HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-11-2018 Legislative Committee Meeting Agenda06/11/2018 Legislative and Public Affairs Committee Page 1 of 2
Orange County Sanitation District
Meeting of the LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Monday, June 11, 2018 12:00 P.M. Administration Building Board Room
10844 Ellis Avenue Fountain Valley, CA (714) 593-7433
AGENDA
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: DECLARATION OF QUORUM:
PUBLIC COMMENTS: If you wish to address the Committee on any item, please complete a Speaker’s
Form (located at the table at the back of the room) and submit it to the Clerk of the Board or notify the Clerk of the Board the item number on which you wish to speak. Speakers will be recognized by the Chairman and
are requested to limit comments to three minutes.
REPORTS: The Committee Chair and the General Manager may present verbal reports on miscellaneous
matters of general interest to the Committee Members. These reports are for information only and require no action by the Committee.
CONSENT CALENDAR: Consent Calendar Items are considered to be routine and will be enacted, by
the Committee, after one motion, without discussion. Any items withdrawn from the Consent Calendar for
separate discussion will be considered in the regular order of business. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (Clerk of the Board) RECOMMENDATION: Approve minutes for the Committee meeting held on
May 14, 2018.
INFORMATION ITEMS:
2. PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATE (Jennifer Cabral)
3. LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS UPDATE (Rebecca Long)
OTHER BUSINESS AND COMMUNICATIONS OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA ITEMS, IF ANY:
06/11/2018 Legislative and Public Affairs Committee Page 2 of 2
ADJOURNMENT: The next Legislative and Public Affairs Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 9, 2018 at 3:30 p.m.
Accommodations for the Disabled: Meeting Rooms are wheelchair accessible. If you require any special disability related accommodations, please contact the Orange County Sanitation District Clerk of the Board’s office at (714) 593-7433 at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled meeting. Requests must specify the nature of the disability and the type of accommodation requested. Agenda Posting: In accordance with the requirements of California Government Code Section 54954.2, this agenda
has been posted outside the main gate of the Sanitation District’s Administration Building located at 10844 Ellis Avenue, Fountain Valley, California, and on the Sanitation District’s website at www.ocsd.com, not less than 72 hours prior to the meeting date and time above. All public records relating to each agenda item, including any public records distributed less than 72 hours prior to the meeting to all, or a majority of the Board of Directors, are available for public inspection in the office of the Clerk of the Board. Agenda Description: The agenda provides a brief general description of each item of business to be considered or discussed. The recommended action does not indicate what action will be taken. The Board of Directors may take any action which is deemed appropriate. NOTICE TO DIRECTORS: To place items on the agenda for the Committee Meeting, items must be submitted to the Clerk of the Board 14 days before the meeting. Kelly A. Lore Clerk of the Board (714) 593-7433 Klore@ocsd.com For any questions on the agenda, Committee members may contact staff at: General Manager James D. Herberg (714) 593-7300 jherberg@ocsd.com Assistant General Manager Bob Ghirelli (714) 593-7400 rghirelli@ocsd.com Assistant General Manager Rob Thompson (714) 593-7310 rthompson@ocsd.com Director of Environmental Services James Colston (714) 593-7450 jcolston@ocsd.com
Public Affairs Supervisor Jennifer Cabral (714) 593-7581 jjcabral@ocsd.com Senior Public Affairs Specialist Rebecca Long (714) 593-7444 rlong@ocsd.com
05/14/2018 Legislative and Public Affairs Committee Minutes Page 1 of 4
MINUTES OF THE LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Orange County Sanitation District Monday, May 14, 2018 at 12:00 p.m.
A meeting of the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee was called to order by Chair Sebourn on Monday, May 14, 2018 at 12:01 p.m. in the Administration Building of the Orange County Sanitation District. Director Kim led the pledge of allegiance.
A quorum was declared present, as follows:
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Greg Sebourn, Board Chair David Shawver, Board Vice-Chair
Allan Bernstein, Member-At-Large
Peter Kim, Member-At-Large John Withers, Member-At-Large
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:
Donald P. Wagner, Member-At-Large Chad Wanke, Member-At-Large
STAFF PRESENT: Bob Ghirelli, Assistant General Manager Rob Thompson, Assistant General Manager
Celia Chandler, Director of Human Resources
Jim Colston, Director of Environmental Services Lorenzo Tyner, Director of Finance & Administrative Services Tina Knapp, Deputy Clerk of the Board
Kathryn Beechinor
Jennifer Cabral Tanya Chong Cory Coogan Daisy Covarrubias
Mark Kawamoto
Rebecca Long Kelly Lore Kelly Newell Tyler Ramirez
Roya Sohanaki
OTHERS PRESENT: Brad Hogin, General Counsel Eric Sapirstein, ENS Resources (via
teleconference) Eric O’Donnell, Townsend Public Affairs Cori Williams, Townsend Public Affairs
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
None.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE CHAIR:
Board Chair Sebourn did not provide a report.
ITEM NO. 1
05/14/2018 Legislative and Public Affairs Committee Minutes Page 2 of 4
REPORT OF GENERAL MANAGER:
Assistant General Manager Bob Ghirelli did not provide a report. CONSENT CALENDAR:
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (Clerk of the Board)
MOVED, SECONDED, and DULY CARRIED TO: Approve minutes for the Committee meeting held on April 9, 2018.
