST, UM, YOU
KNOW, PUSHING IT TO SOMEWHERE
ELSE, AND WE'RE STILL USING
THOSE PRODUCTS, SO THAT'S WHAT I
JUST THAT'S JUST THE OVERALL OF
KIND OF WHERE I COME FROM, UM,
BECAUSE THIS IS GONNA DRIVE UP
THE COST OF FOOD. AND AT THE
SAME TIME WE'RE ALLOWING YOU TO
IN THE IN PERPETUITY BE ABLE TO
RAISE THE MILL ASSESSMENT BY
FIVE MILLS IN THE FUTURE WITHOUT
THIS LEGISLATURE LOOKING AT IT.
I THINK THAT'S A KEY THING. WE
NEED TO LOOK AT HERE AND AT THE
SAME TIME I'M HEARING FROM THE
PEOPLE THAT PRODUCE PESTICIDES
THAT THEY CAN'T GET THROUGH THE
PROCESS. SO IF WE'RE GONNA UP
THE RATE AND WE'RE GOING TO GIVE
YOU THE POSITIONS YOU NEED. THEY
NEED SOME GUARANTEE THAT IN A
TIME FRAME THEY'RE GOING TO
ACTUALLY GET THESE NEW
PESTICIDES OR OR A LOT LESS, UH,
INVASIVE PESTICIDES PERMITTED SO
THAT WE CAN SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT
AND THERE'S I DON'T SEE IN ANY
ANYWHERE IN HERE THAT THERE'S
SOMETHING THAT SAYS HEY, IF BY
15 MONTHS. IF WE DON'T HAVE
SOMETHING THAT SAYS WE'RE AT
SOME STAGE THAT THEY'RE PUTTING
UP MONEY TO DO THIS. SO I WOULD
LIKE TO SEE THE LEGISLATURE PUT
SOME BENCHMARKS IN THERE THAT
SAY. IF I'M IN A TRY TO GET
SOMETHING CERTIFIED IN
CALIFORNIA THAT I'M GONNA GET IT
DONE. OR I'M GONNA GET A YES OR
NÓ BY A CERTAIN DATE BECAUSE
THEY'RE SITTING OUT THERE
WAITING WITH ALL THESE PRODUCTS,
UM, THAT ARE ACTUALLY SUPPOSEDLY
GONNA HELP THE ENVIRONMENT. BUT
THEY CAN'T GET THROUGH THE
PROCESS. AND I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA
TELL ME THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE
PEOPLE TO DO IT. BUT THERE NEEDS
TO BE SOME GUARANTEE. GOVERNMENT
DOESN'T WORK VERY FAST, AND WE
NEED TO BE ABLE TO WORK FASTER
SO WE CAN BRING THESE PRODUCTS
ONLINE. SO I WANT TO SAY THAT
AND WE NEED SAFE ALTERNATIVES.
SO UM, DO YOU HAVE SOME COMMENTS
ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK WOULD WOULD
ALLEVIATE SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS
BECAUSE THE END OF THE DAY. FOOD
COSTS ARE GONNA GO UP IN
CALIFORNIA. UM SENATOR DOLLY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE
QUESTION AND THE ISSUES THAT
YOU'VE IDENTIFIED WERE ONES THAT
WE GRAPPLED WITH INTENSELY AS
PART OF THE WORK GROUP PROCESS,
WHICH TOOK PLACE OVER ABOUT TWO
YEARS AND SO VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE. UM THE CONCERNS THAT
YOU'RE IDENTIFYING THAT THEY'RE
ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. AND UM, YOU
KNOW, IN IN THE QUESTION OF, UM
HO, HOW DO WE HOW DO WE MANAGE,
HAVING, UM AVAILABLE
ALTERNATIVES AND I, AND I THINK
ONE OF THE CENTRAL DISCUSSIONS
THAT WE HAD AS PART OF THE WORK
GROUP PROCESS AND AS AS I WENT
TO MEET WITH STAKEHOLDERS, UM
ACROSS THE STATE TO TALK ABOUT
HOW DO WE? HOW DO WE GET TO THIS
PLACE OF USING SAFER PRACTICES?
UM WITHOUT, UM, HAVING
ALTERNATIVES, AND SO IT HAVING
SOMETHING TO TRANSITION TO AND
HAVING ALTERNATIVES IN PLACE AS
WE TRANSITION AWAY FROM HIGHER
RISK PRODUCTS, UM, WAS
DEFINITELY A FOCUS AND THAT'S
BUILT INTO THIS BUDGET CHANGE
PROPOSAL. UM, YOUR POINT. ABOUT
THE ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF THAT
IS ALSO REALLY CRITICAL. AND
THAT WAS ALSO A KEY POINT OF
DISCUSSION IN THE WORK GROUP AND
THAT PART OF WHAT WE'RE
ENVISIONING THAT SUSTAINABLE
PESH PEST MANAGEMENT MEANS IS
HAVING ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE
AFFORDABLE. UM AND THAT'S BOTH
IN TERMS OF HAVING TOOLS AND
PRACTICES THAT ARE AFFORDABLE TO
FARMERS, AS WELL AS FOOD THAT'S
AFFORDABLE TO PEOPLE ACROSS
CALIFORNIA, SO THAT CONCEPT OF
AFFORDABILITY IS REALLY ONE THAT
WE HAVE TO KEEP TOP OF MIND. SO
I RECOGNIZE THAT THAT THAT IS
NOT AN EASY TASK. AND I THINK
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE
REALIZE IS THAT THIS IS NOT
SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
OVERNIGHT. THIS TRANSITION FROM
HIGHER RISK PRACTICES AND TOOLS,
UM TO SAFER PRODUCTS IS
SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO TAKE
TIME. IT'S ALSO GONNA TAKE A LOT
OF COLLABORATION. UM, ACROSS
STAKEHOLDER GROUPS. UM AND
THAT'S THAT'S A KEY. ALSO A KEY
PART OF THIS B èC P TO ENSURE
THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ENGAGE
ACTIVELY AND MEANINGFULLY WITH
STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE BOARD AS
PART OF THIS PROCESS, AND SO THE
INTENT IS REALLY TO AVOID THE
OUTCOME. I THINK THAT VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT AS WE ARE OF
HAVING, UM, YOU KNOW, SHIFTING
TO SAFER ALTERNATIVES AND HAVING
A BUDGET PROPOSAL THAT PROVIDES
RESOURCES TO GET US THERE. UM,
WE WANNA AVOID THAT ENDING UP
COSTING FARMERS MORE AND COSTING
PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA MORE WHEN
THEY'RE PAYING FOR THEIR FOOD.
SO WHAT KIND OF A GUARANTEE IF I
WAS A COMPANY THAT WAS
DEVELOPING A, UM, LESS INVASIVE
PESTICIDE TO HUMANS AND TO THE
ENVIRONMENT, UM, OF GOING
THROUGH THE PROCESS. IT WOULD. I
MEAN, THREE TO FIVE YEARS IS
NOT, UH IN SOME CASES, IT TAKES
THAT LONG TO GET SOMETHING
PERMITTED. IN CALIFORNIA. WE
HAVE A FEDERAL LAW. AND OTHER
STATES ARE PRETTY MUCH ON THAT.
CALIFORNIA ALWAYS HAS TO BE
AHEAD OF THE CURVE AND I'M
CONCERNED THAT WE'RE LETTING THE
PERFECT GET IN THE WAY OF THE
GOOD AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU
HAVE TO HAVE PERFECT. UM YOU
LOSE A LOT OF YOU DRIVE UP THE
COST FOR CALIFORNIANS AND ACROSS
THE BOARD. WE PAY MORE IN
CALIFORNIA FOR EVERYTHING. FOOD.
ENERGY. FUEL. HOUSING AND I'M
GETTING A LOT OF CALLS FROM MY
CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE MAKING
DECISIONS, WHETHER THEY CAN PUT
FOOD ON THE TABLE, GET THEIR
PRESCRIPTIONS OR PAY THEIR
ELECTRIC BILL OR GET INSURANCE
FOR THEIR HOME. AND SO WE AS
LEGISLATORS HAVE TO BALANCE THIS
ALL OUT. AT THE SAME TIME. I'M
HEARING FROM THE AGRICULTURAL
COMMUNITY THAT SAYS, HEY, I JUST
CAN'T AFFORD TO DO IT HERE
ANYMORE BECAUSE THE COMPETITORS
OUTSIDE OF CALIFORNIA ARE
SHIPPING THE PRODUCTS IN HERE,
EITHER FROM MEXICO OR FROM CHILE
OR FROM NEVADA OR WHEREVER. UM
AND SO HOW DO WE BALANCE THAT
OUT? GIVE THE FOLKS SOME
SECURITY IN THE FACT THAT HEY,
IF YOU COME TO THE Dð PR. IN TWO
YEARS. YOU'RE GOING TO GET A YES
OR NÓ ON YOUR ON YOUR PRODUCT.
SO A VERY GOOD QUESTION. AND SO
A LARGE PART OF OUR FOCUS, UM IN
IN REALLY PROVIDING ACCESS TO
SAFER ALTERNATIVES FASTER
THROUGH THE REGISTRATION PROCESS
IS DEDICATING RESOURCES THAT
WE'VE REQUESTED FOR THAT EXACT
PURPOSE AND BUILDING IN THE KIND
OF ACCOUNT ACCOUNTABILITY
MEASURES THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR,
AS WELL AS OUR STAKEHOLDERS. AND
SO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE'RE
ONE OF THE MEASURES THAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT IS NUMBER ONE GETTING
RID OF THE BACKLOG THAT
CURRENTLY EXISTS. AND SO THAT'S
THAT'S A KEY, UM, ACCOUNTABILITY
POINT. UM, THE SECOND POINT IS,
IS, UM BEING ABLE TO COMMIT TO
EVALUATING AN APPLICATION FOR
REGISTRATION WITHIN 30 DAYS OF
RECEIVING AN APPLICATION SO THAT
WE'RE ESTABLISHING TIMELINES
THAT ARE BOTH PREDICTABLE, UH,
AND ALSO CAN MOVE PRODUCTS
THROUGH MORE QUICKLY THERE. UM
WE CAN FOCUS ON ACCOUNTABILITY
MEASURES FOR THINGS THAT WE
CONTROL SOME SOME OF WHAT LAGS
THE PROCESS AND BOGS DOWN THE
PROCESS AS LITIGATION. AND SO,
UM, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT EVER
GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO
CONTROL BUT HOPEFULLY BY
FOCUSING ON TOOLS THAT ARE SAFER
AND MORE SUSTAINABLE. THE
LITIGATION THAT CHALLENGES
REGISTRATIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE
RISKY, WILL, UM, BE LESS INTENSE
THAN IT IS TODAY. AND SO THAT'S
THE GOAL OF REALLY TRYING TO
FOCUS OUR INVESTMENTS ON
DEVELOPING SAFER. ALTERNATIVES
THAT CAN THEN MOVE THROUGH THE
REGISTRATION PROCESS MORE
QUICKLY AND HAVE TIME LINES THAT
WE WILL HOLD OURSELVES
ACCOUNTABLE TO. WELL, I WOULD
SUGGEST THAT THE LEGISLATURE, UM
HAS SOME SORT OF GUARDRAILS IN
THIS AREA THAT SAY TO THE TO THE
DEPARTMENT. HEY IN ONE YEAR WE
WANT AN EVALUATION OF WHERE
WE'RE AT WITH OUR WITH OUR
PESTICIDE THAT'S COMING THROUGH.
AND THEN HAVE THE APPLICANTS TO
BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS BECAUSE
AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM FROM
WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT THEY'RE
FRUSTRATED WITH THE PROCESS AND
NOT BEING ABLE TO GET A YES OR
NÓ AT THE END, AND THERE'S A LOT
OF MONEY THEY'RE SPENDING
DEVELOPING THESE, UM YOU KNOW,
MORE ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY, UM,
TOOLS THAT WE NEED IN THE
TOOLBOX. AND SO, I. I JUST WANNA
POI POINT THAT OUT. THIS IS A
THIS IS A AND I DEFINITELY WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
LEGISLATURE KNOWS THAT I AM NOT
IN FAVOR OF GIVING AUTHORITY TO
YOU TO CONTINUE TO RAISE YOUR
RATE. YOUR MILL TAX WITHOUT IT
COMING BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE.
I THINK THAT'S WE NEED TO BE
ABLE TO HAVE CHECKS AND BALANCES
HERE. AND SO, I. I WANNA MAKE
SURE THAT THE COMMITTEE KNOWS
THAT AND THANK YOU FOR COMING
EVERY YEAR. I TALK ABOUT THIS,
BUT I WILL TELL YOU AS SOMEBODY
WHO IS IN THE BUSINESS.
CALIFORNIANS. FOOD COST IS GOING
TO R. IT'S RISING. AND PEOPLE
CAN'T AFFORD. I'M HEARING ABOUT
IT, AND IT'S ALSO BECAUSE WE
HAVE A HECK OF A BIG REGULATORY
ENVIRONMENT HERE. THAT'S VERY
DIFFICULT TO GET THROUGH, AND WE
NEED THESE PRODUCTS TO WHEN YOU
HAVE A PEST PROBLEM, YOU HAVE TO
HAVE A HERBICIDE OR YOU WIPE.
LOSE YOUR CROP. THAT THAT'S JUST
LIFE. AND FUMIGANTS PRODUCED
THREE TIMES AS MUCH. PRODUCT IF
YOU DON'T HAVE IF YOU DON'T USE
THAT FUMING, SO WE HAVE TO HAVE
THOSE TOOLS TO COMPETE. AT THE
SAME TIME, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME. I APPRECIATE SEEING YOU
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN. UM YOU
KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME
COMING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT,
UH, YOU KNOW THE DEPARTMENT AND
THE LACK OF BEING ABLE TO GET
THINGS DONE, AND THAT'S WHY WE
HAD THE STUDY SO WE COULD FIGURE
OUT WHERE WE'RE AT. SO UM, YOU
KNOW, DEFINITELY WANNA SUPPORT
THE AG COMMISSIONERS OUT THERE
WHO ARE DOING THE WORK ON THE
GROUND. I WORK WITH THEM ALL THE
TIME. I ACTUALLY HOLD THE
APPLICATORS PERMIT. I THINK I'M
THE ONLY LEGISLATOR THAT HAS A
PERMIT TO USE IT, AND I DON'T
WANNA USE IT BECAUSE IT'S
EXPENSIVE, BUT SOMETIMES WE HAVE
TO SO IF I CAN, MAYBE JUST
QUICKLY ADDRESS TO THE POINTS
THAT YOU RAISED, UM AND I THINK
THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT. UM SO WE
DO. OUR STAFF DOES MEET AND HAS
AN OPEN DOOR, UM, TO MEET WITH
PESTICIDE REGISTER APPLICANTS,
UM, WHO ARE TRYING TO REGISTER
THEIR PRODUCTS? UM YOUR POINT
ABOUT, UM, BEING ABLE TO SEE
WHERE THINGS ARE IN THE PROCESS
IS ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT. AND
THE LEGISLATURE'S FUNDING OF OUR
CAL PEST, UM, SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
IS GOING TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT
IMPROVEMENTS ON THAT SO THAT
REGS AND APPLICANTS WILL BE ABLE
TO SEE WHERE THINGS STAND AS
PART OF THE PROCESS. IT WILL
ALSO ELIMINATE A LOT OF THE
ERRORS THAT HAVE CROPPED UP LATE
IN THE PROCESS THAT HAVE HELD UP
APPLICATIONS. SO I THINK THAT
THAT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCE OF
HAVING THE WHOLE PROCESS BE
ONLINE AND ELECTRONIC. UM BOTH
PROVIDES ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY
AND VISIBILITY. IT ALSO ALLOWS,
UM, PRODUCTS TO BE EVALUATED
SIMULTANEOUSLY IN THE DEPARTMENT
. PREVIOUSLY THEY HAD TO MOVE
FROM ONE EVALUATION TO ANOTHER,
WHICH ALSO TOOK A SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT OF TIME. SO I THINK THE
COMBINATION OF INVESTMENTS THAT
THE LEGISLATURE HAS MADE IN CAL
PEST OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF
YEARS, TOGETHER WITH THE
ADDITIONAL CAPACITY THAT WE'RE
SEEKING, AS PART OF THIS BUDGET
CHANGE PROPOSAL AND THE BUDGET
AND THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET IS TO
ADD THE PEOPLE RESOURCES TO
AVOID HAVING THINGS BOGGED DOWN
INTO BACKLOGS THAT WE'RE SEEING
TODAY. UM SO REALLY APPRECIATE
ALL THE POINTS. UM THAT YOU'RE
YOU'RE MAKING. UM WE REALLY ARE
SEEKING TO REGISTRATION AS A
HUGE FOCUS FOR US IN BEING ABLE
TO MOVE THINGS THROUGH MORE
QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY IN A IN
A WAY THAT'S AFFORDABLE. UM AND
I GUESS THE ONE OTHER POINT UM,
ON ON THE REASON THAT WE HAVE
REQUESTED INCREASED AUTHORITY,
UM, TO BE ABLE TO RAISE THE MILL
UP TO THE AMOUNT THAT WAS
RECOMMENDED IN THE CROW STUDY IS
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE
FLEXIBILITY TO ADAPT TO
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES THAT
WE UNDERTAKE WITHOUT HAVING TO
GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. AND SO
WE WOULD, OF COURSE, COME TO THE
LEGISLATURE FOR, UM,
APPROPRIATION AUTHORITY, AND WE
WILL CONDUCT A PUBLIC PROCESS.
UM, BEFORE IMPLEMENTING ANY OR,
YOU KNOW, PROVIDING ANY INCREASE
IN THE IN THE MILL, SO IT'S NOT
AS IF WE AT THE DEPARTMENT WERE
JUST SIMPLY RAISE IT. IT WOULD
GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS
HERE, AS WELL AS THROUGH A
PUBLIC REGULATORY PROCESS WHERE
THERE WOULD BE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WELL, I WOULD JUST LET YOU KNOW
THAT THE NUMBER ONE THING I HEAR
FROM MY CONSTITUENTS. EVERY DAY.
IT IS NOT CLIMATE CHANGE. IT IS
NOT. IT'S THE COST OF LIVING IN
CALIFORNIA. AND IT'S NOT. IT'S
YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ELECTRICITY
RATE. IT'S THEIR INSURANCE RATE.
IT'S THEIR COST OF A GALLON OF
GAS. IT'S THE COST OF FOOD. THIS
IS GONNA DRIVE UP THE COST OF
FOOD. AND DO WE WANNA BE? GOOD
TO THE ENVIRONMENT. ABSOLUTELY
DO WE WANT TO BE SAFE? BUT WE
HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE COMPETITIVE AS
CALIFORNIANS AND WE CAN COMPETE
BECAUSE IN THE MARKET WHERE WE
IMPORT STUFF THAT WE HAVE NÓ
CONTROL OVER, I THINK THE
BIGGEST FRUSTRATION AS A FARMER
IN CALIFORNIA IS THAT I'M
REGULATED, BUT THE PRODUCTS THAT
ARE UNREGULATED FLOW INTO MY
STATE. EVEN THE ONES I GROW. AND
I, AND SO I'M OUT OF BUSINESS
AND WE'RE JUST GONNA BRING THEM
IN. THERE'S NÓ STOPPING THEM AT
THE BORDER IF THEY'VE USED SOME
PESTICIDE THAT'S NOT AVAILABLE
IN CALIFORNIA. THAT'S
UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THE LEVEL
THE PLAYING FIELD IS NOT LEVEL
AND IT'S PUNISHING CALIFORNIANS
AND THE COST OF FOOD IS GOING
UP. SO JUST KEEP THOSE THINGS IN
MIND. IT'S A DELICATE BALANCE TO
TAKE CARE OF THE ENVIRONMENT,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME ALLOW
CALIFORNIANS TO BE ABLE TO LIVE
IN CALIFORNIA AND AFFORD TO LIVE
IN CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU,
SENATOR. WELL, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR RESPONSE TO SENATOR DOLLY'S
QUESTIONS. I CERTAINLY BE VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF, UM AND WE'LL
FOLLOW UP AND DISCUSS. BUT UM,
OF, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF
REPORTING ON THE TIMELINES. HOW
LONG IS IT TAKING? WHAT'S THE
AVERAGE TIME WITH THE LONGEST
TIME? THE SHORTEST TIME? UM BUT
I DO THINK THAT WE NEED SOME
MORE CLARITY ON THOSE TIMELINES.
AND UM, UM AND JUST WHAT IS IT
NOW AND YOU KNOW, AND THEN, UH,
YOU KNOW SOME SOME, UH, REAL
PLANS TO SPEED THEM UP. UM UH,
JUST FOR ALL THE REASONS WEREN'T
MENTIONED, WHICH I WON'T GO.
REPEAT, UM THANK YOU, UH, DO YOU
WANT TO UM TALK ABOUT GGRFGF
FUNDS ARE INTENDED FOR
MITIGATION REALLY ON ON, FOLKS
ON ON SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON BANG
FOR THE BUCK FOR ACTUALLY
REMOVING CARBON FROM THE
ATMOSPHERE CARBON THAT WE PUT
INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. SO UM, HOW
ARE DPS ACTIVITIES RELATED TO
THESE INTENDED USES? THANKS FOR
THAT QUESTION CHAIR. UM SO WHEN
THE A B 617 COMMUNITY AIR
PROTECTION PROGRAM WAS FIRST PUT
IN PLACE ON A NUMBER OF THOSE
COMMUNITIES WERE VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT IMPACTS ON AIR, UM,
GENERATED BY PESTICIDE USE AND
SO THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THOSE
COMMUNITIES THAT SPECIFICALLY
ASKED FOR SUPPORT FROM THE
DEPARTMENT. UM, TO REDUCING, UM,
IMPACTS OF PESTICIDE USE IN
THEIR COMMUNITIES. SO OUR
SUPPORT OUR OUR STAFF SUPPORT,
UM, AS PART OF THAT PROGRAM
REALLY FOCUSED ON LOCALLY DRIVEN
, UM, REQUESTS FOR REDUCTIONS OF
PESTICIDE IMPACTS. UM, IN THOSE
COMMUNITIES, AND SO, UM, WE'VE
OUR STAFF IS PROBABLY ATTENDED
ON AVERAGE ABOUT 80 MEETINGS A
YEAR ACROSS MULTIPLE DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES. WE'VE CONDUCTED
SPECIFIC AIR MONITORING STUDIES
IN THOSE LOCAL COMMUNITIES, AND
I'VE ALSO DONE UM PILOTS FOR
DIFFERENT APPLICATION METHODS
THAT WOULD REDUCE EXPOSURES IN
AIR IN THOSE COMMUNITIES. AND SO
, UM, WE'VE REALLY THIS FOR US
HAS BEEN VERY LOCALLY DRIVEN
SUPPORT, AS OPPOSED TO MORE
TRADITIONALLY, WHAT FOR US IS
FOCUSED AT THE STATEWIDE LEVEL.
I THINK IT'S ALSO CONSISTENT
WITH OTHER BOARDS AND
DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES IN CALI,
P A. THEY HAVE SUPPORTED THIS
PROGRAM, UM THROUGH GGRF FUNDS.
UM SO IT'S REALLY LOOKING FOR
CONSISTENCY. UM FOR HOW, UM, THE
WORK AT Kò P A HAS BEEN BEEN
FUNDED AND THEN ALSO JUST REALLY
DRIVEN BY THE LOCAL NEED, AND,
UM, THE LOCAL INTEREST IN
REDUCING, UM, IMPACTS AND HEALTH
IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH
PESTICIDE USE. OK, WELL, I
APPRECIATE THAT. UH UM UH, YOU
KNOW, KIND OF EXPLANATION WITH
REGARDS TO 6.7. BUT I DO THINK
WE DO NEED TO REALLY EVALUATE
THE, UH UM THAT THE USE IS, YOU
KNOW, VERSUS OTHER POTENTIAL
USES OF THE G èC RF. SO IT'S
SOMETHING WE WILL LOOK AT. UM I.
I JUST KIND OF CURIOUS WHAT
WE'RE GONNA PUT INTO ALL THESE
QUESTIONS. WHAT WE WHAT? WHAT DO
WE DO? UM TO KIND OF UH, TO HAVE
TRANSPARENCY OR OR ANY KNOWLEDGE
OF WHAT A PESTICIDES MAYBE ARE
BEING USED IN OTHER COUNTRIES
FOR FOOD THAT'S IMPORTING HERE.
IS THERE ANYTHING DONE TO DO? WE
HAVE ANY SENSE OF WHAT THE
PESTICIDES THEY MIGHT BE USING?
I THINK THAT THE PROGRAM THAT WE
OPERATE THAT PROBABLY GETS MOST
DIRECTLY AT THAT IS OUR, UM,
INSPECTION OF RESIDUES ON FOOD
PRODUCTS, AND WE REALLY FOCUS
OUR, UM, MONITORING IN AREAS
THAT HAVE A LOT OF IMPORTS AND
PARTICULARLY WHERE WE'VE SEEN
ISSUES IN THE PAST OF, UM
PESTICIDE RESIDUES, AND THAT IS
REALLY, UM, IT'S ABOUT, UM I
THINK 98% OF THE RESIDUES THAT
WE DETECT THAT ARE OVER.
TOLERANCES ARE COMING IN FROM
OUT OF STATE, UH OR OR, UM,
EITHER OUT OF STATE OR OUT OF
THE COUNTRY. UM AND THEN WHAT?
WHEN WHEN WE DETECT THOSE, THEN
WE, YOU KNOW, EITHER PULL THE
PRODUCT FROM THE MARKET OR ITS
REMEDIATED. SO UM, IT'S PROBABLY
NOT TOTALLY GETTING AT SENATOR
DOLLY'S POINT, BUT BUT WE DO,
UM, CONDUCT RESIDUE TESTING THAT
THAT DOES, UM, STOP THOSE
PRODUCTS FROM ENTERING THE
STREAM OF TRADE. UM, WHEN THOSE
RESIDUES ARE PRESENT I THINK,
YOU KNOW. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY
PRODUCTS WERE PULLED LAST YEAR?
OR IS THERE A, UM UM, WE COLLECT
SAMPLES ON I'M GONNA SAY THREE
TO 4000. PRODUCE SAMPLES A YEAR.
BUT BUT THAT WERE BUT HOW MANY
PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN PULLED? DO WE
HAVE A RECORD OF HAVE BEEN
PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN PULLED
BECAUSE THEY HAD EXCESS RESIDUE.
I'D HAVE TO CONFIRM THE REPORT.
WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THAT
NUMBER. BE GOOD TO KNOW. I THINK
THE OTHER THING, UM, THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT DURING THE
SUSTAINABLE PEST MANAGEMENT WORK
GROUP PROCESS, WHICH IS NOT
SOMETHING THAT WE REQUIRE. UM
BUT SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS,
UM CULTURALLY HAPPENING IS THAT
CONSUMERS REALLY WANT, UH,
THERE'S AN INCREASING MOVE TO
HAVE FOOD PRODUCED IN
SUSTAINABLE, MORE SUSTAINABLE,
SAFE WAYS. AND I THINK LARGE
RETAILERS ARE LOOKING TO FOOD
PRODUCERS TO BE PRODUCING THEIR
FOOD AND NOT MORE SUSTAINABLE
WAY. SO I THINK HOPEFULLY
CALIFORNIA IS GONNA BE WELL
AHEAD OF THE CURVE ON THAT, UM,
WITH THE ENVIRONMENT THAT HAVE
IN PLACE IN TERMS OF OUR
REGULATORY STRUCTURE THAT REALLY
IS FOCUSED ON THE PRODUCTION OF
SAFER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE
PRACTICES TO PRODUCE OUR FOOD IN
CALIFORNIA. I THINK THAT'S
POSITIVE, BUT IT FEELS LIKE IN
THE SUPERMARKET. IT'S MORE LIKE
ORGANIC OR NOT ORGANIC, AS
OPPOSED TO ORGANIC VERSUS LIKE.
DEGREES OF PESTICIDE USE OR
SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, UM YOU
KNOW, IT'S SORT OF A IT'S VERY
TRUE. AND I, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS
ALSO A REALLY SIGNIFICANT POINT
OF DISCUSSION DURING THE WORK
GROUP. AND THAT IS WHY WE, UM,
WE TALKED ABOUT WHETHER WE
SHOULD REALLY BE TRYING TO FOCUS
ON ALL ORGANIC AND WE THINK
RECOGNIZING THAT THAT'S
EXPENSIVE, AND, UM, A NUMBER OF
THE CONVENTIONAL GROWERS WHO
WERE PART OF THE WORK GROUP
TALKED ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, HèA
HAVING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
PRACTICES. SO MANY OF THEM THAT
PRODUCE CONVENTIONALLY ALSO USE
SOME ORGANIC PRACTICES, AND IT
WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALLY
FOCUS ON SAFETY AND
SUSTAINABILITY, AS OPPOSED TO OF
HAVING AN ORGANIC CERTIFICATION,
UM, TO BE THE FOCUS OF OUR
EFFORTS, UM, MORE IMPORTANT TO
REALLY FOCUS ON REDUCING RISK
OVERALL AND TO HAVE, YOU KNOW,
REALLY A BIG TENT. SO TO SPEAK,
UM, FOR THE WAY IN WHICH WE
MANAGE PESTS THAT'S REALLY
FOCUSING NOT SO MUCH ON AN
ORGANIC SEAL, UM, BUT REALLY
MORE ON ON THE USE OF SAFE
PRACTICES TO PRODUCE FOOD. YEAH.
OK WELL, I DO. WE HAVE TO MOVE
ON. BUT I, I WOULD LOVE TO
FOLLOW UP ON THE REPORTING. YOU
KNOW HOW MANY PRODUCTS COMING IN
FROM OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN
PULLED? AND JUST SOME, YOU KNOW,
LOVE TO FOLLOW UP ON ON THAT, UM
OH, CENTER ISLAND. YEAH I JU I
JUST I KNOW WE GOT WE'RE TÚI
CRUNCH. BUT I DID WANNA
ASSOCIATE MYSELF WITH SOME OF
THE CONCERNS RAISED ABOUT THE
USE OF THE GGRF. I MEAN, YOU
KNOW, THIS IS I GET THE NEXUS
TO, UM, A B 617. BUT UM, YOU
KNOW, TH THIS IS A FUN THAT IS
NOT SUPPOSED TO BE JUST KIND OF
TAPPED INTO EVERY TIME. THERE'S
AAA BUDGETARY NEED, UH, FROM
FROM SOME CAUSE THAT HAS A
ENVIRONMENTAL NEXUS. UM THIS IS
SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT
SPECIFICALLY, UM AAA ABOUT, UH,
YOU KNOW, MITIGATION AND, UM AND
IMPROVEMENT OF OUR OF OUR
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND ONE
OF THE BIG CHALLENGES, AND I'M
JUST GONNA I'M I'M I'M GONNA
BRING THIS UP WHEN PEOPLE TRY TO
USE IT AS A AS AN ADDITIONAL
FUNDING SOURCE FOR THINGS THAT
DON'T HAVE AS DIRECT A
CONNECTION. UH, YOU KNOW, I
THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT
WE HAVE COMPARED TO WASHINGTON
OR ELSEWHERE WAS OUR FUND HAS
BECOME THIS. JUST SORT OF EASY
GRAB BAG FOR VAGUELY
ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES, AND I
UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE GONNA FIND SOME IMPORTANT
WORK. UH UH, YOU KNOW, COMING
OUT OF A 617. BUT THE FLIP SIDE
IS IT REALLY IS CORE
DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND
WE SHOULDN'T BE FUNDING CO
DEPARTMENTAL RESPON FROM GGRF.
EVEN IF THERE'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL
BENEFIT ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
THAT'S WHAT THE Dð PR FUND IS
SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT. AND I. I
JUST I WORRY. THIS IS GONNA BE
TOO EASY A THING TO DO, AND NOT
JUST BY YOU, BUT BY BY AGENCIES
ACROSS THE BOARD, ESPECIALLY
DURING A MOMENT OF DOWNTURN AND
WE'RE GONNA SADDLE THIS FUND. I
MEAN, ALREADY. WE'VE GOT WILD
THINGS IN THE CONTINUOUS
APPROPRIATION AND II I, YOU KNOW
THE SO, I. I JUST I. I HAVE A
KIND OF CONCEPTUAL CONCERN THAT
I WANT TO, UM, STAY ON THE
RECORD AND I'M GONNA BE BIRDDOG
IN THIS, I THINK AND I'M I'M I.
I KNOW MY COLLEAGUE FEELS THE
SAME WAY. CERTAINLY YES. THANK
YOU CHAIR. I'M JUST GOING TO
ASSOCIATE MY COMMENTS WITH THE
SAME THING THAT HE SAID. AND
WHAT THE CHAIR SET BECAUSE I
THINK THAT THOSE ARE A BROAD,
OVERARCHING THEMES THAT ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK
MORE CLOSELY AT THANK YOU. WELL
THANK YOU FOR MY COLLEAGUES FOR
RAISING THOSE, AND I THINK FOR
THE CONCERNS, I CERTAINLY UH UH,
SHARE EXACTLY WHAT WAS JUST SAID
. SO WE WILL. UM THE STAFF
RECOMMENDATION IS HOLD OPEN ON
THIS, UM, ISSUE SO WE WILL DO
THAT. AND BUT THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR COMING HERE. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT NOW, UM,
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE
DEPARTMENT, UH, OVERVIEW FOR THE
STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL
BOARD.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, GOOD. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR YOUR PATIENCE, AND WE
STILL DO HAVE A LOT MORE TO GET
THROUGH. SO WE'LL WE'LL BE
TRYING TO SPEED UP A LITTLE BIT.
BUT WE APPRECIATE, UH, STARTING
FROM, UH, STARTING WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF OVERVIEW. YES,
REALLY APPRECIATE IT. GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.
UH, MY NAME IS JOAQUIN ESQUIVEL.
I'M CHAIR OF THE STATE WATER
RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD. I THINK
YOU MAY ALL KNOW, BUT THE STATE
WATER BOARD IS A FIVE MEMBER
BOARD. WE ALONG WITH OUR NINE
REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL
BOARDS, OVERSEE AND PROTECT
WATER QUALITY WITHIN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA. THE NINE REGIONAL
BOARDS ARE THE DIRECT PERMITTING
ENTITIES. UM UH, ON WATER
QUALITY. ADDITIONALLY THE STATE
WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD
ADMINISTERS WATER RIGHTS WITHIN
THE STATE. UM, AND AS OF 2014 WE
OVER THE 3000 COMMUNITY WATER
SYSTEMS. AND IF YOU ADD THE
STATE'S MALLS, NEARLY 7000 WATER
SYSTEMS THAT, UH, PROVIDE
DRINKING WATER IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. WE SET MAXIMUM
CONTAMINANT LIMITS. UH, WE
ENFORCE THE FEDERAL AND STATE
STATUTES, UH, ON DRINKING WATER.
WE UM HAVE OUR DIVISION OF WATER
RIGHTS. OBVIOUSLY THAT HANDLES,
UH, WATER RIGHTS ADMINISTRATION.
CERTAINLY AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH
SUCCESSIVE DROUGHT HERE IN THE
STATE THE NEED TO BE ABLE TO
ADMINISTER WATER RIGHTS IN TIMES
OF CURTAILMENT BUT ALSO HAVE
DISCUSSIONS HERE. IN TIMES OF,
UH OF PLENTY OF TIME, UH, IN
TIMES OF FLOOD, WHEN WE NEED TO
BE BETTER, MANAGING THAT WATER
RESOURCE GETTING IT UNDERGROUND.
THE DIVISION OF WATER RIGHTS HAS
DONE INCREDIBLE WORK THESE LAST
YEARS AND WE'RE PROUD FOR, UH
WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO
ACCOMPLISH UNDER, UM AS WE ALL
CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE YOU KNOW,
INCREDIBLE EXTREMES IN OUR IN
OUR CLIMATE. UM ADDITIONALLY WE
HAVE OUR OBVIOUSLY DIVISION OF
WATER QUALITY ARE ACTUALLY OUR
LARGEST STAFFING BY STAFFING,
THOUGH, IS OUR DIVISION OF
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. UM, THERE
PROBABLY THAT SINCE 2014 THE
STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL
BOARD HAS BEEN ABLE TO INVEST
ACTUALLY $17.5 BILLION IN
DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS,
WASTEWATER SYSTEMS, WATER
RECYCLING, STORM WATER CAPTURE
AND REALLY CONTINUING TO ENSURE
THAT THE AFFORDABILITY OF WATER
BUT ALSO THE AVAILABILITY. ITS
QUALITY IS PROTECTED WITH HERE
IN THE STATE. UM UH, I'LL JUST
NOTE, UH, THE A BIG FOCUS
OBVIOUSLY OF THE, UH, STATE
WATER BOARD HAS BEEN AND HERE
I'M COMING OFF OF A HEARING JUST
YESTERDAY AT THE ASSEMBLY ON
ACCESS TO SAFE AND CLEAN
DRINKING WATER. UM AND AS YOU
ALL I THINK WILL KNOW. IN 2019.