AYES: Bernstein, Kim, Sebourn, Shawver, and Withers
NOES: None
ABSTENTIONS: None
ABSENT: Wagner and Wanke
NON-CONSENT CALENDAR: 2. SUPPORT ASSEMBLY BILL 1933 (Bob Ghirelli)
Mr. Ghirelli provided background information pertaining to this item and Chair Sebourn read the letter of support. MOVED, SECONDED, and DULY CARRIED TO: Approve letter of support for
Assembly Bill 1933 – Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: recycling infrastructure
projects (Maienschein).
AYES: Bernstein, Kim, Sebourn, Shawver, and Withers
NOES: None
ABSTENTIONS: None ABSENT: Wagner and Wanke
INFORMATION ITEMS:
3. LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS UPDATE (Rebecca Long) Rebecca Long, Senior Public Affairs Specialist, introduced Eric Sapirstein, ENS
Resources, who updated the Committee on the following items: Washington, DC
lobby days held in April; WIFIA program; WRDA, including potential support from Congressman Lowenthal for amendments of interest to OCSD; and the current and next year’s budget and infrastructure. The Committee inquired as to the interest rate of WIFIA loans and whether or not these might be of interest to OCSD. Staff
indicated that these loan opportunities will be reviewed as to if OCSD will consider
pursuing this funding. In response to a question from the Committee, Mr. Sapirstein indicated that at this time no OCSD action is needed in response to the recisions to the budget.
05/14/2018 Legislative and Public Affairs Committee Minutes Page 3 of 4
Eric O’Donnell, Townsend Public Affairs (TPA), provided an informative PowerPoint
presentation that began with reviewing the upcoming key dates and deadlines of
the 2018 legislative session; an update on California WaterFix plans; long term water conservation regulations; and an update on bill status activity, specifically mentioning that there has not been any recent activity on SB 623 (Monning) and that SB 831 (Wieckowski) has been amended to remove the ban on connection
and capacity fees.
Cori Williams, TPA, concluded the presentation by providing an update on Assembly Bill (AB) 2003 (Daly), indicating that the legislation was pulled from the Assembly Local Government Committee calendar and outlining the concerns of the
Assembly Local Government Committee that included transparency, public
participation, legal ramifications, and precedent setting. Ms. Williams also reviewed what next steps might be for the future of this legislation and answered questions from the Committee regarding the next steps and data collected for substantiation of the need for this legislation. Director Withers indicated that he feels that
continued efforts pertaining to this legislation exceed the potential cost savings to
OCSD. Board Chair Sebourn expressed an interest in transitioning efforts made by OCSD thus far to another organization like the California Special Districts Association (CSDA) or California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA). Board Vice-Chair Shawver indicated the importance of OCSD’s involvement in
issues that directly affect the public. Board Chair Sebourn requested that staff
reach out to partner agencies, including CSDA and CASA, and evaluate the interest in pursuing this legislation collectively. OCSD would continue to take the lead but the partner agencies would involve all of their member agencies to garner support. Staff indicated this item will be further researched and brought back to the
Committee at a future meeting.
4. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON MICROPLASTICS PRESENTATION (Jim Colston)
Mr. Ghirelli provided background information pertaining to this item and indicated
that this presentation was requested during the Committee’s prior discussion of AB 2379 – Waste management of polyester microfiber (Bloom). Mr. Ghirelli introduced Engineering Supervisor Mark Kawamoto who provided an informative PowerPoint presentation on microplastics that included a definition of microplastics
and where they come from, plastics waste management and gyre (large system of
rotating ocean currents), why microplastics are of concern, impacts of plastics and microplastics, and how microplastics make their way from clothing to the environment to the food chain.
In response to a question from the Committee, Mr. Kawamoto indicated he was
unsure as to whether or not microplastics are tested for after treatment through the GWRS; however, Director of Environmental Services Jim Colston indicated staff will follow up on this question and that the Sanitation District is very efficient in removing microplastics. Director Withers indicated it might be of interest to
estimate the quantity of microplastics removed from the GWRS through the levels
of treatment and market this good news. Board Chair Sebourn expressed an
05/14/2018 Legislative and Public Affairs Committee Minutes Page 4 of 4
interest in the Sanitation District further studying microplastics and the impact of
such to not only the Sanitation District’s plants, but to the environment. Mr. Ghirelli
indicated that other organizations have studied microplastics and that the Sanitation District could use this research as a foundation for further study. Board Chair Sebourn expressed an interest in specifically understanding the effects of microplastics in and on our service area.