THE SAFE AND AFFORDABLE FUND WAS
PASSED, UH, WHICH PROVIDED THE
STATE BOARD AND THE STATE ITSELF
FOR THE FIRST TIME, A REAL
CONSISTENT, UH, SOURCE OF
FUNDING HERE TO ADDRESS SMALL
FAILING SYSTEMS. THE REALITY IS
ABOUT 90% OF OUR MAXIMUM
CONTAMINANT. UH, UH. LEVEL
VIOLATIONS COME FROM SYSTEMS
SERVING FEWER THAN 500
CONNECTIONS. SO THERE IS A REAL
DIRECT NEXUS BETWEEN, UH, THE
ABILITY TO PROVIDE WATER AND
ALSO HAVING THAT THE ECONOMY OF
SCALE THE CAPITAL TO BE ABLE TO,
UH, MAINTAIN THAT ACCESS, UM ONE
OF OUR KEY STRATEGIES WHEN IT
COMES TO MAINTAINING ACCESS TO
SAFE WATER IS CONSOLIDATIONS
THERE. I'D LIKE TO. I'M I'M
PROUD THAT OVER SINCE 2019 THE
BEGINNING OF THE SAFE AND
AFFORDABLE FUND IN THE PROGRAM,
WE'D BE ABLE TO CONSOLIDATE OVER
100 AND 20 SYSTEMS HERE IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. IN FACT,
OUR INVESTMENTS UH, THE 200
SYSTEMS THAT HAVE RETURNED TO
COMPLIANCE SINCE 2019 HAVE
ALLOWED IT TO BENEFIT ABOUT 102
MILLION RATHER CALIFORNIANS HERE
, UH, IN THE STATE. UM SO, UH,
CERTAINLY BETWEEN AS AS I SAID,
DROUGHT, THE PRESSURES OF
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE THREATS
TO WATER QUALITY. UH, GLAD, UH,
AND PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THE
STATE BOARD HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO,
UH, MOVING THEN INTO THE ITEM
BEFORE US HERE. I THINK MANY OF
YOU KNOW, UH, THE SUPREME COURT?
UH UH, UH, LAST YEAR LAST SUMMER
, UH, MADE A DECISION KNOWN AS A
SACK A DECISION THAT REALLY
NARROWED THE JURISDICTION OF THE
FEDERAL CLEAN UM, UH, YOU KNOW
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE STATE
WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD
WAS CREATED OVER 50 YEARS AGO BY
PORTER COLON. UH, THAT LAW HERE
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
UNITED POLLUTION CONTROL BOARDS
THEY'VE CREATED IN THE 19
FORTIES, A WATER RIGHTS OFFICE
CREATED IN 1914 AND SAID, YOU
KNOW, WE HAD TO GET A HANDLE ON
THE DE DEGRADATION OF OUR WATER
RESOURCES, AND YOU CAN'T MANAGE
QUALITY AND QUANTITY IN
DIFFERENT DISCUSSIONS. WE NEEDED
AN INSTITUTION THAT COULD DO
BOTH PORTER COLON WAS ACTUALLY
THE MODEL FOR THE CLEAN WATER
ACT. UH, WHICH PAST FOUR YEARS
LATER AND HAD DIRECT. UM UH UH,
INFLUENCE FROM THE LEGISLATION
HERE IN THE STATE. IT WAS
EXPORTED OUT IF YOU WILL, AND,
UH, ULTIMATELY AGAIN. I KNOW WE
ARE PROUD HERE IN THE STATE OF
THE LEADERSHIP, UH, THAT THAT WE
EXHIBIT BUT ESPECIALLY AROUND
WATER MANAGEMENT AND WATER
RESOURCES. WE HAVE A LOT TO BE
PROUD OF THAT SACK DECISION,
THOUGH. AND IMPORTANTLY, THE
CLEAN WATER ACT WE AS A STATE
DEPENDED ON ALL THESE YEARS FOR
DECADES, UH, THE CERTAINTY AND
ITS JURISDICTION. THE
DEVELOPMENT OF ITS A
STREAMLINING OF GENERAL ORDERS
IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CONDUCT
YES, ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE
KNOW WE NEED TO DO FOR HOUSING,
CONSTRUCTION, AGRICULTURE. UM
ALL ALL OF ALL THE IMPORTANT
ACTIVITIES OUT THERE, BUT IN A
WAY THAT DIDN'T, UH, HARM OUR
INTERESTS WHEN IT COMES TO
MANAGING, UH, THE QUALITY OF OUR
WATERS INTO THE FUTURE. UM AND
SO, UH, THAT NARROWING OF THE
FEDERAL JURISDICTION REALLY
HINGED ON THE DEFINITION OF
WETLANDS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE
INTERCONNECTIVITY OF NAVIGABLE
WATERS BETWEEN WETLANDS AND E.
STREAMS WHICH IN THE WEST WE
HAVE A LOT OF, UM AND SO THE
UNFORTUNATE, UH, DECISION FROM
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR THE
SUPREME COURT. RATHER APOLOGIES
AT THIS POINT HAS MEANT THAT
WE'VE HAD TO, UM, HEAR PROPOSE.
WHAT ARE 38 POSITIONS PHASED
OVER TWO YEARS. UM IT'S $6
MILLION IN THE FIRST YEAR.
10,000,007 MILLION, RATHER, UH,
THEREAFTER, UH, THAT WOULD
SUPPORT WHAT IS WORK THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS DOING
ALREADY. YOU KNOW, WE AS I THINK
WE ALL WELL KNOW WETLANDS. ARE
SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
FEATURES IN OUR WATERSHEDS. UH,
AND SINCE WE PAVED OVER 95% OF
THEM HERE IN THE STATE, UH,
THROUGH DEVELOPMENT. WE REALLY
NEED TO PROTECT THOSE REMAINING
WETLANDS WE HAVE. WE NEED TO
EXPAND THOSE AS WELL. IT'S A
HUGE STRATEGY OF THE STATE AND
THESE REGULATORY PROGRAMS
PROVIDE A FLOOR THAT, UM AGAIN.
WE HAD ALL COME TO DEPEND UPON
AND SO, UH, THIS THIS ASK IS ONE
TO BE ABLE TO FILL THE FEDERAL
RESOURCES THAT WERE CONDUCTING
THOSE ACTIVITIES AND MAKE SURE
THAT WE DON'T ACTUALLY REGRESS
ON OUR HERE REALLY CRITICAL
TARGETS FOR WETLANDS EXPANSION,
UH AND CONTINUING TO INVEST IN
IN OUR WATERSHEDS IN WAYS THAT,
UM CONTINUE TO IMPROVE WATER
QUALITY. SO THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE B èC P IS, YOU KNOW FOR US,
UH, IT I HOPE SOMEWHAT OBVIOUS,
BUT I, I KNOW THERE WILL BE
QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION AS TO
HOW THAT'S UH FUNDED. UM SO I
MAYBE WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE, AND
WE CAN, UH, GET TO THE
DISCUSSION. OK, THANK YOU, UM
DID HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT
JUST REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO GET
TO, UM, ON THE OVERVIEW, AND
THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT SACK IF
THAT SPECIFICALLY JUST ON SAFER,
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THIS IS HAD A
LOT OF SUCCESS. YOU SAID ALMOST
2 MILLION PEOPLE TOUCHED. I
BELIEVE YOU JUST SAID, UM YOU
KNOW, IT DOES GET BACK TO OUR
PREVIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE
Tð GRF FUND AND INTENDED USE,
AND WE'VE BEEN APPROPRIATING
ABOUT 100 AND 30 MILLION A YEAR
FROM GGRF. UM I MEAN, HOW MUCH
MORE WORK IS TO DO? HOW MUCH
LONGER DO YOU DO YOU EXPECT
THIS? UM UH, TO GO. UM YOU KNOW
HOW FAR ALONG ARE WE IN TERMS OF
, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID
ABOUT THE CONSOLIDATION THAT
SOUNDS VERY POSITIVE IN ABOUT
200 SYSTEMS INTO COMPLIANCE. UM
WHERE? HOW FAR ALONG ARE WE IN
THE PROCESS AND HOW MUCH MORE
NEEDS TO GO I. I APPRECIATE THAT
QUESTION. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
TO NOTE THAT THE SAFE AND
AFFORDABLE FUND UM UH, IT WAS
FOR A 10 YEAR PERIOD SO THAT THE
130 MILLION IS A ONE POINT THREE
BILLION OVER THE SPAN OF 10
YEARS. UM, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT
AND WHEN WE STARTED IN 2019. WE
HAD 1.6 MILLION CALIFORNIANS
THAT WERE BEING SERVED BY
SYSTEMS THAT WERE FAILING. NOW
WE'RE AT ABOUT 900,000 IN IN,
AND IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE ABOUT
HALFWAY INTO THAT 10 YEAR PERIOD
. UM OF THAT PROGRAM. THERE IS
STILL A LOT OF NEED. I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHEN
THE SAFE AND AFFORDABLE FUND WAS
BEING NEGOTIATED, AND THAT
AMOUNT WAS WAS AGREED TO, WE
STILL DIDN'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT
THE FULL NEED WAS. IF WE WERE
GONNA FULFILL THE HUMAN RIGHT TO
WATER WHAT THE COST WAS GOING TO
BE IN ORDER TO BRING FAILING
SYSTEMS INTO COMPLIANCE, BUT
ALSO TO ADDRESS AT RISK SYSTEMS
SO THAT WE WEREN'T ON THIS
TREADMILL OF SMALL FAILING
SYSTEMS. UM AND WHAT WE NOW HAVE
IS GREATER CLARITY, AND IT'S IN
THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. UM AND
SO THE 130 MILLION THAT WE'RE
RECEIVING A YEAR ISN'T ACTUALLY
MAINLY GOING TO CONSTRUCTION
COSTS. CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE
REALLY HIGH. UH, WHAT IT HAS
BEEN GOING TO, UH, THERE ARE
CONSTRUCTION, BUT IT'S A LOT OF
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ACTUALLY
CREATE THE PIPELINE OF PROJECTS
READY FOR CONSTRUCTION. AND SO,
UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT YOU KNOW
WHAT WHAT IS? YOU KNOW? WHAT ARE
OUR TIMELINES? WHEN WHEN WILL WE
HAVE 100% HU ACCESS TO CLEAN AND
SAFE WATER WITHIN THE STATE
RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT ABOUT 97% BUT
THAT 3% IT IS GONNA BE COSTLY.
IT IS. IT IS STILL BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT
FOR THE NEED FOR INVESTMENT IN
WHAT HAS BEEN GENERATIONALLY A
LACK OF INVESTMENT IN A LOT OF
THESE SYSTEMS, UM AND SO, UH,
THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT IS BEING
REFINED HERE STILL. IT'S A
YEARLY PROCESS FOR US TO REALLY
UNDERSTAND. UM WHAT THE FULL
SCOPE OF BEING ABLE TO MEET THE
HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER IS, UM AND
I KNOW NOW IT'S YOU KNOW, AGAIN
SOMEWHERE AROUND 10 BILLION, I
BELIEVE, UH, SO IT'S BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS THAT WE'RE STILL NEEDING
TO SEE IMPORTANTLY, THAT 130
MILLION. AS I SAID, UM, ISN'T IS
A LOT OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
MONEY BECAUSE IT'S DRAWING IN
DOLLARS, LIKE THE BIPARTISAN
INFRASTRUCTURE LAW, UM AND
EXISTING PROGRAMS LIKE THE STATE
REVOLVING FUND AND OTHER LOAN
FORGIVENESS. SO OUR OUR, THE
FUNDS WE'RE USING TO ADDRESS
THIS ARE NOT SOLELY UNTO THE
SAFE AND AFFORDABLE FUND AND THE
FUNDING THEN COMING FROM THE
GGRF. IT IS ACTUALLY BEING
MAGNIFIED BECAUSE OF THESE OTHER
SOURCES. SO THERE ARE OTHER
SOURCES, BUT ULTIMATELY THE NEED
IS GREAT. SO YOU SAID 10
BILLION, OR IS THAT YOUR
ESTIMATE? SO HOW MANY OF THE
FEDERAL FUNDS? HOW MUCH ARE YOU
EXPECTING? IT? DID I SAY THEY
SEE 1.1 BILLION. IS THAT RIGHT?
WE RECENTLY SO WE HAVE THREE
YEARS OF WHAT IS A FIVE YEAR
BILL ON THE FEDERAL SIDE FOR THE
BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW,
AND WE HAVE SEEN PART OF THOSE
THREE YEARS AND THERE WAS A
RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT 1.6
BILLION THAT HAS COME THROUGH
THAT, UM, THAT IS CAPITALIZING.
THE STATE REVOLVING FUND AND
THOSE ARE ALSO DOLLARS FOR LOAN
FORGIVENESS. I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO NOTE WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT THE STATE REVOLVING FUND
BOTH FOR CLEAN WATER AND
DRINKING WATER. THESE ARE
FEDERAL PROGRAMS THAT WERE
CREATED IN THE EIGHTIES AND
NINETIES AFTER THE FEDS STOPPED
REALLY PROVIDING DIRECT SUBSIDY
AND GRANT FOR OUR DRINKING WATER
SYSTEMS. THE REVOLVING LOAN
PROGRAMS WERE THOUGHT OF AS A
WAY TO AT LEAST KEEP SOME
FEDERAL INVESTMENT. WITHOUT THE
REAL DIRECT GRANTS THAT ACTUALLY
BUILT OUT MANY OF OUR SYSTEMS,
UM, AND THE PROGRAMS ARE NOT
EASY TO OFTEN QUALIFY, UH, TO
APPLY FOR, UM, THEIR FEDERAL
CROSS CUTTERS. UH, THE
BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW
ALSO HAS BUILD AMERICA BUY
AMERICA PROVISIONS, AND FOR SOME
OF OUR LARGER SYSTEMS, THEY HAVE
CHALLENGES SOMETIMES MEETING
SOME OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS FOR
SMALLER SYSTEMS. THEY DEFINITELY
HAVE. SO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING
IS PRIORITIZING FUNDS LIKE THE
SAFE AND AFFORDABLE FUND LIKE
GENERAL FUND, UH, DOLLARS AS
WELL. THAT DON'T COME WITH ALL
OF THOSE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS IN
ORDER TO GET DOLLARS IN FUNDING
TO SYSTEMS THAT NEED IT MOST. UM
UM SO, YES, THERE ARE SO ALL
THAT TO SAY IT'S ABOUT 1.6
BILLION OF AND THAT'S THREE
YEARS SO FAR OF THE FIVE FROM
THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE
LAW, BUT IT IT STILL DWARFS IN
THE NEED AND YEAH, OK, COULD YOU
COMMENT QUICKLY ON EFFORTS TO
DIGITIZE WATER RIGHTS RECORDS?
WHERE ARE WE? BECAUSE WE
PROBATED MONEY FOR THAT. YES
WE'RE WE'RE MOVING ALONG. WE'VE
ALREADY WE'RE WORKING WITH A
VENDOR. THERE'S A PILOT THAT
WILL HAVE INTERNALLY, UM OUT FOR
THE DATA SYSTEM. GENERALLY IT'S
NOT JUST THE DIGITIZATION OF
PAPER RECORDS, WHICH IS A REALLY
IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE
PROJECT. IT'S ACTUALLY
ESTABLISHING A NEW WATER RIGHTS
DATA SYSTEM WRIT LARGE, UM, THE
OLD SYSTEM THAT WE WERE WORKING
ON, UH, E RIMS WAS ACTUALLY
CREATED JUST TO BE ABLE TO
ADJUST TO BECOMING A FEE BASED
ORGANIZATION. UH OVER A DECADE
AGO NOW, SO THIS NEW SYSTEM, I
WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE MOVING ALONG.
THERE SHOULD BE A PUBLIC PILOT
NEXT YEAR. I'M LOOKING TO OUR
OUR HEAD OF THE DIVISION OF UH
UM, OF WATER RIGHTS JUST TO MAKE
SURE I DON'T I DON'T GET THAT
TIMELINE WRONG. UM I KNOW WE ARE
RIGHT NOW. ACTIVELY UM, GOING
THROUGH OUR SCANNING PROCESS
DOWN IN IN OUR RECORDS ROOM, SO
THE DIGITIZATION IS ACTIVELY
HAPPENING, AND IMPORTANTLY, THE
SYSTEM ITSELF IS GOING TO BE
ABLE TO BE PILOTED SOMETIME NEXT
YEAR. BUT, UM ERIC, PLEASE FILL
IN IF I'M I'M WRONG. I THINK ONE
MORE HIT. RIGHT IS ON. THANK
YOU. NÓ THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION. I'LL FILL IN SOME SOME
QUICK, UH, FOLLOW UPS. WE HAVE
BEEN ACTIVELY DIGITIZING NOW.
SINCE ABOUT AUGUST OF LAST YEAR.
WE HAVE OVER 60,000 PAGES SO FAR
DIGITIZED IN KIND OF A
CONTINUOUS, UH, BUILD UP AND
THEN TWO SPECIFIC PILOT PROJECTS
, THE MOST RECENT OF WHICH WAS
JUST COMPLETED ABOUT A WEEK AGO.
UH, WITH THE MOST RECENT PILOT
PROJECT, WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE
POINT WHERE WE CAN SCAN ABOUT
7000 PAGES PER WEEK, USING THE
EQUIVALENT OF 1.5 PERSONNEL THAT
BE IN THE WEEDS A LITTLE BIT,
BUT IT SHOWS THAT WE'RE MAKING
REALLY GOOD PROGRESS, AND WE'RE
KIND OF TEEING UP TO MAKE EVEN
FASTER PROGRESS ONCE THE FULL
SYSTEM IS SCOPED AND BUILT OUT
AND READY TO KIND OF GO FULL
STEAM. UH, THAT'S A LOT OF PAGES
. UM I'M CURIOUS OF WHAT'S IN
ALL THOSE PAGES, BUT, UM, WE'LL
WE'LL YOU'LL BE ABLE TO, BUT I
DO KNOW YOU KNOW, HAVING MY
WIFE'S FAMILY HAS, UM HAS HAD A
LOT OF FARMING IN COLORADO IN
THE PAST, AND THEY HAVE, UH, YOU
KNOW, A VERY COMPREHENSIVE
SYSTEM AND THERE WE'RE WORKING
TOWARDS IMPROVING OURS. SO I
APPRECIATE SENATOR BLAKESPEAR.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
YEAH, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE
THE, UM, COMMENTS ABOUT, UM,
MOVING TOWARD PROVIDING WATER
FOR ALL IN THE STATE. THE HUMAN
RIGHT TO WATER. SO YOU SAID THAT
WE'RE AT 97% AND SO I WAS
CURIOUS ABOUT THAT, UH, WHEN YOU
THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET TO
100% OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES,
IT'S A HARD THING TO REALLY BE
ABLE TO, UM, PREDICT. AND I. I
WOULDN'T WANNA GIVE A DATE HERE
AND THEN YOU KNOW, NOT BE ABLE
TO LIVE UP TO IT. WHAT I THINK
WE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE ABLE TO
DO HERE SOON IS REALLY SHOW. FOR
OUR EXISTING FAILED SYSTEMS.
WHAT ARE THE TIMELINES AND
BEGINNING TO REALLY, ACTUALLY
HAVE BETTER METRICS ON, YOU KNOW
WITHIN, UH, WHAT WE CALL A
RETURN TO COMPLIANCE DATE FOR A
SYSTEM THAT FALLS OUT OF
COMPLIANCE. SO UM, AGAIN, WHAT I
HAVE NOW ARE NUMBERS AROUND THE
FACT THAT AGAIN THERE WERE 1.6
MILLION CALIFORNIANS IN 2019
THAT WEREN'T OUT WITHOUT ACCESS.
UH OR BEING SERVED BY A FAILED
SYSTEM. I SHOULD SAY, UM, AND
NOW AT THAT, YOU KNOW, 900,000
NUMBER. WE'RE WE'RE GETTING TO
SYSTEMS THAT ARE. IT'S GONNA BE
VERY COSTLY TO ADDRESS. UM BUT
WHAT WE DO HAVE IS A PIPELINE
AND YOU KNOW, I, I IT IS MY, YOU
KNOW, PERSONAL GOAL TO MAKE SURE
THAT, UM YOU KNOW THAT I FEEL
THIS IS SOLVABLE WITHIN A DECADE
, BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE
SOME CONSI CONSISTENT AND
SUSTAINED INVESTMENT IN ORDER TO
DO SO. BECAUSE THIS ISN'T A
PROBLEM THAT JUST STARTED, UH,
FIVE YEARS AGO OR 10 YEARS AGO.
IN MANY CASES, THESE ARE ARE
GENERATIONAL CHALLENGES WE SEE
IN ACCESS TO COMMUNITIES. UM BUT
I'M I'M COMMITTED TO MAKE SURE
IT'S NOT ANOTHER GENERATION
BEFORE WE CAN FULFILL IT. OK
THANK YOU. AND THEN WHEN YOU SAY
FAILED SYSTEMS ARE PEOPLE
ACCESSING WATER USING THESE
FIELD SYSTEMS, OR ARE THEY
HAVING TO HAVE BOTTLED WATER AND
BEING HUGE VATS OF WATER, AND
ALL OF THE THINGS I'VE SEEN IN A
MOVIE THAT WAS VERY IMPACTFUL.
SO WE ARE SO THE SAFE AND
AFFORDABLE FUND. PART OF ITS OF
ITS MISSION HERE IS TO ENSURE
INTERIM DRINKING WATER EVEN AS
LONG TERM SOLUTIONS ARE BROUGHT
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SOLUTIONS
ARE OFTEN YEARS IN THE MAKING
FOR MANY OF THE SYSTEMS AND IN
THE INTERIM TO YOUR POINT, THEY
CAN'T WE CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE BEING
SERVED, UM UNCLEAN WATER AND
UNSAFE WATER IN PARTICULAR. SO
UH, YES. UH, THERE'S BOTTLED
WATER AND HOLD WATER THAT IS
GOING ON IN THE PROGRAM IN ORDER
TO PROVIDE INTERIM RELIEF. UH
FOR FOLKS EVEN AS WE GET THEM TO
THEIR LONG TERM SOLUTIONS AND AS
THE STATE PAYING FOR THAT, YES,
YES. THE STATE WATER RESOURCES
CONTROL BOARD RIGHT NOW IS, UH,
PAYING FOR HOLD WATER FOR NEARLY
A 2000 DRY WELLS. UM I THINK WE
HAVE TO REMEMBER THE CONTINUUM
OF OUR CHALLENGE HERE WITH
ACCESS TO SAFE AND, UH,
AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER. UM
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, LARGE MAJORITY
OF THE STATE, UH, HAS ACCESS TO
CLEAN AND SAFE DRINKING WATER,
AND THEY ACTUALLY SERVE BY
SOMEWHERE AROUND 400 OF THE
LARGEST URBAN WATER. SO UH, WHEN
YOU START TO KIND OF GO DOWN THE
SCALE OF SIZE FROM THOSE SYSTEMS
, YOU QUICKLY FIND A LOT OF
SMALLER, UH, SYSTEMS AND I THINK
THAT AND WHAT? SO WHAT I WE HAVE
IS ABOUT 3000 THAT THE STATE
WATER BOARD SEES A DIRECT
OVERSEAS DIRECTLY. THOSE ARE
KNOWN AS COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS
. IT MEANS THEY HAVE MORE THAN
15 PERMANENT. UH, CONNECTIONS IF
YOU HAVE FEWER THAN 15 PERMANENT
CONNECTIONS, THE COUNTY IS
ACTUALLY OVERSEE YOU BY AND
LARGE. UM, WE HAVE LESS, UH,
DIRECT OVERSIGHT OF SYSTEMS AND
THEN EVEN FURTHER DOWN THAT
SCALE OUR DOMESTIC WELLS SO
SINGLE HOMES ON A WELL THAT'S
THE WHOLE CONTINUUM OF ACCESS TO
WATER IN THE STATE AND ALL
THROUGH THEIR YOU KNOW, WE HAVE
CHALLENGES AND ESPECIALLY AS WE
GET TO DOMESTIC WELLS IN OUR
STATE MALLS AND SO AGAIN RIGHT
NOW, THE STATE BOARD IS
PROVIDING BECAUSE OF THE LAST
TURN OF THE DROUGHT AND BECAUSE
OF THE NEED TO SUPPORT BOTH
COUNTIES AND COMMUNITIES ABOUT
2000 HOMES THAT ARE BEING
PROVIDED HOLD WATER CURRENTLY,
UM AND AGAIN. THAT NUMBER GREW
BECAUSE OF BECAUSE OF THE
DROUGHT AND BECAUSE OF THE LACK
OF ACCESS IN MANY COMMUNITIES
AND NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN FOR
THESE PROGRAMS. OK, THANKS VERY
MUCH. YOU, DARLING. THANKS. GOOD
TO SEE YOU AGAIN. UM I HAVE A
FIRST OF ALL YOU TALK TO. I'M I
I'M GONNA FOCUS ON SMALL
DISTRICTS. UH, UM SO IN MIKE. IN
MANY OF MY COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE
WATER SYSTEMS THAT ARE 75 HOOK
UPS OR SOME SMALLER AND WE'RE
WE'RE THROUGH COVID. THEY
WEREN'T THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY
SOME SOME PEOPLE. THERE WERE
SOME WAIVERS THAT DIDN'T HAVE TO
PAY. SO UM, SO WE'RE SEEING NOW
WITH AND THEN WE'RE ON TOP OF
THAT. WE GOT REG REGULATORY
ENVIRONMENT COMING THROUGH. THEY
HAVE CERTAIN, UH, THINGS GOALS
THEY HAVE TO MEET FROM THE PAST
LEGISLATION. UH SO I'M JUST
GONNA GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
THERE'S A COMMUNITY IT'S CALLED
LITTLE VALLEY WATER COMMUNITY.
S¼ COMMUNITY SERVICE DISTRICT.
UH, THEY HAVE, UH PEOPLE AREN'T
PAYING. AND SO THEY CAN'T SHUT
THE WATER OFF. BUT THEY CAN'T
PAY THAT THEY CAN'T EVEN HARDLY
RUN THE PUMP. AND THEN NOBODY
RUNS FOR THE BOARD BECAUSE IT'S
SUCH A DYSFUNCTIONAL SYSTEM.
THERE'S NÓ INFRASTRUCTURE THERE
TO DO ANYTHING. AND SO, UM MY
FATHER IN LAW RUNS. A COMMUNITY
SERVICE DISTRICT IN FALL RIVER,
AND SO HE'S BEEN TRYING TO HELP
THIS OTHER DISTRICT, BUT THERE'S
NÓ ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO COMBINE
THE DISTRICTS. THEY'RE 50 MILES
APART OR 40 MILES APART. SO
THERE IT'S A COMMUNITY AND
THEY'RE ALL OVER OUT THROUGHOUT
MY DISTRICT WHO HAVE THE SAME
SITUATIONS THAT WHERE YOU UM,
ARE REGULATED TO DO SOMETHING,
BUT YOU HAVE NÓ MEANS TO BE ABLE
TO DO IT. AND THEN THERE'S NOT
JUST AND THERE'S NOBODY THERE
EVEN TO WRITE THE GRANT. IF
THERE WAS A GRANT AVAILABLE, SO
I JUST WANT YOU TO I. I KNOW
THAT YOU THAT THAT IS, UH AND
QUITE FRANKLY, UH UH. YOU KNOW,
IF YOU CAN'T SHUT THE WATER OFF,
PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE
WATER WITHOUT PAYING THE BILL
AND THESE ARE THE POOR OF THE
POOREST PEOPLE TO START WITH. SO
THAT'S OUT THERE. I JUST WANT
YOU TO BE AWARE OF IT. I DON'T I
DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS.
WE'VE DONE WE DUG IN TRIED TO
FIGURE OUT UM HOW TO FIX THAT
SITUATION BECAUSE IT'S
DIFFICULT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME
IF IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT LAWS
YOU PASS AT SOME POINT, YOU JUST
CAN'T GET THERE. SO I JUST WANT
YOU TO BE AWARE THAT IT'S
HAPPENING. I GET THE CALLS. UM
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
SOLUTION IS BECAUSE UNDER PROP
218, YOU CAN'T RAISE THE RATE
UNLESS EVERYBODY VOTES FOR IT.
SO YOU'RE STILL STUCK. SO THAT'S
JUST OUT THERE. I WANT YOU. I'M
SURE YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT IT. AND
I'M I'M SURE MY DISTRICT ISN'T
THE ONLY DISTRICT THAT HAS HAS
HAD THOSE ISSUES. UH I'M GLAD
THE CHAIRMAN BROUGHT UP THE FACT
OF THE DIGITIZING OF THE WATER
RIGHTS. THATS SOMETHING THAT
WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR A LONG
TIME. SO I HAVE A FOLLOW UP.
QUESTION TO, UH, THAT SO I KNOW
YOU'RE PUTTING THE DATA IN. BUT
IS IT GONNA BE IS THERE GONNA BE
A BUILDING? I TRIED TO FIGURE
OUT UM, ON THE PITT RIVER, WHICH
IS GOES THROUGH MY RANCH. UM WHO
HAS WATER RIGHTS ON THAT, AND ON
THAT, AND I AND I DID, I WENT AS
HIS NAME. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO
DO. FIRST OF ALL, SOME OF IT IS
DONE AT THE COUNTY WITH THE
JUDGES HAVE HAVE, UH,
ADJUDICATION RIGHTS. SOME OF
IT'S DONE AT THE STATE WATER
RESOURCE CONTROL BOARD, TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT LIKE WHO DOES WHAT
AND I HAVE THERE. AS YOU KNOW,
THERE'S PLENTY OF CONFLICTS AND
WATER AND WHO'S GETTING IT AND
STEALING IT. AND THAT'S ALWAYS
GOING ON. UH, SO WHAT? I KNOW
YOU. I KNOW THAT THIS IS THE
PILOT PROJECT THAT YOU'RE DOING,
BUT WE'LL WILL THE PUBLIC BE
ABLE TO GO IN AND ACTUALLY SEE,
UM ALL THOSE AGREEMENTS AT SOME
POINT. IF I CAN JUST START I'LL
SAY, ERIC, JUST YES. UM, THAT IS
THE VISION AND IT ISN'T JUST A
PILOT. UM, ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW,
WE'LL FIRST BE COMING OUT WITH
PILOT VERSIONS. THIS IS WE'RE
WE'RE HERE TO REALLY HAVE A FULL
THROATED IF YOU WILL, UM,
MODERNIZED WATER RIGHTS DATA
SYSTEM THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF.
AND THAT TO YOUR POINT WATER
RIGHT HOLDERS. CAN SAY I SEE
WHAT'S HAPPENING. I SEE WHERE I
SEE WHERE WHERE? WHERE ARE OUR
OUR? MY NEIGHBORS ARE I SEE
WHERE I AM AND CREATE SOME TRUST
IN THE WATER RIGHT SYSTEM SO
THAT MORE PEOPLE WILL ENGAGE
WITH IT, AND IT'S REALLY THAT
VISION IS HAVING A PLATFORM TO
ACTUALLY BE HAVING THE
DISCUSSIONS THAT WE REALLY NEED
TO BE HAVING, BUT I'LL KICK IT
OVER TO THANK YOU, UH, NÓ CHAIR
ESCO SAID IT. IT IS MORE THAN A
PILOT. AND SO THE SCANNING PART
WAS THE PILOT. BUT THE ACTUAL
SYSTEM BUILD IS WELL ON ITS WAY.
WE'VE CONTRACTED WITH DELOITTE,
UH, TO BE THE SYSTEMS INTEGRATOR
THAT BUILD IS ONGOING. WE HAVE
AGILE SPRINTS. I THINK WE'RE IN
SPRINT NINE NOW OR MAYBE JUST
WRAPPING UP SPRINT NINE. SO THAT
WE ARE ACTUALLY VERY FAR ALONG
IN BUILDING THE SYSTEM ITSELF.
WE THINK IT'S GONNA BE
OPERATIONAL AT KIND OF THE
INTERNAL SCALE SOMETIME LATER
THIS YEAR AND THEN WOULD BE
RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC IN 2025
THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THAT NEW
SYSTEM ARE WHAT WE CALL A GEO
SPATIALLY DRIVEN SYSTEM. IT'S A
FANCY WORD FOR A MAP. RIGHT YOU
GO ON GOOGLE MAPS AND YOU CAN
CLICK ON SOMETHING AND IT ZOOMS
RIGHT IN. YOU CAN SEE WHERE
EVERYTHING IS THE GOAL OF THE
NEW SYSTEM IS TO DO SOMETHING
VERY SIMILAR. SO YOU HAVE A MAP
OF THE PITT RIVER OR ANY
WATERSHED IN CALIFORNIA. IT
LOCATES ALL OF THE POINTS OF
DIVERSION. IT TIES IN ALL THE
DIGITIZED RECORDS FROM THE MORE
THAN 7 MILLION PHYSICAL
DOCUMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR
RECORDS ROOM THAT RIGHT NOW I
DON'T HAVE BACKUPS IN SOME
CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNOBTAINABLE
UNLESS YOU DRIVE DOWN TO
SACRAMENTO AND GO TO OUR RECORDS
ROOM THAT'S IN THE KELLY P A
BUILDING. YOU CAN LINK IT TO
PAST DIVERSION RECORDS, WHICH
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THAT
INFORMATION, BUT IT'S KIND OF
SEPARATED OFF AND IT'S VERY
DIFFICULT TO LENGTHEN UNLESS
YOU'RE A DATA SCIENTIST AND CAN
ACCURATELY DO IT SO THAT THAT'S
KIND OF THE VISION OF THE NEW
SYSTEM AND AGAIN. HOPEFULLY IF
THINGS CONTINUE TO GO ON PACE
AND ON SCHEDULE, WHICH THEY ARE
SO FAR, WE'RE ON SCHEDULE AND ON
BUDGET. UH, YOU KNOW THE BETA
ESSENTIALLY DONE IN 2024 WITH
PUBLIC RELEASE IN 2025. I WAS
ATTEMPTING TO FIND OUT WHAT
UTILITIES HAD WATER RIGHTS, PG
AND E AND IN MY DISTRICT, AND I
WAS THERE WAS NÓ EASY WAY TO FOR
ME AT LEAST TO TRY TO GET THAT
ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION. AND
I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE CLEAR IN
1914 IS WHEN THEY WENT IN AND
GRABBED ALL THE WATER, AND
THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THE WATER
RIGHT SYSTEM TO HAPPEN, AND I'M
TRYING. I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT WHERE THAT IS. THERE ARE
THERE IS AN ONLINE SYSTEM NOW. E
RIMS ELECTRONIC WATER RIGHTS
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
UH AND IS A PUBLIC TOOL FOR IT.
I WILL CONFESS UP FRONT. IT IS
VERY DIFFICULT TO USE. BUT YOU
CAN SEARCH BY COUNTY YOU CAN
SEARCH BY OTHER TOOLS, AND YOU
THEN HAVE TO KIND OF WADE
THROUGH MULTIPLE PAGES OF KIND
OF EXCEL, FORMATTED TYPE THINGS.
THAT'S IN PART PART OF THE
REASON WHY WE'RE SO STRONGLY
ADVOCATING FOR THE REDO OF THE
WATER SYSTEM. IT'S VERY
DIFFICULT TO FIND THAT
INFORMATION, MAKING IT
ACCESSIBLE AND EASILY FINDABLE
FOR ANYBODY IS A KEY STEP. THANK
YOU. OK NOW, UM, MR. CHAIRMAN,
WERE YOU GONNA TALK ABOUT THE
YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE
SACKET RULING. ARE YOU GONNA ARE
YOU START ON THAT OR BECAUSE I
DO HAVE I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS,
BUT YOU CAN GO AHEAD. SO, UM SO
CAN YOU JUST OFF THE CUFF?