Director Kim inquired as to whether or not this discussion affects the Sanitation District’s position on AB 2379 (Bloom) to which Board Chair Sebourn indicated that the position might be modified depending on further study. Public Affairs Supervisor Jennifer Cabral indicated that CASA is researching ocean
contamination in response to SB 1263 and that collaboration with CASA may be an
additional resource pertaining to this discussion. 5. PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATE (Jennifer Cabral)
Ms. Cabral gave an overview of the recent tours provided to influential public and
future events at which the Sanitation District will have representation. Ms. Cabral also reminded the Committee of the Honor Walk ceremony on May 23 at 4:00 p.m. Ms. Cabral also reported on awards recently received by the Sanitation District. Ms. Cabral also indicated that the Sanitation District will be the largest battery
storage facility in the world once implemented, which will mean the Sanitation
District will decrease the amount of electricity purchased. Ms. Cabral reported that Mayor Villaraigosa will be touring the GWRS on Thursday, May 17 at 1:00 p.m. and requested direction as to who to invite from the Board Chair/Committee. Board Vice-Chair Shawver indicated he will attend and it was decided that members of
this Committee and the Steering Committee should be invited to attend. Ms. Cabral
reported that she will be speaking at the CSDA Conference at the General Manager’s Summit in June on transparency as a result of the Little Hoover Commission report and distributed the recent CSDA magazine that included an article co-authored by Ms. Cabral. Ms. Cabral indicated that staff will also send the
article electronically to the Committee.
OTHER BUSINESS AND COMMUNICATIONS OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA ITEMS, IF ANY:
None.
ADJOURNMENT: Chair Sebourn declared the meeting adjourned at 1:24 p.m. to the next Legislative and
Public Affairs Committee meeting, Monday, June 11, 2018 at 12:00 p.m.
Submitted by: _____________________
Tina Knapp, CMC Clerk of the Board
Page 1 of 2
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE Meeting Date 06/11/18 To Bd. of Dir. --
AGENDA REPORT Item Number 2 Item Number --
Orange County Sanitation District FROM: James D. Herberg, General Manager Originator: Robert P. Ghirelli, Assistant General Manager SUBJECT: PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATE
GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION Information Only.
BACKGROUND
Staff will provide an update on recent public affairs activities. RELEVANT STANDARDS
• Maintain influential legislative advocacy and a public outreach program
• Build brand, trust, and support with policy makers and community leaders
• Use all practical and effective means for resource recovery
• Maintain collaborative and cooperative relationships with regulators, stakeholders, and neighboring communities
• Listen to and seriously consider community input on environmental concerns PROBLEM
Many Californians are not aware of the Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) and the important work we do to keep the environment clean by using the wastewater byproducts to create energy, water recycling, and the use of biosolids. Additionally, they are not aware that more than 50 percent of the wastewater is recycled and used to replenish the Orange County Groundwater Basin.
In general, the community and businesses do not realize that when they improperly dispose of waste into the sanitation system, it can negatively affect the work we do and the quality of water we supply for the Groundwater Replenishment System. PROPOSED SOLUTION By providing tours, community outreach education, and general communication via the Sanitation District’s website, social media outlets, and mainstream media, we have the ability to educate the community, local agencies, and businesses on the What2Flush
program, energy production, water recycling, biosolids, and our source control program. This, in turn, results in a better quality of wastewater.
Page 2 of 2
TIMING CONCERNS N/A
RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT TAKING ACTION If we do not educate the community, local agencies, and area businesses about the Sanitation District, we lose an opportunity to educate thousands of people about our
plants, source control, and the wastewater industry as a whole. PRIOR COMMITTEE/BOARD ACTIONS N/A
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION May 2018
Activity # # of Guests
OCSD/OCWD Tours 10 221
OCSD Tours 8 164 CEQA N/A FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS N/A ATTACHMENTS
The following attachments are attached in hard copy and may also be viewed on-line at the OCSD website
(www.ocsd.com) with the complete agenda package:
• Outreach Calendar May 2018
• Media Clips May 2018
Date Time Organization/Event Location Purpose Attendee
5/1/2018 900 - 1030 Plant Tour Boardroom CSULB Nursing Tour. 15
guests
Gina Tetsch Tour Guide
5/2/2018 900 - 1030 Plant Tour Boardroom CSULB Nursing Tour. Gina Tetsch Tour Guide
5/3/2018 900 - 1030 Plant Tour Boardroom Saddleback College Tour
26 guests
Jeff Armstrong Tour Guide
5/4/2018 900 - 1030 Plant Tour Boardroom Costa Mesa Sanitation -
Citizens Env. Protection
Academy to tour P1. 25
guests
Randy Kleinman Tour
Guide
5/7/2018 1430 - 1600 Plant Tour Boardroom Society of Women
Engineers Tour.
Lisa Frigo Tour Guide
5/8/2018 900 - 1200 Plant Tours Boardroom Santa Ana Valley HS
Tours. 2 tours. 60 students
Paula Zeller and Belen
Carrillo Tour Guides
5/11/2018 900 - 1030 Plant Tour Boardroom Santa Ana College Tour.