MAYBE. HERE? EXPLAIN WHAT THE
SOCKET UH YOU KNOW, EXPLAIN HOW
YOU EXPECT THE WATER BOARD'S
WORKLOAD CASE TO INCREASE GIVEN
THE SACKET, UH, DECISION. YEAH
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. SO
UH, AGAIN, THE SUPREME COURT
REALLY NARROWED THE JURISDICTION
OF THE FEDERAL RULE ON THE CLEAN
WATER ACT. SO WHAT IS NÓ LONGER
PROTECTED BY ACTIVITIES FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, ARE ARE
ARE ON WETLANDS. UH, MAINLY,
THIS IS A RALLY AROUND DREDGE
AND PHIL IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
IMPACTS IN THE PROGRAM. UM UH,
BUT THEN, UM AL ALSO, YOU KNOW,
THE RULING WAS PRETTY BROAD. IT
WAS, YOU KNOW, EPHEMERAL STREAMS
ARE ALSO YOU KNOW, KIND OF IN
QUESTION. SO ALL THAT TO SAY THE
WORK THAT WAS GOING DOWN GOING
ON, THOUGH, IN THAT FEDERAL IN
THE FEDERAL ROLE WAS WETLANDS IN
LINE BY AND LARGE. SO UH, ARMY
CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UH, WORK AND
, UH, AND JUST THE PROCESSING OF
PERMITS. UM YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
WHAT ARE KNOWN AS GENERAL ORDERS
THAT, UH UH, UNDER THE CLEAN
WATER ACT WERE ESTABLISHED. SO A
LOT OF THIS, YOU KNOW WAS HAS
BEEN STREAMLINED A LOT OF THIS
DECISION MAKING IF YOU WILL, AND
WORK, UM, UNDER THE FEDERAL
PROGRAMS WAS YOU KNOW WHAT WAS
AS FAST AS IT COULD BE, IF YOU
WILL, SO A LOT OF IT IS WETLANDS
LINE. A LOT OF IT AGAIN IS JUST
TIED TO, UH DREDGE AND FILL AND
THE THAT NARROWING OF THE
FEDERAL JURISDICTION. SO HOW
MUCH WILL THE FEES INCREASE? TO
COVER THE COST OF WHAT WE
PROPOSED THE INCREASES FOR THE
APPLICANTS. SO AND IMPORTANTLY,
THIS IS APPLICANTS. SO THIS IS
FROM THE WASTE DISCHARGE PERMIT
FUND. AND I HAVE, UH, KAREN
MOGUS HERE FROM THE DIVISION OF
WATER QUALITY AND OUR OUR OUR
FOLKS. UM UH UH, HERE AS WELL
FROM DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES THAT CAN TALK ABOUT
FEES. UM AND SO, UH, YET. I
MEAN, KAREN, DO YOU WANT TO FILL
IN THAT? SURE. KAMOGA DEPUTY
DIRECTOR DIVISION OF WATER
QUALITY AT THE STATE BOARD. UH
YEAH, SO THE FEE INCREASES BASED
ON THE B èC P REQUEST WILL BE
APPROXIMATELY 38% INCREASE FOR
THE APPLICANTS. UM, THAT IS A
LOT LOWER THAN WHAT WAS
PRESENTED AT OUR STAKEHOLDER
MEETING LAST WEEK. IT'S MORE
AROUND 40% FOR THE TOTAL PROGRAM
, UH, DUE TO ANNUAL INCREASES IN
COSTS, UH TO THE PROGRAM, SO
WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR FEE
INCREASE. UH OR OUR FEE, UH,
SETTING DISCUSSION WITH
STAKEHOLDERS. WE'VE INCLUDED THE
B èC P AS A POTENTIAL INCREASE
IN FEES AS WELL AS THE REGULAR
INCREASE THAT OCCURS AS COSTS OF
, UH, YOU KNOW, SALARIES AND, UH
UH, BENEFITS AND ALL OF THE
INCREASED COSTS TO THE STATE ARE
INCURRED. SO, UM, I KNOW THAT
YESTERDAY THERE WAS A HEARING IN
UH, WE WERE. WE WERE TRYING TO
GET INFORMATION AND YOU KNOW,
WE, UH WE ALREADY HAD OUR, UH
BRIEFING FOR THIS HEARING, AND
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME
INFORMATION YOU GIVE SOME. I
UNDERSTAND. THAT YOU PROVIDED
SOME INFORMATION TO MY STAFF ON
THE FEE SETTING, UH, BUDGET. FOR
THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR FOR THE
401 CERTIFICATIONS, UH, PROGRAM,
WHICH WAS 17.8 MILLION. UM SO
I'M TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD
AROUND IT. CAN YOU? CAN YOU WALK
ME THROUGH LIKE NUMBER ONE.
WHAT'S THE CURRENT COST FOR AN
APPLICANT SEEKING A 401
CERTIFICATE? YEAH. THANKS FOR
THAT QUESTION, SO I WANT TO
START WITH IT DEPENDS ON THE
SIZE OF THE PROJECT. SO AROUND
63% OF THE APPROXIMATE 1500
APPLICATIONS THAT WE RECEIVE
EVERY YEAR ARE VERY SMALL IMPACT
PROJECTS LESS THAN 0.2 ACRES.
AND SO FOR THOSE PROJECTS, THE
APPLICATION FEE WILL GO FROM
JUST ABOUT $3000 TO 4000, SO AN
INCREASE IN THE APPLICATION FEE
BY ABOUT 1000 AND THEN THE
PROJECT FEE ALSO WOULD GO UP
JUST UNDER 1000. AND THEN WE
HAVE AS THE PROJECT CONTINUES,
DEPENDING ON HOW LONG THE
PROJECT IS. THERE'S AN ANNUAL
FEE THAT ALSO GOES UP ABOUT 1000
. SO FOR THE SMALL PROJECTS,
WHICH REPRESENT ABOUT 63% OF
WHAT WE RECEIVE EVERY YEAR,
THERE'LL BE ABOUT A $3000
INCREASE IN FEES. SO, UM ON A
PROJECT THAT'S MORE THAN JUST A
FEW ACRES. SO THESE ARE HOUSING
PROJECTS THAT ARE GONNA BE SO
OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW IF
CALIFORNIA IS IN A VERY
DIFFICULT HOUSING MARKET AND
TRYING TO DEVELOP UM SO CAN YOU
TALK ABOUT, UM YOU KNOW
SOMETHING LARGER THAN THAT. IS
IT THAT WELL, LET ME MAKE SURE
I'M CLEAR THE 0.2 ACRES IS THE
IMPACT TO THE WATERS. IT'S NOT
THE PROJECT FOOTPRINT, SO IF A
PROJECT IS DONE IN AN AREA WHERE
THEY'RE NOT IMPACTING WATERS,
THEY MAY STILL BE IN THIS SMALL
IMPACT. CATEGORY WHICH IS WHY
MOST OF OUR PROJECTS WE'RE
HOPING THAT THIS PROGRAM AVOIDS
IMPACTS TO WATERS. UM AND SO
IT'S GOOD THAT MOST OF OUR
PROJECTS ARE UNDER THE, UH, 0.2
ACRE IMPACT. BUT YES, FOR LARGER
PROJECTS AND SORRY I HAVE THIS
ALSO APOLOGIES. DOING A BUNCH OF
PRINTING THIS MORNING AND I
DON'T KNOW WHERE MY LARGER
PROJECTS DO HAVE, UH, HIGHER
AMOUNTS. SO A DREDGE AND PHIL
PROJECT BASICALLY IS GONNA GET A
HUGE INCREASE. CAN I, UM, JUST
TAKE A MOMENT TO FIND MY TABLE
SHORTLY. SORRY, AND IF AND IF I
CAN, I CAN ADD. WHILE KAREN'S
FINE THAT YOU KNOW, IT'S
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS,
UM IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO BUILD ON
A WETLAND, RIGHT IF YOU'RE
LOOKING TO, AND THIS ISN'T ALL
ACTIVITY, IT REALLY IS, UH,
CENTERED AROUND YOU KNOW,
WETLANDS AND DREDGE AND FILL OF
THEM. SO UM, AND I AS I
UNDERSTAND IT, YOU KNOW OF THE
CURRENT, UH, WASTE DISCHARGE
FUND PERMITS THAT ARE OUT. ONLY
ABOUT 3% OF THOSE ARE OUR AG
RELATED, SO YOU KNOW WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE
IMPACTS OF, UH, OF THESE FEE
INCREASES. WHAT WILL BE, UH,
IMPACTED MOST. IT IS A LOT OF
HOUSING, CERTAINLY, AND WE ARE,
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR
THE RESOURCES. WE DON'T WANT TO
BE A BOTTLENECK, BUT IT IS ALSO
HOUSING THAT'S LOOKING TO INFILL
WETLANDS OR NOT INFILL WETLANDS,
BUT DO DREDGE AND FILL IN WHAT
IS WHAT'S JUST EVEN WHILE YOU'RE
LOOKING I FOR ME, IT'S LIKE I'M
A FARMER, AND IT JUST MAKES ME
CRAZY WHEN I GET ON I FIVE AND
GO HOME. AND THEY'RE PAVING OVER
THE BEST FARMLAND IN THE WORLD,
AND IT JUST IT'S BEYOND AND IT'S
IN A FLOODPLAIN. IT'S A IT WAS A
WETLANDS. AND SO I MEAN, I THINK
WE SHOULD GO TO THE FOOTHILLS
WHERE WE HAVE. WE DON'T HAVE THE
FARM GROUND AND IT'S YOU KNOW,
WE THERE'S BETTER PLACES TO
BUILD. AND BUT UNFORTUNATELY,
THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS. AND SO,
UM AND WE NEED TO. WE NEED
HOUSING AT THE SAME TIME, BUT
IT'S JUST IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING.
I MEAN, WHEN I CAME HERE 12
YEARS AGO, YOU COULD LEAVE
SACRAMENTO AND BEFORE HE GOT TO
THE CAR TO THE AIRPORT, THERE
WAS NÓ HOUSES OUT THERE, AND
IT'S SOLID HOUSES ON THEY. IT'S
ALMOST FILLED IN. IS THE BEST
FARMLAND IN THE WORLD. IT
DOESN'T. IT'S JUST ANYWAY, I
KNOW THAT THIS IS A THAT'S A
SIDE NOTE TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING
HERE, BUT THAT'S PRO. THAT'S
PROJECTS THAT ARE GONNA BE
AFFECTED BY THIS LEGISLATE OR
THIS COURT CASE, QUITE FRANKLY
AND THEN A BUDGET ON TOP OF IT,
SO I WANTED TO JUST NAIL THAT
DOWN BECAUSE THE COST OF HOUSING
IS GONNA GO UP IF YOU'RE PAVING
OVER AG LANDS, I GUESS OR
WETLAND. THOSE WERE WETLANDS.
YES. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS
FIELDS JUST TO FOLLOW UP. THE
MEDIUM SIZE PROJECTS WILL GO UP
ABOUT $5000 IN FEES AND THEN THE
VERY LARGE PROJECTS. UH, WILL GO
UP. UH APPROXIMATELY 90 TO
100,000, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE
OF THE IMPACT. AND THEN THERE
ARE SOME OUTLIERS THAT ARE
UTILITIES THAT WILL GO UP
SIGNIFICANTLY MORE SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA EDISON AND PG AND E.
BOTH WOULD HAVE INCREASES IN THE
250 TO $500,000, WHICH WILL GET
THE RATEPAYERS WILL PAY THAT
BILL AGAIN, TOO. ALL RIGHT.
THANKS FOR COMING. THANK YOU,
SENATOR. OK, INTEREST OF TIME.
IT WON'T. UH, ASK THIS QUESTION.
I'LL JUST NOTE THAT THE B èC P
STATES AND MANY CASES THE STATE
PROCESSES ARE LESS EFFICIENT AND
MORE RESOURCE INTENSIVE THAN
THAN THE LOST FEDERAL
PROTECTIONS. SO I JUST WANT TO
NOTE THAT, UM AND, UH, HOPEFULLY
WE CAN, UH, WORK TO MAKE THEM
MORE EFFICIENT AND LESS RESOURCE
INTENSIVE, AND WE CAN DISCUSS
THAT MAYBE IN THE FUTURE TIME. I
KNOW IT'S PART OF OUR THINKING,
UM, AND THIS JUST HERE IS THE
BUDGET. UH UH, CHANGE PROPOSAL
COMPONENT OF THAT SO LOVE TO
THINK AND TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.
OK THANK YOU. GOOD DISCUSSION.
UH, RECOMMENDATION IS, UM,
OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT TOPICS.
UM SE CONDITIONS HOLD OPEN, SO
WE WILL DO THAT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, UM AND, UM, I WILL,
UH, FOLLOWING THAT, ASK THE
DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC SUBSTANCE
CONTROL TO COME ON UP.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, UH, WE'LL
GO AHEAD. UH YOU, CHIEF DEPUTY
SCHOLAR. YEAH. THANKS EVERYBODY.
UH, THANK YOU. CHAIR AND MEMBERS
. UH, MY NAME IS, UH, CRAIG
SHAW. I'M THE CHIEF DEPUTY
DIRECTOR AT UH, THE DEPARTMENT
OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL. UM,
I'LL JUMP RIGHT INTO IT DUE TO
TIME. UH, THE GOVERNORS PROPOSED
2425 BUDGET. UH UH. INCLUDES
$399 MILLION TO SUPPORT Dð Tð S¼
èC MISSION, UH, CONSISTENT WITH
THE REFORMS AUTHORIZED IN S¼ B?
UH UH UH 158. OVER HALF OF THAT
TOTAL IS TO SUPPORT OUR
OVERSIGHT OF CLEANUP ACTIVITIES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. UH, THIS
INCLUDES AN ADDITIONAL 27.
MILLION UH, APPROVED IN LAST
YEAR'S BUDGET TO SUPPORT CLEANUP
OF PARKWAYS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
SURROUNDING THE FORMER EX SIDE.
UM BATTERY RECYCLING FACILITY.
UH, IT ALSO INCLUDES 20.5
MILLION TO CONTINUE OUR WORK
WITH U S¼ èC P A TO ADDRESS
SOME OF THE MOST CONTAMINATED
SITES THROUGHOUT THE STATE,
INCLUDING FEDERAL SUPERFUND
SITES AS WELL AS, UH, STATE
ORPHAN SITES, UH, WHERE NÓ
RESPONSIBLE PARTIES HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED? UH THE BUT THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL ALSO
INCLUDES MODEST BUT CRITICAL.
PROPOSAL TO SUPPORT OUR WORK IN
CLIMATE RESILIENCY. UM
SPECIFICALLY, WE ARE REQUESTING
$1.6 MILLION TO ENSURE THAT ALL
SITES UNDER GTS AUTHORITY HAVE
PROTECTIONS IN PLACE TO ADDRESS
THE THREATS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. UM THE
BUDGET ALSO HAS AN INCREASE IN
FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE BOARD.
ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY UH OR AS WE
REFER TO IT AS B S¼, UH AND IT
COMES, UH AND IT CONTINUES TO
INCLUDE EXPANDED FUNDING MADE
AVAILABLE BY THE REFORMS OF S¼ B
158. UM UH, INCLUDING IN ALL 158
THE EXPANSIONS THERE. UH UH,
EQUITY HAS BEEN A F FOR AT THE
FOREFRONT OF OUR DECISIONS, UH,
AND IS ENABLE US TO WORK THAT
INTO OUR INITIATIVES GOING
FORWARD. UH, SPECIFICALLY, WE
THIS YEAR WE PLAN ON, UH,
IMPLEMENTING OUR EJ, OUR
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY
COMMITTEE. UH AND THIS WILL
INCLUDE, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS
FROM ACROSS THE STATE DEDICATED
TO PARTNERING WITH Dð Tð S¼ E
EXECUTIVE TEAM AND THE BOARD,
UH, ON APPLYING ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE PRINCIPLES TO DTS WORK
LATER THIS YEAR AFTER
RECRUITMENT AND EMPLOYMENT OF
THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE EXPECT
TO HAVE OUR FIRST MEETING. UM
ALSO, UH, WANTED TO TOUCH ON OUR
HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN
LAST YEAR. UH, THE TEAM
RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS RESEARCH IN
CREATING A HAZARDOUS WASTE
MANAGEMENT PLAN, RELEASED A DATA
REPORT. UM WHICH WILL BE USED TO
INFORM THE FIRST PLAN DUE TO THE
BOARD. UH, IN SPRING OF 2025.
THIS WORK WILL BE CRITICAL FIRST
STEP TOWARDS MODERNIZING WASTE
MANAGEMENT IN CALIFORNIA. IT
ALSO SUPPORT A MORE CIRCULAR
ECONOMY AS WE USE THE PLAN TO
INCENTIVIZE HAZARDOUS WASTE
REDUCTION. UM COMPREHENSIVE
SOLUTIONS WILL REQUIRE
MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT ACROSS
STAKEHOLDERS. IN THE LEGISLATURE
, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
IS THAT REPORT. UM THAT PLAN
COMES FORWARD. UM ON FREE REFORM
, WHICH I KNOW IS A TOPIC WE'LL
GET INTO MORE, UM, DESPITE THE
CHANGES OF FEE STRUCTURE TO 2021
, THE DEPARTMENT IS STILL FACING
A SIGNIFICANT FEE REVENUE
SHORTFALL. LOWER REVENUES
COMPROMISE THE DEPARTMENT'S
ABILITY TO DELIVER ON PROMISES
OF FISCAL REFORM. UH UH, WE'VE
BEEN CONTINUED TO WORK ON
IDENTIFYING THOSE ROOT CAUSES OF
THE SHORTFALL. AND THAT WORKS
GONNA INFORM HOW WE MOST
EFFECTIVELY WORK WITH
STAKEHOLDERS TO FILL THAT, UM ON
ENFORCEMENT. DTSC IS INCREASE
ENFORCEMENT AND DISADVANTAGED
COMMUNITIES IN OUR PRESENCE IS
PAYING OFF BY THE END OF 2020
THREE WE HAD WE HELD, UH, A 90%
RETURN TO COMPLIANCE RATE FOR
VIOLATIONS ISSUED TO PERMITTED
FACILITIES IN VULNERABLE
COMMUNITIES. UM WE ALSO
STRENGTHENED OVERSIGHT OF METAL
SHRED FACILITIES, MANY OF WHICH
ARE LOCATED IN EJ COMMUNITIES,
MOST NOTABLY THROUGH INSPECTIONS
AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS. UH,
STRENGTHENING Dð Tð èC
OVERSIGHT OF THESE FACILITIES
CONTINUE TO BE A TOP PRIORITY,
AND WE EXPECT TO CONTINUE TO
WORK WITH THE REGULATED
COMMUNITY AS WELL AS, UM, THE
LEGISLATURE ON ISSUES THAT WE
IDENTIFY. MOVING ON TO èC VÆ
èC OR CLEAN UP IN VULNERABLE
COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE. UM AT
THE END OF AS OF THE END OF 2020
THREE ALL PROGRAMS WITHIN THE
èC B èC. I HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED.
UH, THIS INCLUDES DISCOVERY AND
ENFORCEMENT. UH èC RG OR
EQUITABLE COMMUNITY
REVITALIZATION GRANTS? UM ARE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS AND,
UM, UH, WORKFORCE SMALL. IT'S
THE DEVELOPMENT INTERNSHIP
PROGRAM THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED. UM
ALSO WANTED TO TOUCH ON, UH
SAFER CONSUMER PRODUCTS. UH, SEE
IF OUR CONSUMER PRODUCTS, UH,
DOUBLED IN SIZE DUE TO S¼ B 158.
AND LAST YEAR, WE ISSUED A
REPORT DETAILING THE PROGRESS
IT'S MADE OVER THE LAST DECADE.
UM UH YEAH, AND I'LL STOP THERE.
I KNOW THAT'S A IT'S AN ISSUE
WITH ME AGAIN TO LATER. THANK
YOU. OK THANKS. YEAH, WE DO HAVE
A FEW THINGS TO DIVE INTO. UM I.