25 guests
Sharon Yin Tour Guide
5/15/2018 830 - 1130 Plant Tour Boardroom Jordan HS Tours. 60
students
Paula Zeller and Belen
Carrillo Tour Guides
5/16/2018 900 - 1030 Plant Tour A & B OCC Tour 25 guests Ann Crafton Tour Guide
5/18/2018 900 - 1200 Plant Tours Boardroom Santa Ana College tours 30
guests
Belen Carrillo Tour Guide
5/21/2018 1000 - 1130 Plant Tour Boardroom Estancia HS Special Ed
class tour
Katherine Beechinor Tour
Guide
5/23/2018 1130 - 1230 Plant Tour GM Conf. Room Chair Sebourn and Guests
tour
Rob Thompson Tour Guide
5/23/2018 1600 - 1700 2018 Honor Walk
Ceremony
Admin. Building 2018 Honor Walk
Celebration
Public Affairs
5/29/2018 900 - 1030 Plant Tour Boardroom New Employee/Open to
the Public Tour
Ann Crafton Tour Guide
6/6/2018 1500 - 1630 Plant Tour A & B Girl Scout Troop Tour. 20
guests
Paula Zeller Tour Guide
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
OCSD Outreach Report 5/29/2018
Contact
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
5/29/2018 12:45:08 PM
Date Time Organization/Event Location Purpose Attendee
OCSD Outreach Report 5/29/2018
Contact
6/6/2018 1600 - 1700 Plant Tour Boardroom Operations Committee to
tour P1- 101, 14 attendees.
EMT Tour Guides
6/14/2018 900 - 1030 Plant Tour Boardroom Vanguard Nursing Tour.
16 guests
Katherine Beechinor Tour
Guide
6/20/2018 1500 - 1630 Plant Tours Room A Webelo Cub Scout tour.
12 guests.
Courtney Light Tour Guide
6/21/2018 1500 - 1630 Plant Tour Boardroom Cub Scout Tour. 20 guests Brian Bingman Tour Guide
6/22/2018 900 - 1030 Plant Tour Boardroom USFCA Nursing tour. 25
students
Belen Carrillo Tour Guide
6/26/2018 900 - 1030 Plant Tour Boardroom CSUF Nursing Tour. 15
guests
Katherine Beechinor Tour
Guide
6/26/2018 900 - 1200 Speaking Engagement Tahoe, CA CSDA GM Leadership
Summit Speaking
Engagement
Jennifer Cabral Speaker
6/27/2018 900 - 1030 Plant Tour Boardroom CSUF Nursing tour. Katherine Beechinor Tour
Guide
6/29/2018 900 - 1030 Plant Tour Boardroom West Coast Univ. Nursing
tour.
Belen Carrillo Tour Guide
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
Cheryl Scott
5/29/2018 12:45:08 PM
OCSD Public Affairs Office
Monthly News Clippings
May 2018
Table of Contents
GWRS…………………………………………… ................................ PAGE 1
May 26, 2018
Seawater desalination is water independence
By: Denis Bilodeau
Orange County Register - Opinion
HUMAN INTEREST…………………………………………… ................. PAGE 3
May 26, 2018
Costa Mesa drops plan for mobile restrooms for homeless
By: Luke Money
Los Angeles Times
TWITTER POSTINGS …………………………………………… ............. PAGE 5
FACEBOOK POSTINGS ……………………………………………………PAGE 10
1
OPINION
Seawater desalination is water independence
By Denis R Bilodeau |
PUBLISHED: May 26, 2018 at 6:30 am | UPDATED: May 26, 2018 at 5:45 pm
Managing our existing water supplies and planning for future needs requires thoughtful
deliberation. Significant fluctuations in the manifestation and intensity of seasonal weather
conditions, symptoms of climate change, are becoming the new normal and there is no
“one size fits all approach” to dealing with its effects. Consider that, in just this current
decade, California has gone from its most severe drought to one of its wettest winters in
recorded history, and now back to a below-average winter snowpack this year. This
unpredictability requires us to take a closer look at our traditional water resources and how
we can diversify to reduce dependence on climate-dependent water supplies.
Let’s not be mistaken. We must remain strong in our embrace of conservation, efficiency
and wise water-use habits and look for opportunities to do more in these areas. However,
adapting to climate change means that we must also put an increased emphasis on
developing new local water resources. My goal is water supply independence for Orange
County. We should not be beholden to others for the most basic element of life. Clean
water is essential to Orange County’s public health and safety and economic stability.
This goal is shared regionally. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, in a
letter last fall to the California State Lands Commission in support of the Huntington Beach
Desalination Project, addressed the issues of drought and climate change and the need for
greater water resource diversification as part of its own water reliability efforts. The letter
explained how the district’s “long-term Integrated Water Resources Plan (IRP) achieves
diversification with an ‘all of the above’ approach [that] includes maintaining Colorado River
Aqueduct supplies and restoring the reliability of the State Water Project, while also
developing local climate-resilient resources such as seawater desalination.” Even with
imported water supplies expected to be secured by the CA Water Fix, Metropolitan
Orange County Register
May 26, 2018
2
anticipates a need for the additional 600,000 acre feet per year of new, local supply by the
year 2040 to meet future demand and to reduce dependence on imported supplies.
I have served on the Orange County Water District (OCWD) Board for 18 years and
wholeheartedly support the district’s policies that emphasize the need to development new,
local water supplies like our world-renowned Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS)
as part of a diversification and water independence strategy. OCWD supports
Metropolitan’s IRP local supply development goal and believes that Orange County’s
interests would best be served if it could meaningfully reduce its dependence on climate-
driven, imported water supplies. For this very reason, it has actively been exploring for a
decade the proposed Huntington Beach Seawater Desalination Project as a new, local water
supply option for Orange County. With an annual production capacity of 56,000 acre-feet, it
would be the single largest source of new, high-quality, locally controlled, drought-proof
water available to the county.
OCWD also believes that the project can provide flexibility in how the district manages the
Orange County groundwater basin. Specifically, the desalinated water could be used to
augment supplies that we inject into our Talbert Seawater Barrier to help prevent seawater
intrusion into the groundwater basin and to buffer against any reductions in base flows
from the Santa Ana River.
The Pacific Ocean offers an inexhaustible, drought-proof source of supply that can be used
with the right environmental protection measures. Desalination opponents point to cost as
a reason for their opposition. While we share concerns about cost, our own experience with
GWRS confirms that smart capital investment today will save ratepayer dollars tomorrow.
At the price of a half-penny per gallon, seawater desalination is cost-competitive with the
development of other new water supplies and on par with the household impact from the
state’s recent mandatory conservation measures. Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean OCWD is
without its concerns or is willing to overpay for desalinated water. We will continue to
conduct our due diligence and only commit to purchasing water once state regulators
approve a project we determine is economically feasible.
Denis R. Bilodeau, P.E., is the Orange County Water District board president.
3
Costa Mesa drops plan for mobile
restrooms for homeless people
based on business survey
By Luke Money
MAY 26, 2018 | 11:45 AM
An Orange County agency has dropped a long-discussed proposal to develop new public restrooms aimed
at serving the local homeless population.
Though Costa Mesa Sanitary District board members didn't take an official action at their meeting
Thursday, they appeared in agreement that there isn't enough community support for the idea — a
perspective recently reflected in a survey that showed many local businesses opposed the concept.
"At this point, I believe the proposition is dead," said district General Manager Scott Carroll.
Sanitary district officials have discussed the public restroom proposal for more than a year. Such facilities,
they said, would give homeless people a safe and hygienic place to relieve themselves and help improve
public health and sanitation by reducing public urination and defecation.
They eventually focused on the idea of mobile restrooms — in which portable toilets would be placed on a
trailer so they could be stationed wherever they were needed. A paid attendant would be present at all
times to make sure the restrooms were clean and used for their intended purpose.
That kind of program, the district believed, would keep the restrooms from becoming hotspots for drug use
or other illegal activity. Such issues have popped up in other public restrooms in Costa Mesa, including
those at Lions and Wilson parks.
Los Angeles Times
May 26, 2018
4
In November, the district committed $21,500 to cover half the estimated cost of a six-month mobile
restroom pilot program and asked the city of Costa Mesa to devote the remainder. City Councilman John
Stephens took the proposal to his colleagues in February, but the full council decided the idea needed
additional study and public outreach before moving forward.
The sanitary district subsequently commissioned a survey of select local businesses regarding
homelessness.
Though the vast majority — about 80% — of the roughly 280 businesses that participated in the survey
said local homeless people have affected them in some way, 49% said supervised public restrooms would
not alleviate the issues. More than half said such facilities would not have a positive effect on their
operations.
Sanitary district board President Mike Scheafer said he was surprised the survey results were so negative
but added he's "proud that we took the humane approach and looked for alternatives."
"Even though we were labeled not just 'idiots' but 'freaking idiots' by a council member, I'm really proud of
this body," he said, referring to a February comment by Councilman Jim Righeimer about district board
members who supported the proposal.
Board Vice President Jim Ferryman, who first raised the public restroom idea in January 2017, also
seemed taken aback at the unfavorable reaction in the survey.
"What do they think, this is going to go away on its own?" he said, referring to the homeless issue.
But, he added, "We should just drop it at this point."
Stephens said Friday that he thought the survey provided useful information about how homelessness
affects local businesses. Respondents cited loitering and littering among their major complaints.
Stephens said outreach efforts should continue and that he plans to ask the council to devote additional
funding to address issues like those raised in the survey.
"The whole survey kind of fired me up to really focus on addressing the impacts of homelessness on our
business community, because it's obviously a very serious issue," he said.
Money writes for the Daily Pilot.
5
MAY 2018 SUMMARY
Tweets
32
Tweet impressions
14.9K
Profile visits
384
Mentions
15
New followers
9
May 2018 • 23 days so far...
TWEET HIGHLIGHTS
Top Tweet earned 634 impressions
Check out these super cool #compost infographics by @ILSR! OCSD’s biosolids
help create #healthysoils via #composting. #ICAW ilsr.org/compost-impacts
pic.twitter.com/WgOWxOpTzA
Twitter Posts
April / May 2018
6
Top Follower followed by 5,028 people
APWA
@APWATWEETS FOLLOWS YOU
APWA is an association dedicated to providing high-quality public works training and education to public
and private companies and individuals. RT≠endorsement
Top mention earned 84 engagements
Antonio Villaraigosa@antonio4ca May 17Thank you @OCSewers,
@OCWDWaterNews for the tour of the world's largest water use project of its kind!