I DID WANNA ASK IN EMOTION ON
PROBABLY INTERESTED AS WELL ON
KIND OF GREEN CHEMISTRY AND, UH,
UPDATES THERE. I WAS JUST
READING THROUGH YOUR THE TENURE.
REPORT. UM AND FEEL LIKE YOU
KNOW, SORT OF CERTAIN THINGS
HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED FOR SURE.
BUT, UM WE JUST WANT TO PROVIDE
US A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN
UPDATE. UM, YEAH, I, UM UH, IT'S
DEFINITELY A LOT OF THAT 10
YEARS WAS KIND OF BUILDING THE
PROGRAM FROM THE GROUND UP FROM
SCRATCH. UH AND SO I THINK WE'RE
REALLY HITTING A STRIDE THERE.
UM THAT REPORT. UM I CAN
DEFINITELY PROVIDE A FOLLOW UP
WITH THAT. UM, BUT, UH YOU KNOW,
WE FEEL THAT SAFER CONSUMER
PRODUCTS REALLY PROVIDES AN
OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE THE
ALTERNATIVES. UM, AND MAKE SURE
THAT YOU KNOW WE ARE ADDING ALL
THAT ADDITIONAL RESEARCH. I KNOW
THAT TAKES TIME. WE DON'T GET
THROUGH AS MANY PRODUCTS. I
THINK, AS SOME PEOPLE WOULD
LIKE, BUT, UM, I THINK THE
OUTCOMES HAVE BEEN BEEN POSITIVE
. UM AND SOME OF THOSE, UH,
PRODUCTS, UH, JUST TO NAME A FEW
HAVE BEEN FLAME RETARDANTS AND
CHILDREN'S SLEEPING PRODUCTS,
UM, SPRAY POLYURETHANE FOAM
SYSTEMS. UM CERTAIN PRODUCTS
CONTAINING PF S¼ SIX PD IN TIRES
LINKED TO, UM, ENDANGERED COHO
SALMON. UH AND, UH, TA TA AND
NAIL PRODUCTS. AND SO THOSE ARE
SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET TO GOOD.
YEAH, I DID READ THROUGH A LOT
OF THOSE IN THE REPORT AND, UM
UM, YEAH, SOME OF THESE ARE HARD
TO PRONOUNCE SOME OF THESE
CHEMICALS. UH, FOR SURE. UM, I.
I DON'T KNOW IF, UM AROUND. IF
ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY YOU WANTED
TO KIND OF TOUCH ON. YEAH I. I
MEAN, YOU KNOW, I KNOW TIME IS
TIGHT. BUT II, I WILL SAY, I
THINK, UM, I WANTED TO JUST TALK
A LITTLE BIT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT
THE SAFER CONSUMER PRODUCTS. AND
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DOING
SOME WORK IN GREEN CHEMISTRY.
YOU KNOW, IT'S MY YOU KNOW,
STRONG FEELING THAT THE PACE AT
WHICH THE, UM THE PROGRAM HAS
BEEN REGULATING HARMFUL
CHEMICALS AND CONSUMER PRODUCTS
HAS BEEN PRETTY SLOW, AND I
THINK WE'VE SEEN 77 PRIORITY
PRODUCTS IN THE LAST, UM IN IN
SOMETHING LIKE 15 YEARS NOW. AND
WE'VE MADE SOME POLICY CHANGES.
WE MADE SOME FUNDING CHANGES AS
A LEGISLATURE, INCLUDING SOME
NEW POSITIONS TO HELP THE
PROGRAM. PICK UP THE PACE. UM SO
I, I YOU KNOW, I. I DO. I DO
WANNA JUST EXPRESS MY CONCERN
OVER THE SLOW PACE, AT LEAST UP
UNTIL NOW AND, UM AND SEE WHAT
SORT OF HOW YOU THINK THESE
CHANGES GETTING MORE STAFFING,
ET CETERA ARE GONNA HELP TO, UH,
GET MORE WORK DONE IN THE
PROGRAM AND YOU KNOW WHAT SORT
OF ACHIEVEMENTS CAN WE EXPECT?
UH IN TERMS OF A TANGIBLE
BENEFITS FOR THE STATE, GIVEN
HOW LITTLE IT'S HAPPENED SO FAR.
YEAH UM, WE VERY MUCH HEAR YOU.
I THINK WE HEAR OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS WITH SIMILAR
SENTIMENTS. UM I DON'T HAVE A
METRIC OR OR SOMETHING, UH, A
NUMBER TO DIRECTLY POINT TO
TODAY. I DO THINK WE'VE LEARNED
A LOT OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.
UM, ON ON ON HOW TO PRIORITIZE
THESE PRODUCTS, I WILL SAY, UM I
THINK WE WE'RE IN DEVELOPMENT
AND SHOULD BE RELEASING SOON.
OUR FOURTH PRIORITY PRODUCTS
WORK PLAN AND THAT KIND OF
OUTLAYS NEXT. YOU KNOW, SEVERAL
YEARS OF THE PRODUCTS THAT WE
SEE IS READY FOR OUR REVIEW. UM
SO AGAIN, I. I APOLOGIZE. I
DON'T HAVE A DIRECT KIND OF
METRIC FOR THAT. I HAPPY TO
FOLLOW UP. UH, OBVIOUSLY,
DIRECTOR WILLIAMS HAS, UH,
WORKED WITHIN THIS PROGRAM FOR A
LONG TIME, AND IT'S A PRIORITY
FOR HER, SO I'M HAPPY TO KIND OF
REPORT BACK TO YOU IN YOUR
OFFICE BASED ON I REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT. I MEAN, AND I
LOVE I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT YOU HAVE
SOME SORT OF TIMELINE FOR
RELEASING THE PRIORITY. UM WORK
PLAN AND I. I WISH I WOULD. MY
GOAL TODAY WAS TO TRY TO HAVE A
TIMELINE FOR YOU. I DON'T
UNFORTUNATELY BUT IT IT'S GONNA
BE SOON. IS THERE ANY
INFORMATION YOU CAN GIVE TO US
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TYPES OF
PRODUCT CATEGORIES THAT YOU
MIGHT BE PLANNING TO EVALUATE?
UM UNFORTUNATELY, NÓ I. I AGAIN
I'D RATHER FOLLOW UP. I DON'T
WANNA, UH UH, THIS HAS NOT BEEN
MY SPECIALTY SINCE I'VE BEEN
WITH THE DEPARTMENT. UH, BUT I'M
HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. OK,
ALL RIGHT. UM I ALSO I YOU KNOW
ON THESE, UM ONE THING THAT'S
BEEN COMING UP. I I'VE BEEN
HERE. SOME PUSHBACK FROM FOLKS
ABOUT THE EQUITABLE COMMUNITY
REVITALIZATION GRANTS THE Dð Tð
S¼ èC RUNS AND, UM I KNOW. A
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE
ALLOCATED MONEY. SOMETHING LIKE
HALF A BILLION DOLLARS. UM, TO
EXPEDITE, UH, THE CLEANUP OF
IDOL PROPERTIES THAT YOU KNOW,
COULD BE CONTAMINATED. AND UM,
SOMETHING LIKE HALF OF THAT WENT
TO THESE GRANTS. CAN CAN YOU
GIVE DO YOU HAVE DO YOU? CAN YOU
GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A REPORT ON
HOW THOSE, UM, FUNDS HAVE BEEN
ALLOCATED SO FAR? UH, YOU KNOW
WHAT ARE THE CURRENT GRANT
FUNDING PRIORITIES? FOR THOSE
GRANTS. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW HOW
THOSE NUMBERS IF I HAVE THEM
WITH ME. UM, BUT, UH AS FAR AS
èC RG, UM, WE COMPLETED AROUND
TWO APPLICATION PERIOD. UM, AND
THAT WAS HAD APPROVED OVER 41
MILLION, UH, IN GRANT REQUESTS
AND I THINK ONE THING I WANNA
MENTION ABOUT ROUND TWO IS, UH,
WE GOT A LOT OF, I THINK REALLY
GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THE
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY
AFTER OUR FIRST ROUND AND WE
WERE ABLE TO BUILD THAT INTO
ROUND TWO. SO WE'RE I THINK
WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT 41
MILLION IS GONNA BE A LOT MORE
IMPACTFUL AND PRODUCE. UH I
THINK SOME OF THOSE OUTCOMES
THAT THE LEGISLATURE INTENDED
WELL, I JUST I DO WANNA RAISE
ONE CONCERN, UM ASSOCIATED WITH
ALL THIS BECAUSE, I KNOW THAT,
UM, THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS
PRODUCED A SHIFT TOWARD
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. RELATED
PROJECTS, WHICH I THINK IS
TOTALLY FAIR AND IMPORTANT.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CASES WHERE
, UH, THERE ARE OTHER TYPES OF
USES THAT PROVIDE A REAL
TANGIBLE BENEFIT TO A COMMUNITY
THAT YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE
HOUSING ISN'T AT THE HEART OF IT
DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE'S NOT,
UM, IT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT
IT IT SHOULDN'T BE. EFFECTUATED
UM, I KNOW THERE'S A CASE IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OUTSIDE OF
MY DISTRICT, BUT THAT THE CITY'S
BEEN INVOLVED WITH AND I'D LOVE
TO KIND OF DO SOME FOLLOW UP
BECAUSE I IT GOT ME THINKING
ABOUT UM, III. I WANT I DO AGREE
WITH THE FOCUS ON HOUSING. THE
FLIP SIDE IS THERE THERE ARE
LOTS OF SITES THAT NEED TO BE
CLEANED UP, AND THERE ARE LOTS
OF BENEFITS TO COMMUNITIES. UH,
FROM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT BE
PARKS TO. YOU KNOW, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT FOOD DESERT. SO,
YOU KNOW, GROCERY STORES, UM UM
OTHER TYPES OF NON POLLUTING JOB
CENTERS. I YOU KNOW, SO HOW HOW
ARE WE EVALUATING? UH, THOSE
KINDS OF PROJECTS. UM YEAH, I
KNOW THE PROJECTS THAT ARE
RECEIVING FUNDING AREN'T
STRICTLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SO
I'M HAPPY TO KIND OF LOOK INTO
AND KIND OF PROVIDE YOU WITH A
BETTER, UH, SPLIT UP OF WHAT
TYPES OF PROJECTS GOT FUNDED AND
ALSO HAPPY TO TALK MORE ABOUT,
UH, YOUR EXAMPLE TO SEE IF
THERE'S BETTER WAYS TO EVALUATE
PROJECTS LIKE THAT, OK, ONE
FINAL QUESTION ABOUT FEES. UH,
THAT I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
AND I AND I DO WANNA I WANNA, I
WOULD, LIKE, FOLLOW UP ON ALL
THESE THINGS. IF YOU WITH WITH
RESPECT, UM YOU KNOW THE SO, UM
WE FOUND OUT LAST YEAR THAT, UM,
THAT THE FEE CHANGES IN S¼ P
158. THAT WE EXPECTED TO
GENERATE. ALMOST 100 MILLION. I
MEAN, 80 MILLION. OK, UM
RESULTED IN ONLY IT'S SOMETHING
LIKE HALF OF THAT BEING
COLLECTED. SO W, WHAT IN? DO YOU
HAVE NEW INFORMATION ABOUT? AND
THAT SHORTFALL. I THINK I'LL
TURN FIRST TO BRIAN, WHO'S BEEN
THE POINT FOR US ON THAT
PROJECT. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, MR
CHAIR, SENATORS, UM, THE SENATOR
ALLEN. THIS IS A HIGH PRIORITY
ISSUE FOR THE DEPARTMENT. SO AS
YOU AS YOU NOTED, UH,
SPECIFICALLY THE GENERATION AND
HANDLING FEE, WHICH IS APPLIED
TO, UH, HAZARDOUS WASTE
GENERATED IN THE STATE, UH IN
FEE REFORM HAD BEEN ANTICIPATED
IT WOULD GENERATE $81 MILLION
LAST YEAR. UM ARE UPDATED
ESTIMATES ARE THAT IT BROUGHT IN
ROUGHLY HALF THAT AMOUNT. AS YOU
NOTED ABOUT 40 THREE MILLION
DOLLARS. UM SO OVER THE COURSE
OF THE PAST YEAR SINCE THAT
ISSUE IDENTIFIED. UH THE
DEPARTMENT HAS A TEAM THAT'S
BEEN WORKING ON IT. UM
SPECIFICALLY, WE'VE BEEN DOING A
FEW THINGS ONE. WE'VE BEEN
IDENTI GOING THROUGH THE DATA
THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US. WE
HAVE, UM BOTH WITHIN Dð Tð S¼
èC. WE HAVE A FEW DATA SYSTEMS
THAT WE UTILIZE THAT HAS
INFORMATION ON OUR GENERATOR.
UH, COMMUNITY AND THE HAZARDOUS
WASTE IS GENERATED AND
MANIFESTED. WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO
MARRY THAT WITH èC Dð Tð FA,
WHO IS OUR FEE COLLECTION AGENCY
? UH AND, UM, TRYING TO MARRY
THE DATA THAT THEY COLLECT FROM
THE FROM THEIR RETURNS FROM
THEIR TAX RETURNS IN TRYING TO
IDENTIFY WHERE? WHY WHERE THE
ESTIMATE WENT WRONG. SO WHY IS
IT THAT, UM WE COLLECTED SO MUCH
LESS REVENUE THAN WE HAD
PROJECTED AT THE TIME OF FEE
REFORM. SO WE'VE BEEN GOING
THROUGH THAT DATA DOING THAT
ANALYSIS THAT INFORMATION IS
GOING TO THEN INFORM ME REVISED
PROPOSAL THAT WE ANTICIPATE
YOU'LL YOU'LL SEE SHORTLY, UH,
WITH RECOMMENDED, UH, SOLUTIONS
AND PATH FORWARD, BUT, UM, I DO
WANNA HIGHLIGHT AS WELL, JUST,
UM, WE HAVEN'T JUST BEEN DOING
THAT ANALYSIS. WE'VE ALSO BEEN
TRYING TO WORK WITHIN OUR
EXISTING RESOURCES AND AUTHORITY
TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO DO A
COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE IS IN
INCREASE OUR OUTREACH TO FEE
PAIR COMMUNITIES. UM, WE
RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A NEW FEE
WITH A NEW STRUCTURE AND WE HAVE
THOUSANDS OF, UH, GENERATOR
REGISTER GENERATORS THROUGHOUT
THE STATE IN THOUSANDS AND
THOUSANDS OF SITES. AND SO WE
NEEDED TO INCREASE OUR
COMMUNICATION EXTERNALLY SO THAT
THEY UNDERSTOOD THE CHANGES THAT
INCLUDE BOTH US AND èC. Dð Tð
FA UPDATING OUR COMMUNICATIONS,
OUR WEBSITES WE HAD OUR 1ST 1ST
EVER WEBCAST ON THE FEE IN
JANUARY. SO THE MONTH BEFORE THE
, UM THE FINAL FEE PAYMENTS WERE
DUE JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. UM
AND THEN WE'VE ALSO BEEN DOING A
LOT OF WORK TO, UH, RECOGNIZING
THAT THE DATA SYSTEMS THAT WE DO
RELY ON ARE INCOMPLETE IN SOME
CASES, AND BECAUSE THOSE èC Dð
Tð F AND Dð Tð S¼ E SYSTEMS
DON'T NATURALLY MARRY TOGETHER,
IDENTIFY WAYS TO KIND OF CREATE
THOSE CONNECTIONS, SO THAT GOING
FORWARD WE CAN DO BETTER
OVERSIGHT. OK, I'M I'M
INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT YOU
COME UP WITH THERE, TOO. OK,
THANK YOU. OR IT SAYS THAT WE
HAVE SOME, UH, SOME FOLLOW UP.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE
GONNA DO. UM, FIRST, I JUST ASK,
UH, SPECIFICALLY ON THE, UM
GREEN CHEMISTRY PIECES AND SUCH
WHO IS THE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE A
GOOD FOLLOW UP FOR FOLLOW UP
MEETING ON THAT WAS THAT
DIRECTOR WILLIAMS HERSELF OR
SOMEBODY ELSE? UM, YEAH, WE CAN
GO DIRECTOR WILLIAMS HERSELF. WE
ALSO HAVE A SAFER CONSUMER
PRODUCT TEAM THAT WE CAN PULL
TOGETHER TO PROVIDE ANY FEEDBACK
OR BRIEFING FOR ANY OF THE
MEMBERS. OK SO MAYBE CENTER AND
I COULD HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING.
ABSOLUTELY UM, TO DIVE INTO
THAT, UM OK, GOOD. I THINK DID I
JUST MAKE SURE THE DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE OR LE Ó ANY ANY
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON ISSUE 21?
CHRISTIAN BELCHER DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCE. NOTHING THAT CHAIR
THANK YOU. UH, FRANK GIMENEZ
WITH THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYST
OFFICE. UM, NÓ CONCERN ON
SPECIFICALLY ON ISSUE 21 BUT
RELATED TO THE SHORTFALL NOW
HAZARDOUS WASTE CONTROL ACCOUNT.
WE RECOMMEND THAT THE
LEGISLATURE BEGIN TO WEIGH ITS
OPTIONS NOW IN SOLVING THE
SHORTFALL, EITHER ON AN ONGOING
OR ONE TIME BASIS, AND THAT WILL
PUT THE LEGISLATURE IN A BETTER
POSITION THE WAY THE MERITS OF
THE GOVERNOR'S MAY REVISION
PROPOSAL THAT IS FORTHCOMING.
OK? GREAT THANK YOU. UM WELL, IT
IT BECAUSE OF TIME CONSTRAINTS,
UM, WITH WITH FLIGHTS AND SUCH
WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS, UH,
WE'RE GONNA PUSH, UH, CAL CYCLE
TO A FOLLOW UP MEETING. UM
BECAUSE WE DO WANNA LEAVE TIME
FOR THAT. SO THANK YOU OF
RECOMMENDATION OF HOLD OPEN ON
THIS ITEM. UH, WE WILL NOW MOVE
TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE
WILL HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO TAKE
VOTES ON THE A BUNCH OF THE
OTHER ITEMS. SO, UM THANK YOU
ALL. THANK YOU ALL. THANKS AND
GO AHEAD. AND WHEN READY, WE'LL
ASK YOU TO KEEP YOUR REMARKS TO
1 TO 2 MINUTES, PLEASE. YES,
SIR. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, ROBERT
GORE FROM THE GUOCO GROUP ON
BEHALF OF KINGS RIVER
CONSERVATION DISTRICT. KERN
COUNTY WATER. UH MODESTO
IRRIGATION AND THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION WINE GRAPE GROWERS,
ISSUES NINE AND 20 ARE GENERAL
BENEFIT AND THUS MOST PROPERLY,
GENERAL FUND. UH, WE NOT A RATE
PAYER BURDEN. WE STAND READY TO
ASSIST WITH REDIRECTION. UM, AS
A AS APPROPRIATE, UM, ON ISSUE
20 WE AT THE VERY LEAST, GO WITH
THE L A Ó RECOMMENDATION FOR A
PRUDENT APPROACH. NOT NOT NOT
FULL BORE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GAIL DELEHANT WITH WESTERN
GROWERS ASSOCIATION. OUR MEMBERS
ARE IN CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA,
COLORADO, NEW MEXICO, WE GROW
FRESH FRUIT. UH, FRESH PRODUCE,
AND, UH, ALL THOSE STATES. UM WE
ARE VERY CONCERNED WITH ISSUE
NUMBER 19 THE PESTICIDE FEE
INCREASE AND THE INCREASE IN
FEES IN THE STATE WATER
RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD ISSUE
NUMBER 20. AGRICULTURE AS
BUDGETS. UH YOU KNOW, THE
STATE'S BUDGET IS NOT THE ONLY
ONE THAT HAS A DEFICIT. UM AS,
UH, SENATOR DALEY HAS SAID OVER
AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, ALL OF
THESE FEE COSTS ARE ON THE BACK
OF AGRICULTURE. EVERY SINGLE
DEPARTMENT IN THE STATE THAT WE
HAVE TO HAND A PIECE OF PAPER TO
WE HAVE TO PAY A FEE. THESE FEE
INCREASES ARE EATING INTO
EVERYTHING AND IT'S CAUSING THE
SMALL FARMER AND THE MEDIUM SIZE
FARMER TO COMPLETELY GO OUT OF
BUSINESS. AND SO WE ARE HERE TO,
UM, ASK THAT YOU RE LOOK AT
THESE THINGS. SEE IF WE CAN'T
GET SOME GENERAL FUNDING HERE OR
, UM, POSTPONE SOME OF THESE, UM
, ISSUES AND FOR ANOTHER DAY
WHEN THE YOU KNOW THE BUDGET IS
MORE ROBUST, THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU,
MISTER. CHAIR MEMBERS. DON KEPKE
WITH MCHUGH KEPKE PDR ON BEHALF
OF A FEW CLIENTS ON A COUPLE OF
QUICK ISSUES ON ISSUE NUMBER 19
OF THE Dð PR BUDGET CHANGE
PROPOSAL ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA MANUFACTURERS AND
TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION AND
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY COUNCIL OF
CALIFORNIA JUST WHAT ECHO SOME
OF THE CONCERNS, ALTHOUGH WE
CERTAINLY DO LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND
THE LEGISLATURE FURTHER ON THAT.
ON ISSUE NUMBER 20 RELATED TO
THE STATE WATER BOARD'S APPROACH
FOR THE RECENT COURT ORDER. THE
CALIFORNIA COUNCIL FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC
ECONOMIC BALANCES DOES HAVE SOME
CONCERNS JUST GENERALLY IN TERMS
OF THE IMPACT THAT THOSE, UH,
THAT WILL HAVE IN TERMS OF THE
FEE PAYERS, UH, THAT HAVE
ESSENTIALLY BEEN SEEN IN YEAR
OVER YEAR INCREASES IN SOME
CASES IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS FOR
MANY YEARS AND PARTICULARLY FOR
UTILITY MEMBERS. THOSE INCREASES
, AS WAS STATED BY ONE OF THE
SENATORS. CERTAINLY VERY
SIGNIFICANT. AND THEN FINALLY ON
THE ISSUE OF ISSUE NUMBER 21
RELATED TO Dð, Tð, S¼ èC AND
THE BOARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL
SAFETY, WHILE S¼ DOES NOT HAVE
OPPOSITION OR CONCERNS,
NECESSARILY WITH THAT PROPOSAL,
IN AND OF ITSELF DOES HAVE
CONCERNS JUST GENERALLY WITH THE
DEPARTMENT'S DEFICIT AROUND THE
HAZARDOUS WASTE CONTROL ACCOUNT
AND IS HIGHLY CONCERNED ABOUT
ANY MOVE TO RESULT. JUST
INCREASING FEES THAT HAVE
ALREADY BEEN INCREASED 2 TO 300%
FOR GENERATORS, WE WOULD LOOK
FORWARD TO FURTHER DISCUSSION
WITH THE COMMITTEE. UH, WE
CERTAINLY ALREADY IN
CONVERSATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT
ON THAT TO COME UP WITH SOME
IDEAS ON HOW TO MITIGATE THAT
AND AVOID JUST PURELY AND FEE
INCREASES. SO THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, KI¾M
DELFINO. I'M REPRESENTING
DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE. AUDUBON
NRDC, CAL, CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS IN THE
ALTAR PEAK CHAPTER OF THIS
CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY.
I'M SPEAKING TO ISSUE UH, 20. UM
LET ME JUST SAY FIRST. THANK
GOODNESS. CALIFORNIA HAS A
PORTER COLONNE ACT. IF WE WERE
IN ARIZONA, 90% OF YOUR WATERS
WOULD NÓ LONGER BE PROTECTED AT
ALL THE WHOLE POINT OF THE FACT
THAT THE SECOND DECISION HAS
PULLED BACK CLEAN WATER ACT
PROTECTION RAISES ISSUES ON HOW
WE ACTUALLY PROTECT WATER
QUALITY, WHICH HAS DIRECT
IMPACTS TO PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE.
AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT
WE DO NOT. WE FILL IN THE GAP
LEFT BY THE PULL BACK FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. UM AND WE
THINK THAT WE STRONGLY SUPPORT
THE B èC P BY THE STATE WATER
BOARD. WE THINK IT'S REASONABLE.
IT IS. QUITE MODEST IN MANY
RESPECTS BECAUSE GIVEN THE SCOPE
OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE
IMPACTED, AND WE WOULD STRONGLY
URGE THAT IF FUNDED IT BE FUNDED
AT AT LEAST THREE YEARS BECAUSE
IT TAKES YOU NEED TO HAVE
CERTAINTY OF FUNDING TO HIRE
STAFF. PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO
TAKE A JOB IF THEY ONLY KNOW
THEY HAVE ONE YEAR OF FUNDING
AVAILABLE, AND THE LAST THING I
WOULD SAY IS THAT, UM WHETHER OR
NOT IT'S GENERAL FUND
APPROPRIATE OR FEE BASED, AND WE
MADE A BIG MOVE TO HAVE THE
WATER BOARD BE FEE BASED, UM, IF
YOU MOVE TO GENERAL FUND, IT
CREATES GREAT UNCERTAINTY IN THE
ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM,
WHICH WHY YOU WENT TO FEES IN
THE FIRST PLACE AND YOU WOULDN'T
BE TRIGGERING A FEE IF YOU ARE
AVOIDING IMPACTS TO INTERMITTENT
STREAMS, EPHEMERAL WATERS AND
WETLANDS. AND FINALLY, WITH
RESPECT TO AGRICULTURE FROM
DREDGE AND FILL PERMITS, THEY
HAVE HUGE EXEMPTIONS WITHIN THE
STATE WETLANDS POLICY THAT WAS
NEGOTIATED BACK IN 2019. WHEN WE
FINALIZED THAT POLICY, THEY ARE
NOT. THEY ARE PRETTY MUCH MOST
AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY. IN FACT,
ALL AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES DO
NOT TRIGGER DREDGE AND FILL SO
THEY'RE NOT IMPLICATED BY THIS,
UM BY THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, UH,
UNLESS THEY'RE CONVERTING THEIR,
UM AIR AREAS TO HOUSING, AND
EVEN THEN THEY HAVE A LOT OF
EXEMPTIONS. SO THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. UH GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME
IS CODY PHILLIPS WITH CALIFORNIA
COAST KEEPER ALLIANCE HERE TO
SPEAK ON ISSUE. 20 THE ZACH
DECISION. I JUST WANNA ECHO WHAT
KI¾M WAS SAYING THERE, UM, AND
ADD A COUPLE OF INTERESTING
DETAILS. CALIFORNIA COAST KEEPER
ALLIANCE DOES A LOT OF WORK WITH
BOTH THE STATE WATER BOARD AND
FOR PERMITS THAT GET THEIR N P
Tð E S¼ PERMITS, WHICH IS SOME
OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT AND ALSO
WASTE DISCHARGE REQUIREMENTS,
WHICH IS UNDER THE PORT OF
COLOGNE. AND WE'RE ALREADY
SEEING EVERYWHERE THAT ANY
PERMIT HOLDER IS GOING TO
CHALLENGE WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE
GOING TO DISCHARGE INTO A WATER
OF THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE NOW
THAT IS AN OPTION TO THEM, AND
THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE THE STATE
WATER BOARD TO DO. A BIT OF JUST
CLARIFICATION. IN ADDITION TO
THE BACK FILLING THAT THEY HAVE
TO DO, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO
DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THESE
PERMITS NEED AN NPD S¼ PERMIT OR
A W Dð R. THERE ARE SUBTLE BUT
REALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THOSE TWO. THAT'S GONNA
BE A HUGE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN,
AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF
ISSUES THAT ARE GONNA COME FROM
FROM YEARS FROM NOW. AND SO IT
IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE WATER
BOARD GETS THIS FUNDING, UH, TO
SUPPORT THAT STAFF AS THEY MOVE
FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR AND MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE AND STAFF ALEX
OMER ON BEHALF OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND, THE
SIERRA CLUB, THE CENTER FOR
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY ON ISSUE
20, ECHOING THE PREVIOUS
COMMENTS AND STRONG SUPPORT OF
THE FUNDING FOR THE SACK
DECISION BACKFILL THAT'S NEEDED
AT THE WATER BOARD. ALSO ON
BEHALF OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL
DEFENSE FUND. I JUST LIKE TO
EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR A REALLY
EQUITABLE AND ROBUST CLIMATE
BOND. I THINK ALL THE CUTS THAT
HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED TODAY THAT
WERE IN THE EARLY ACTION PLAN
THAT WAS RELEASED THIS MORNING.
HIGHLIGHT THE NEED FOR THAT
FUNDING. AND REALLY THANKS,
CENTER ALLEN FOR HIS LEADERSHIP
ON THAT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR BECKER AND
SENATORS HERE PART OF THE ISSUE
20 CHOIR, ALSO EXPRESSING OUR
STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED
B èC FOR THE PROPOSED B èC P.
UM SO APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT OF
THAT, AS WELL AS THE CLIMATE
BOND, SIMILAR COMMENTS AS TO
WHAT WE'RE JUST MADE.
ADDITIONALLY WE WOULD URGE THE
LEGISLATURE TO REJECT THE L A Ó
S¼ PROPOSAL TO REVERT ON SPENT,
UH, FUNDING FROM THE WILDLIFE
CONSERVATION BOARD STREAM FLOW
ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH
SUPPORTS CRITICAL HABITAT
RESTORATION AND STREAM FLOW
PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT FISH AND
WILDLIFE. AND INCREASE THE
CLIMATE RESILIENCE OF
CALIFORNIA'S WATERSHEDS.
ADDITIONALLY WE SAW THAT THIS
MORNING SENATE LEADERSHIP
RELEASED THEIR PROPOSED BUDGET
SHORTFALL DOCUMENT. UM WE STILL
NEED TO ANALYZE A LITTLE BIT
CLOSER, BUT IT SEEMS TO PRESERVE
CRITICAL FUNDING FOR COASTAL
RESILIENCE. SO WE APPRECIATE
THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK
YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR
MEMBERS ANNALISE RIVERO HERE ON
BEHALF OF CALIFORNIA TROUT AND
TROUT UNLIMITED. UH, WE ARE HERE
IN STRONG SUPPORT OF ITEM. 20
THE SACKET DECISION. B èC P, UM
AS ON THE GROUND PRACTITIONERS.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL THAT
THE WATER BOARD MAINTAINED THE
ABILITY THAT NOW FALLS UPON THEM
TO PROCESS THE PERMITTING. WE
RELY ON THAT A LOT AND
RESTORATION WORK AS WELL. UM AND
WE ARE FURTHER HERE IN SUPPORT
OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN THE GALLA
Tð M Dð LB èC P, WHICH WILL
HELP ADDRESS THE SEDIMENT ISSUES
IN THAT CRITICAL WATERSHED FOR
ENDANGERED SPECIES. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HELLO UH,
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
NATALIE BROWN WITH PLENTY AND
CONSERVATION LEAGUE URGING YOUR
SUPPORT, ALSO ISSUED 20 OF THE
WATER BOARD'S BUDGET CHANGE
PROPOSAL RELATED TO THE SACKET
SUPREME COURT DECISION. I'M ALSO
VOICING SUPPORT ON BEHALF OF
FRIENDS OF THE RIVER, THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
INFORMATION CENTER, THE
COMMITTEE TO COMPLETE THE REFUGE
AND THE WATER FOUNDATION. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR
CHAIRMAN MEMBERS. CHRIS REIN
CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU. I'M HERE
TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, BUDGET
PROPOSAL BY THE DEPARTMENT OF P,
A REGULATION THREE QUICK POINTS.
30 THREE MILLION DOLLARS OVER
THREE YEARS, PLUS 100 AND 70 NEW
POSITIONS. SURPRISING WHEN YOU
CONSIDER WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS
OF BUDGET DEFICIT IN THIS STATE.
YES I UNDERSTAND. THERE ARE
SPECIAL FUND DEPARTMENT ABOUT
THE 16 TO $17 MILLION, WHICH IS
A TAX PAID. BY MY MEMBERS FOR
THIS FOR THIS INCREASE FOR US IS
HARD TO SWELL. I KNOW THE L A Ó
MENTIONED THAT A SMALL SUBSET OR
WE ARE A SMALL SUBSET. THAT'S
ONLY IMPACTED BY THIS INCREASE.
MANY OF OUR FARMERS CANNOT PASS
ON THOSE INCREASES BECAUSE OF
THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE WE FACE
TODAY. THOSE IN THOSE THAT CAN'T
WILL ONLY INCREASE COSTS. FOR
FAMILIES WHO STRUGGLE TO PAY
CONSTANTLY FOR INCREASING FOOD
PRICES. SECONDLY, THE OTHER
THING MENTIONED IT WAS TALKED
ABOUT WHEN THE DEPARTMENT'S
PRESENTATION TODAY WAS THE ISSUE
OF SUSTAINABLE PEST MANAGEMENT,
FOLKS, THERE HASN'T BEEN ONE
MINUTE. OF POLICY DISCUSSION IN
THIS LEGISLATURE AS IT RELATES
TO S¼ PM, OR SUSTAINABLE PEST
MANAGEMENT. SO OUR VIEW ON IT
FROM FARM BUREAU PERSPECTIVE,
AND BY THE WAY, WE'VE INVITED
THE DIRECTOR TO SPEAK AT
NUMEROUS FARM BUREAUS AROUND THE
STATE. WE STILL AREN'T CLEAR
ABOUT WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS.
UH, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. SO
OUR VIEW IS BEFORE WE CREATE A
NEW PROGRAM IN SORT OF THE
CURRENT BUDGET CRISIS THAT WE
FACE OURSELVES. THAT'S SORT OF
FIX WHAT WE KNOW WE HAVE TO FIX
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT BEFORE WE
CREATE A NEW PROGRAM, THEN THIRD
AND THEN JUST LAST. LOOK WE
UNDERSTAND THE DEPARTMENT. UM
HASN'T RAISED THE BILL IN 20
YEARS. WE BELIEVE IN A STRONG Dð
PR. CALIFORNIA IS THE MOST
COMPREHENSIVE REGULATORY SYSTEM
IN THE WORLD. BUT WE ALL SHOULD
ALSO SHOULD BE A FIT OF
AFFECTION AND EFFECTIVE. HAVING
REVIEWED THIS B èC P. WE
BELIEVE IN IN IN ACKNOWLEDGE
SOME REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUES
LIKE ELIMINATING THEIR BUDGET
SURPLUS, OR I MEAN IMBALANCE,
STREAMLINE OUR REGISTRATION
PROCESS. AND THEN ALSO
ADDRESSING WHAT THIS IS ACTUALLY
GONNA TAKE LONG TERM, UH, TO
MAKE THE DEPARTMENT WHOLE, BUT I
MUST TELL YOU AT THE END OF THE
DAY. UH, I THINK SENATOR, UH,
MENTIONED THIS EARLIER. WE PAY A
VAST MAJORITY OF THAT MILL
ASSESSMENT, SO I HOPE WHEN YOU
LOOK AT SORT OF THE NUMEROUS
CHALLENGES FACES AGRICULTURE IN
THE COMING YEARS, AND WE ALL
KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TRANSITIONING
TO A SORT OF GLOBAL CLIMATE
CHANGE AND WHAT THAT'S GONNA
MEAN FOR US. THAT YOU'LL
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SORT OF THIS
THE IN CONSTANT INCREASE OF COST
NOT ONLY ON THE ON ON THIS
ISSUE, BUT OTHER ISSUES ALL WILL
EFFECTIVELY STRANGLE OUR
INDUSTRY. SO WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT YOU PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO
THAT. AND WE'RE VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT THAT. THIS PROPOSAL. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. HELLO GOOD
AFTERNOON. I'M CHAIR MEMBERS
JAMIE F WITH THE COMMUNITY
ALLIANCE WITH FAMILY FARMERS.
UM, WE REPRESENT OVER 8000 SMALL
AND HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED
FARMERS ACROSS THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. UM, SPEAKING ON
ISSUE 19 Dð PR SPECIFIED MELFI
WHILE WE SUPPORT THE MIL FEE
INCREASE, WE REQUEST SEVERAL
AMENDMENTS TO ENSURE THESE
ADDITIONAL FUNDS GO BEYOND
REGULATORY ACTION AND TOWARDS
BRINGING SAFE PRODUCTS TO
MARKET. WE REQUEST THAT THE
FUNDS AT Dð PR AND THE PORTION
DEDICATED TO èC Dð FA FOCUS ON
SUSTAINABLE PEST MANAGEMENT
PROGRAMS THAT PRIORITIZE FARMER
TO FARMER LEARNING, TRAINING,
DEMONSTRATION AND INCENTIVES.
WHILE I'M HERE. I'LL ALSO LIKE
TO REQUEST TO THE PROPOSED CUTS
IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET TO èC
Dð FA, S¼, CALIFORNIA
UNDERSERVED AND SMALL PRODUCER
PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE FARM TO
COMMUNITY FOOD HUB PROGRAM ARE
REJECTED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE 10
PEOPLE AND 10 MINUTES, SO WE'RE
WE'RE ON. WE'RE GOING GOOD, BUT
PLEASE CONTINUE. LOOK QUICKLY.