We need more #GRWS projects throughout CA to conserve & recycle our water.
pic.twitter.com/ImHM8yQ50N
7
Happy International Compost Awareness Week! Find out how biosolids are helping
to fight climate change! #ICAW ocsd.com/educa…/biosolids-program/biosolids-
news pic.twitter.com/Q5OsODgT1i
APR 2018 SUMMARY
Tweets
32
Tweet impressions
18.7K
Profile visits
497
Mentions
24
New followers
15
Apr 2018 • 30 days
TWEET HIGHLIGHTS
Top Tweet earned 4,921 impressions
Yesterday, Directors Shawn Dewane, Marice DePasquale and GM Paul
Shoenberger from @MesaWater came and took a tour of our #FV facility! Thank
you Mesa Water for spending your Monday with us! #WaterReuse
pic.twitter.com/Bzn5mwQOPL
Top media Tweet earned 603 impressions
8
Top Follower followed by 1,709 people
Nobel Systems
@NobelSystems FOLLOWS YOU
Comprehensive GIS Cloud Solutions for all your online and offline utility asset and infrastructure
management. #IoT #workorder #datamanagement #BI #GeoViewer
View followers dashboardView profile
Top mention earned 44 engagements
Orange County Water District@OCWDWaterNews Apr 22The demand for #GWRS
advanced purified #recycled #water is high today on #earthday. We also have
some awesome prizes to go along w/our pure H20! Stop by & see for yourself. We
are here until 3pm. @disneylandtoday @OCSewers pic.twitter.com/cVTjPWTgrF
9
Top media Tweet earned 654 impressions
Last night OCSD along with @OCWDWaterNews won the Grand Prize for
Environmental Communications for the #GWRS Bottled Water Campaign from the
@AAEESdotORG . Click link to view the press release.
ocsd.com/home/showdocum… pic.twitter.com/fqFfKfiuLS
10
Facebook Posts for April and May 2018
Published Post Type Reach Engagement
05/24/2018
1:32 pm
In honor of Public Works Week 2018, we are showcasing some of our OCSD
Sewer Heroes. Meet May Kyi, Senior Engineer. Video
33
Organic
33
Paid
0
4
4
2
2
05/23/2018
4:22 pm Orange County Sanitation District was live. Video
120
Organic
120
Paid
0
27
27
3
3
05/23/2018
4:18 pm Orange County Sanitation District was live. Video
151
Organic
151
Paid
0
31
31
7
7
05/23/2018
4:10 pm Orange County Sanitation District was live. Video
126
Organic
126
Paid
0
35
35
1
1
05/23/2018
4:03 pm Orange County Sanitation District was live. Video 245
Organic
80
80
12
12
Facebook Posts
April / May 2018
11
Published Post Type Reach Engagement
245
Paid
0
05/23/2018
3:38 pm
OCSD's Honor Walk Ceremony will begin in about 30 minutes. A ceremony that
recognizes former Board Members and Staff for significant contributions to the
quality of operations and leadership at OCSD. Stay tuned...
Photo
75
Organic
75
Paid
0
3
3
3
3
05/23/2018
1:00 pm
Check out this video on Flushable Wipes. They are saying the same things that we
are. Do you know #What2Flush?
https://www.consumerreports.org/video/view/money/shopping/22783507001/are-
flushable-wipes-flushable/
Link
118
Organic
118
Paid
0
16
16
8
8
05/23/2018
11:20 am
In honor of Public Works Week 2018, we are showcasing some of our OCSD
Sewer Heroes. Meet Sterling Harris, Engineer. Video
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05/23/2018
9:00 am
Now is your chance to get out there and learn more about the Santa Ana River
watershed with @SAWPAnews Sign Search & Selfies Competition! There are 63
signs spread throughout the watershed, so head on out and take some selfies for a
chance to win! Find out more here sawpa.org/signsearch/
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05/22/2018
1:05 pm
In honor of Public Works Week 2018, we are showcasing some of our OCSD
Sewer Heroes. Meet Ernesto Castro, Lead Plant Operator. Video
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05/22/2018
10:09 am
Tomorrow, OCSD’s Board of Directors meeting is scheduled @ 6 p.m., in
#FountainValley. To view the agenda, visit
https://www.ocsd.com/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/1577/193?backlist=%2f
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05/22/2018
9:00 am
Who's ready for some Trivia Tuesday? 🙋♂🙋♀ Question: How much energy
does OCSD generate from burning natural gas and methane gas (biogas)? Status
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05/21/2018
4:42 pm
In honor of Public Works Week 2018, we will be showcasing some of our OCSD
Sewer Heroes. Meet Leyla Perez, Principle Environmental Specialist. Video
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05/21/2018
12:35 pm
It's National Public Works Week! Thank you to our public works heroes who keep
our sewer systems running every day! #NPWW Photo
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05/21/2018
9:00 am
“Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” –
John Wooden #MotivationMonday Status
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05/19/2018
10:16 am
Have any plans today? If not, come visit us at the OC Public Works Day event!
We're here until 2 p.m. and have lots of goodies to give away! Photo
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05/18/2018
9:00 am
#FunFactFriday Did you know that both treatment plants produces an average of
7.5 million kWh per month. That’s enough power for about 12,500 homes. Photo
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05/17/2018
4:18 pm
We had the pleasure of visiting with Antonio R. Villaraigosa on a tour of the
world's largest #waterreuse project of its kind. More #GWRS type projects are
needed to increase local #water reliability throughout #CA. #OCWaterDistrict
#InfrastructureWeek
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05/17/2018
12:00 pm
CONSTRUCTION ALERT City of Newport Beach - City Hall - Hospital Rd
between Newport Blvd and Old Newport will be closed starting Friday night, 8
p.m. to Saturday approximately 3 p.m. for grinding & paving and restoration of
traffic signal loops. NB Newport lanes and the Newport/Old Newport ramp will
also be closed to accommodate the work. www.ocsd.com/newport
#OCSDConstruction
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05/16/2018
12:50 pm
If repairing, servicing, and troubleshooting equipment and machinery is your
passion, then check out our listing for a Senior Mechanic for Collections at
https://www.ocsd.com/about-us/jobs.