UM HèA SHARMA WITH PESTICIDE
ACTION NETWORK. ALSO SPEAKING ON
ISSUE 19. UM I'M IN SUPPORT OF L
A Ó S¼ ASSESSMENT ON PAGE 28 TO
INCLUDE FUNDING FOR A B 652, THE
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISORY
COMMITTEE. UM I ALSO AGREE WITH
L A Ó THAT THE LEGISLATURE
SHOULD REVIEW THE S¼ PM
MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AND THE
PROPOSAL. SPECIFICALLY WE URGE
LEGISLATURE TO ESTABLISH AN S¼
PM GRANT PROGRAM AT èC Dð FA IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH Dð PR TO GET
DIRECT SUPPORT TO FARMERS TO
ADOPT S¼ PM. WE'VE HEARD A LOT
ABOUT COSTS, UM OF THIS PROPOSAL
BUT ACTUALLY HELPING FARMERS
SHIFT THEIR FARMING PRACTICES SO
THAT LESS PESTICIDES ARE NEEDED
IN THE FIRST PLACE WOULD BE A
GREAT START AND A GREAT WAY TO
ADDRESS THOSE COSTS WHILE ALSO
ADDRESSING THE TREMENDOUS COSTS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE
ENVIRONMENTAL HARM HUMAN HEALTH
HARM ASSOCIATED WITH PESTICIDE
USE. LASTLY THE LEGISLATURE, UM
APPROPRIATED $1 MILLION TO FUND
A STUDY ON THE MILL FEE FOR THE
CURRENT PROPOSAL IS NOT IN LINE
WITH WHAT THE MILKY STUDY
RECOMMENDED. UM, WHICH WAS AN
INCREASE TO 33.9 MILS OVER THREE
TO FIVE YEAR PERIOD, SO WE ARE
REQUESTING THAT THE PROPOSAL IS
ADJUSTED TO 30 THREE 0.9 MILS BY
2027. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. UH, GOOD
AFTERNOON. JANE SELLEN,
CALIFORNIANS FOR PESTICIDE
REFORM. ALSO COMMENTING ON ISSUE
19. I'D LIKE TO ALIGN MYSELF
WITH THE COMMENTS OF PESTICIDE
ACTION NETWORK. IN ADDITION, WE
STRONGLY OPPOSE THE INCLUSION OF
LANGUAGE PREVENTING IMPACTED
COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM
REQUESTING REVIEW OF PERMITS FOR
RESTRICTIVE MATERIAL PESTICIDES,
WHICH WOULD EXCLUDE FARM WORKERS
, STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND MANY
MORE FROM ELIGIBILITY TO
CHALLENGE PERMITS. WE AGREE WITH
THE ASSESSMENT ON PAGE 29 THAT
THE POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF THIS
PROPOSAL ARE SUBSTANTIVE ENOUGH
THAT IT SHOULD PROPERLY GO
THROUGH THE POLICY PROCESS VIA A
B 2113. WE ALSO STRONGLY AGREE
WITH THE ASSESSMENT ON PAGE 30
THAT Dð PR MUST HAVE
ACCOUNTABILITY FEAR ENFORCEABLE
TARGETS FOR COMPLETING AND NOT
JUST MANAGING RE EVALUATIONS.
THERE ARE CHEMICAL PESTICIDES
THAT HAVE BEEN IN RE EVALUATION
SINCE THE 19 NINETIES. SO FORGET
THE 2 TO 3 YEARS FOR
REGISTRATIONS. AND FINALLY, THE
GOVERNANCE PROPOSAL DOES INCLUDE
AMBITIOUS TARGETS FOR INCREASING
REGISTRATION ACTIONS, BUT OUR
COALITION SUPPORTS EXPEDITED
REGISTRATION ONLY FOR PESTICIDE.
EARLY CERTIFIED FOR ORGANIC USE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GOOD AFTERNOON, ABBY ALVAREZ ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA FOOD
AND FARMING NETWORK, WHICH IS A
NETWORK OF OVER 50 FOOD, LABOR,
FARMING AND ENVIRONMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS. I WANT TO ALIGN
MYSELF WITH THE PRIOR TWO
COMMENTS ON ISSUE 19. WE ASKED
THAT THE MIL FUNDING BE USED FOR
SUSTAINABLE PEST MANAGEMENT
ACTIVITIES AND TO FUND THE
RECENTLY CHAPTER AT A B 652.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR AND MEMBERS
NICHOLAS MAZZOTTI ON BEHALF OF
CERES, URGING THE FULL FUNDING
FOR SB 250 THREE AND 261 FROM
LAST YEAR. THESE LAWS WERE
SUPPORTED BY OVER 30 MAJOR
BUSINESSES, MANY OF WHOM DO
SIMILAR REPORTING AND FEEL LIKE
THEY CAN COMPLY WITH BOTH LAWS.
AS WRITTEN, THEY SPECIFICALLY
APPRECIATE THE USE OF TCF Dð
RISK REPORTING FRAMEWORK AS WELL
AS G HÌ G PROTOCOL IN THE LAWS,
UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE WELL
UNDERSTOOD AND ALREADY USED BY
MANY, UM, ADDITIONALLY, THESE
LAWS HAVE BUILT IN FILING FEES,
MEANING ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF
THE FUNDING IS NEEDED FOR THE
BEGINNING STAGES OF
IMPLEMENTATION BEFORE THE LAWS
CAN FULLY FUND THEMSELVES.
INVESTORS AND COMPANIES CANNOT
AFFORD A DELAY IN IMPLEMENTATION
OF THESE LAWS. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON TAYLOR
ROSIN ON BEHALF OF A VARIETY OF
AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS,
INCLUDING THE FRESH FRUIT
ASSOCIATION, CALIFORNIA CITRUS
MUTUAL AND THE AVOCADO
COMMISSION. WE'D LIKE TO ECHO
OUR SUPPORT FOR ISSUE NUMBER 16
FOR èC Dð FA AND PROVIDE
COMMENT ON ISSUE 19 REGARDING Dð
PR S¼ B èC P AND TRAILER BILL
AG SUPPORTS A STRONG PROPERLY
RESOURCED Dð PR. UM OUR GROWERS
DEPEND UPON THE AVAILABILITY OF
PRODUCTS, THE
PROFESSIONALIZATION OF OUR
LICENSES AND STRONG ENFORCEMENT
ACTION. UM, WE APPRECIATE THE
STAFF IN L. A Ó IS VERY, UH,
SPECIFIC REVIEW OF THIS. BUT WE
WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE
DEPARTMENT IS ASKING FOR A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF NEW
RESOURCES AND STAFF. UM, AND
WHILE THE MILL HAS REMAINED
FLAT, IT IS TIED TO THE VALUE OF
THE PRODUCTS THAT WE SELL, SO IT
AUTOMATICALLY HAS AN INHERENT
INFLATIONARY COMPONENT. AND THE
DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET HAS GROWN
PRODIGIOUSLY BECAUSE OF THIS, UH
FIRSTLY, WE'D LIKE TO OBJECT TO
THE LEGISLATURE SEATING ITS
AUTHORITY TO DICTATE THAT THE
MIL GO ABOVE THE THIRD YEAR, CAP
. UM, WE BELIEVE AFTER A 30%
INCREASE TO Dð PR S¼ BUDGET OVER
THREE YEARS. IF THEY NEED MORE
MONEY, AND THEY WANT MORE MONEY,
THEY SHOULD COME BACK AND
PROPOSE. COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSAL
AND DAYLIGHT THAT PROPOSAL FOR
HEFTY LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC
POLICY COMMENT. ADDITIONALLY IN
CONCURRENCE WITH THE L A Ó S¼
COMMENT ON ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
REGISTRATION. THE B èC, P, 100
AND 17 POSITIONS 30 THREE
MILLION DOLLARS ONLY 10% OF
THOSE POSITIONS WOULD BE
ALLOCATED FOR REGISTRATION AND
RE EVALUATION. UH SO WE DON'T WE
SEE A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE
DEPARTMENT'S PRIORITIES AND
FUNCTIONS AND WHAT THEY PROPOSED
, PARTICULARLY FOR REGISTRATION.
IT WAS DISCUSSED AFTER A PRODUCT
IS REGISTERED AT U èC P, A,
PARTICULARLY FOR AGRICULTURE CAN
TAKE FIVE YEARS FOR THAT PRODUCT
TO BE REGISTERED BY Dð PR. UM MR
CHAIR. YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE
INCREASE OF INVASIVE PESTS. OUR
FARMERS CAN'T WAIT THAT LONG. UM
AND YOU ALSO ASKED ABOUT THE
ONBOARDING OF SAFER PRODUCTS,
ORGANIC PRODUCTS. THOSE ARE
REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH A
REGISTRATION SYSTEM. SO FROM OUR
PERSPECTIVE, THE BEST WAY TO
ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE PEST
MANAGEMENT IS TO HAVE A SYSTEM
THAT FACILITATES THE ON BOARDING
OF SAFER PRODUCTS. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON
CHAIR BECKER AND MEMBERS TRISHA
GINGER WITH AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL
OF CALIFORNIA, ECHOING THE
CONCERNS ARTICULATED ABOUT ISSUE
NUMBER 19 THE Dð PR BUDGET THAT
MISS ROSEN JUST SPOKE ABOUT, UM,
SPECIFICALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
REBECCA. WE REALLY APPRECIATE
THAT. YOU DISCUSSED THAT YOU
SUPPORTIVE OF IMPROVED
REGISTRATION TIMELINES AND THE
NEED FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO
ENSURE THAT THERE ARE PLANS IN
PLACE TO SPEED UP THOSE
TIMELINES. AND THEN WE ALSO WANT
TO MENTION WE AGREE WITH THE L A
Ó AND THAT DOLLY'S COMMENTS
ABOUT THE NEEDS FOR STATUTORY
CAPS ON THAT MILL ASSESSMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
TIME. THANK YOU. UH, GOOD
AFTERNOON, MICHAEL JARRETT ON
BEHALF OF NEXTGEN AND OVER 100
AND 68 OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
ASKING YOU THAT YOU REJECT, UH,
THE $35 MILLION CUT TO THE
CALIFORNIA NUTRITION INCENTIVE
PROGRAM. THE èC N P PROGRAM IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE
A FARMERS MARKET ACCESS TO LOW
INCOME CALIFORNIANS. UM, FOR
FRUITS, VEGETABLES. UM, WE ALSO
ASK THAT YOU PRESERVE THE F. UM
FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM, AND
WE'RE JOINED ON THAT WITH THE
CENTER FOR EQUAL LITERACY. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. MR
CHAIR MEMBERS. PAT MORAN, WITH
AARON REID AND ASSOCIATES
REPRESENTING THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL
SCIENTISTS REGARDING ISSUE 19
WERE IN SUPPORT CREATES 117 NEW
POSITIONS, MANY OF WHICH ARE
STATE SCIENTIFIC POSITIONS,
WHICH ARE NEEDED TO HELP THE
DEPARTMENT FULFILL THEIR
MANDATE. SO THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. HOPEFULLY I HAVE 30 SECONDS
LEFT NICOLE QUINONES ON BEHALF
OF THE HOUSEHOLD AND COMMERCIAL
PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION, COMMENTING
ON ITEM 19 FOR Dð PR, UM OUR
MEMBERS MANUFACTURE THE NON
AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDES, SO
THINGS LIKE DISINFECTANTS,
PATENT PET CARE PRODUCTS, YOUR
HOME LAWN AND GARDEN PRODUCTS.
UM SO FIRST WE WANT TO SAY THAT,
UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE OTHERS HAVE
SAID, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US
THAT THE DEPARTMENT BE WELL
RESOURCED, UM, AND AS PART OF
THE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES THAT
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND
IMPROVING REGISTRATION PROCESS,
WE ARE TYPICALLY SEEKING, UH,
STATUTORY TIME FRAMES, UM, FOR
REGISTRATION. THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT HAPPENS AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL EVERY FIVE YEARS. EVEN WE
SAY, YOU KNOW, AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL, NOTHING GETS DONE. BUT
EVERY FIVE YEARS UM THE U S¼
EPA. A BROAD ARRAY OF
STAKEHOLDERS COME TOGETHER, THEY
NEGOTIATE TIMELINES. THEY
NEGOTIATE FEES, AND IT'S PASSED
IN A BILL. UM AND WE THINK WE
COULD DO SOMETHING AT THE STATE
LEVEL AS WELL TO PROVIDE THAT
ACCOUNTABILITY AND THOSE
IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE ALL
SEEKING AT THE DEPARTMENT AND
THEN I WOULD ALSO JUST ADD, UM,
THAT FROM THE NON AG SECTOR WE
MAKE UP HALF OF THE TOTAL MILL
THAT IS RAISED. SO WE ARE A VERY
BIG, UM, SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF
THE PIE AS WELL AND THEN FINALLY
JUST AGREE THAT WE WOULD PREFER
THE LEGISLATURE NOT DELEGATE ITS
AUTHORITY TO THE DEPARTMENT TO
RAISE THE MILL IN OUT YEARS. UM,
YOU KNOW, WE THINK IT SHOULD BE.
STAGNATED OVER. HOWEVER MANY
YEARS THE LEGISLATURE THINKS IS
APPROPRIATE. UH AND THEN, IF
MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED, COME
BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE AND HAVE
THIS CONVERSATION AGAIN. SO
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MELISSA ROMERO WITH
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS.
UM I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF BECAUSE
YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THESE THINGS
BEFORE, BUT THE LEGISLATURE
ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO REJECT
FURTHER CUTS TO THE CLIMATE
BUDGET, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS
SO MUCH MONEY GOING TO TAX
CREDITS AND SUBSIDIES TO THE OIL
AND GAS INDUSTRY. UH, YOU ALL
SHOULD KNOW BY NOW ABOUT THE
ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES PROPOSAL
TO CUT OIL AND GAS SUBSIDIES,
WHICH WOULD BE TO THE TUNE OF
ABOUT $9 BILLION THAT WOULD OPEN
UP FOR INVESTMENTS THAT WE COULD
BE PUTTING TOWARDS TOWARDS
CLIMATE INVESTMENTS. I ALSO WANT
TO, UM ONCE AGAIN. SAY WE WOULD
LOVE FOR YOU TO CONTINUE TO
PRIORITIZE THE FUNDING FOR S¼ B
250 THREE AND S¼ B 261 THE
CLIMATE CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY
BILLS NOW THAT THE S¼ E èC RULE
IS FINAL, IT DOES EXCLUDE SCOPE.
THREE EMISSIONS REPORTING. SO
CALIFORNIA'S LAW IS EVEN MORE
IMPORTANT NOW. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. DENNIS SALANI WITH THE UH
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA SEED
ASSOCIATION, CALIFORNIA PEAR
GROWERS CALIFORNIA BEAN CHIPPERS
, SEVERAL AGRICULTURAL
ORGANIZATIONS WE SUPPORT 16 ITEM
16 IN THE IN THE Dð PR BUDGET.
WE DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON,
UH, 19 AND ACTUALLY AGREE WITH
KIND OF THE TONE OF THE L Ó ON
SUSTAINABLE PEST MANAGEMENT.
THIS IS A NEW PROGRAM. AND JUST
BECAUSE THE FARMERS AS MR
SENATOR DOLLY MENTIONED ARE
GOING TO PAY FOR A SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT OF THIS AND IT'S NOT
GENERAL FUND. IT REALLY NEEDS
THE SCRUTINY OF WHAT IT YOU KNOW
WHAT ELEMENTS ARE NECESSARY.
WHAT ELEMENTS ARE IMPORTANT FOR
THIS YEAR AND WHAT ONES ARE
LUXURIES GOING OUT? FOR INSTANCE
, WE HAVEN'T A WORLD LEADING IT
REALLY INVENTED INTEGRATED PEST
MANAGEMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA HERE, AND SO WHY
WOULD WE DUPLICATE THAT? AND
THOSE ARE THE ESPECIALLY IN
THESE CHALLENGING BUDGET TIMES?
THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS
I THINK THEY NEED TO FURTHER
DISCUSSION ON THAT. UM, AND THEN
JUST, UH WASN'T PLANNING ON
DOING THIS, BUT BORDER STATIONS
BORDER STATIONS. WE APPRECIATE
SENATOR DALEY'S COMMENTS ON IT.
UM THERE THERE ARE THINGS LIKE
RE BLYTHE RED PORT. A FIRE ANT
PREVENTION WHEN THEY COME IN ON,
UH UH, ANTS AND YOU KNOW TO
PREVENT THAT WHEN THEY COME OUT
ON BEES EXCUSE ME THOSE KIND OF
THINGS SO THEY ARE A VERY
IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE. MAYBE
THEY COULD BE USED. UH UH, EVEN
BETTER, BUT, UH, THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO
CONTINUE TO FUND. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM
EXCELLENT. WELL, I WANNA, UH,
THANK EVERYONE FOR THE PUBLIC
COMMENT. WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO,
UH, VOTE ONLY AND INITIALLY ON
ITEMS. EIGHT AND 14, AND I'D
ENTERTAIN A MOTION AT THAT TIME.
EXCELLENT. AND, UH, CONSULTANT
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. BECKER.
AYE, I, ALAN. AND I BLAKESPEAR
BLAKESPEAR I DOLLY DOLLY! I OK,
4 TO 0 WITH THOSE ITEMS, UH, ARE
OUT AND APPROVED. THANK YOU, UM
NOW WE WILL TAKE A MOTION ON
ITEMS ISSUE SORRY, 11 AND 24 AND
59 AND 10 AND 12 AND 13. DO I
HAVE A MOTION? SENATOR ALLEN
MOTIONS. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
BECKER BECKER, I, ALAN A AND I
BLAKESPEAR BLAKESPEAR. AYE,
DOLLY. ALL I KNOW THE VOTE IS 3
TO 1. THOSE ISSUES ARE APPROVED.
AND FINALLY LIKE TO MOTION ON
ISSUES THREE 7-ELEVEN AND 15.
CENTER ISLAND. EMOTIONS. BECKER,
HØI BECKER AYLAN AND I
BLAKESPEAR BLAKESPEAR IY DOLLY!
UH, THE VOTE IS 320, AND, UH,
THOSE ISSUES ARE APPROVED AS
WELL. UM THAT ENDS OUR VOTING. I
WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO
PARTICIPATED ON THE PANEL.
EVERYONE WHO? UH UH, TESTIFIED
AND ANSWERED OUR MANY QUESTIONS.
LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, THE FOLLOW
UP. UH, IF YOU DO NOT GET A
COMMENT IN, YOU CAN DO SO VIA
OUR, UH, WEBSITE. THANKS FOR THE
PATIENCE AND COOPERATIONS. WE'VE
CONCLUDED THE AGENDA FOR TODAY'S
HEARING. SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE
NUMBER TWO IS ADJOURNED.