Link
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05/15/2018
9:30 am
We dropped off posters at the City of Los Alamitos highlighting the upcoming
construction of the Western Regional Sewer Program. We want to make sure the
local residents and businesses are aware of what is coming up. Thank you, Los
Alamitos, for helping us keep the community aware of our future infrastructure
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improvements. For more information on the program please visit
www.ocsd.com/western. #OCSDConstruction 119
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05/14/2018
4:05 pm
CONSTRUCTION ALERT City of Newport Beach - City Hall - Night work on
WB PCH by the Newport Blvd. Bridge takes place tonight and tomorrow night,
8:30 p.m. - 5 a.m. Nearby residents and businesses may experience some
construction noise. WB PCH hook ramp to SB Newport Blvd will be closed. SB
Old Newport to WB PCH will be closed. https://www.ocsd.com/residents/current-
construction. We apologize for the impacts and appreciate the patience.
#OCSDConstruction
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05/14/2018
9:00 am
“Do what you can with all you have, wherever you are.” -Theodore Roosevelt
#MotivationMonday Status
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05/14/2018
7:26 am
OCSD's Legislative and Public Affairs Committee meeting will be meeting today,
May 14 at 12 p.m. in #FountainValley. To view the agenda click on the link below.
https://www.ocsd.com/Home/ShowDocument?id=24732
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05/11/2018
12:00 pm
Flashback Friday: Last year’s most excellent video, The Compost Story. Saving
the Planet with composted biosolids! #ICAW
https://www.ocsd.com/Home/Components/News/News/1841/354
Link
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05/10/2018
9:00 am
Part 2: Big unveil of OCSD’s NEW Biosolids Program video! How we safely
recycle our biosolids and how biosolids help the environment. #ICAW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kof9LL1Tj2M
Link
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05/09/2018
3:00 pm
Did you know? The Babylonians introduced the world to clay sewer pipes around
4000 BCE, with the earliest examples found in the Temple of Bel at Nippur and at
Eshnunna, Babylonia. #WisdomWednesday
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9
05/09/2018
12:00 pm
Part 1: Big unveil of OCSD’s NEW Biosolids Program video! What are they and
how are they made? #ICAW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AOAaDWPTiQ Link
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05/09/2018
9:00 am
Tonight OCSD's Administration Committee will be meeting at 5 p.m. in
#FountainValley. To view the agenda click on the link below.
https://www.ocsd.com/Home/ShowDocument?id=24714
Link
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05/08/2018
1:00 pm
Who's ready for some Trivia Tuesday?? True or False; We participate in ocean
monitoring regional studies from Santa Barbara to the U.S./Mexico border. Status
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7
05/08/2018
10:00 am
On Wednesday, OCSD will be conducting a planned power shutdown to test our
third level generation system. This exercise will take place from 6 – 10 a.m. and is
to identify any vulnerabilities to OCSD’s third level power reliability and provide
an opportunity to gain field experience, and activate the Emergency Operations
Center. During this exercise, OCSD’s phone system may experience interruptions.
If you are unable to contact us through our main numbers, please call us at:
•Emergencies such as a spill or odor, please contact us at (714) 477-4316 •General
inquires, (714) 887-9179 We can also be reached on social media @ocsewers.
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Published Post Type Reach Engagement
05/08/2018
9:00 am
Check out these super cool #compost infographics by @ILSR! OCSD’s biosolids
help create #healthysoils via #composting. #ICAW https://ilsr.org/compost-
impacts/
Link
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05/07/2018
12:00 pm
Happy International Compost Awareness Week! Find out how biosolids are
helping to fight climate change! #ICAW
https://www.ocsd.com/education/biosolids-program/biosolids-news
Link
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05/07/2018
9:00 am
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” -
Franklin D. Roosevelt #MotivationMonday Status
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05/05/2018
9:00 am Happy Cinco de Mayo from the Orange County Sanitation District! Photo
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05/04/2018
9:20 am We are proud to partner with the Orange County Water District on the #GWRS. Link
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05/02/2018
11:32 am
#DidYouKnow The first recorded use of underground clay pipes for #sanitation
and water supply was in the ancient city of Knossos on the Greek island of Crete.
Knossos (shown below) had a sophisticated system for transporting both
freshwater and wastewater. #WednesdayWisdom
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05/01/2018
10:07 am
Who's ready for some Trivia Tuesday?? 🙋♀🙋♂ Question: How much water
does #OCSD supply to the Orange County Water District every single day? Status
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04/30/2018
3:20 pm
OCSD's Operations Committee meeting will be taking place on Wednesday at 5
p.m. in Fountain Valley. To view the agenda click on the link below.
https://www.ocsd.com/Home/ShowDocument?id=24675
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04/30/2018
9:00 am
“Security Is Mostly A Superstition. Life Is Either A Daring Adventure Or
Nothing.” -Helen Keller #MotivationMonday Status
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04/28/2018
7:00 am
Pills DON'T belong in the sewers! The only 3 P’s that should go down the drain
are Pee, Poo and Paper; NOT PILLS!!! There are many ways to properly dispose
of prescription medication. In honor of National Take Back Day, our friends at the
County of Orange Health Care Agency are taking all of your expired, unused or
unwanted prescription medications. Stop by any of the OC Health Agency
collection sites today, April 28, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to drop off your
unwanted prescriptions for free! #What2Flush To locate a collection site near you
visit: https://takebackday.dea.gov/
Link
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04/27/2018
12:00 pm
Calling all #college students: OCSD is on the lookout for a Human Resources
Intern! Head over to ocsd.com/about-us/jobs for more information about this
position.
Link
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Published Post Type Reach Engagement
0
04/27/2018
9:51 am
Congratulation to OCSD’s 2017-18 PSA Contest Winners! Mana Javida, from
Canyon High School, received 1st place with her PSA best showcasing the
transformation that OCSD does with wastewater every single day. 2nd place
winner in the PSA Contest is Carter Marrero from Canyon High School, for
teaching others What2Flush and the YouTube viewer’s choice goes to Alexa
Valladares, Alexis Marin, Genesis Suazo and Ernesto and Samantha Calderon
from Nova Academy. Out of 25 submissions from high schools all over Orange
County, these students showed their knowledge and video editing skills all while
educating the public on the work OCSD does and What 2 Flush. To view the
winning videos and learn more about OCSD visit: OCSD.com and
YouTube.com/2OCSD
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04/27/2018
9:00 am
Happy #FlashBackFriday! This photo was taken by our plant water pump station
during the eclipse last year! The grating above acted like an array of pinhole
viewers. #prettycool
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04/26/2018
12:48 pm
CONSTRUCTION ALERT: Work is currently taking place on PCH at Superior
Blvd. in Newport Beach until next week, M-F 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
#OCSDConstruction
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04/26/2018
12:00 pm
If you have passion for the #environment then OCSD has a place for you! We
currently have an opening for an Environmental Specialist, check it out at
ocsd.com/about-us/jobs
Link
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04/24/2018
11:08 am
Yesterday, Directors Shawn Dewane, Marice DePasquale and GM Paul
Shoenberger from Mesa Water District came and took a tour of our Fountain
Valley facility! Thank you Mesa Water for spending your Monday with us!
#WaterReuse
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04/24/2018
9:00 am
Back in February, OCSD along w/ Guinness World Records & Orange County
Water District set out for an epic water recycling record in California. #wedidit
#worldrecord #gwrs #waterreuse
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/commercial/2018/4/epic-water-
recycling-record-set-in-california-in-bid-to-highlight-extreme-weather-518335
Link
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04/23/2018
4:00 pm
This Wednesday, OCSD’s Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for @ 6 p.m.,
in #FountainValley. To view the agenda, visit:
https://www.ocsd.com/Home/ShowDocument?id=24655
Link
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04/23/2018
3:00 pm
OCSD’s Steering Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 25 @ 5
p.m., in #FountainValley. To view the agenda, visit:
https://www.ocsd.com/Home/ShowDocument?id=24651
Link
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04/23/2018
10:30 am
Our interns went out last week and informed residents of Newport Beach about
some local maintenance on a nearby pump station. For more information call our
office at (714) 962-2411 or visit our website www.ocsd.com.
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04/23/2018
9:00 am
"We generate fears while we sit. We overcome them by action." - Dr. Henry Link
#MotivationMonday Status
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Page 1 of 2
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE Meeting Date 06/11/18 To Bd. of Dir. --
AGENDA REPORT Item Number 3 Item Number --
Orange County Sanitation District FROM: James D. Herberg, General Manager Originator: Robert P. Ghirelli, Assistant General Manager SUBJECT: LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS UPDATE
GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION Information Only.
BACKGROUND The Orange County Sanitation District’s (Sanitation District) legislative affairs program includes advocating the Sanitation District’s legislative interests, sponsoring legislation (where appropriate), and seeking Federal/State funding for projects.
Staff will provide an update on recent legislative activities. RELEVANT STANDARDS
• Maintain influential legislative advocacy and a public outreach program
• Build brand, trust, and support with policy makers and community leaders
• Maintain collaborative and cooperative relationships with regulators, stakeholders, and neighboring communities
• Listen to and seriously consider community input on environmental concerns
• Use all practical and effective means for resource recovery PROBLEM Without a strong advocacy program, elected officials may not be aware that the Sanitation
District is more than a wastewater treatment plant – treating and sending water to the ocean. The Sanitation District is an environmentally engaged organization which recycles more than 50 percent of its wastewater. Additionally, to help meet the goal of 100 percent
recycling, the Sanitation District uses the byproducts from the wastewater treatment process to produce biosolids and energy used to help run the two plants in Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach.
Page 2 of 2
PROPOSED SOLUTION Work with Local, State, and Federal officials to advocate the Sanitation District’s
legislative interests. Help to create/monitor legislation and grants that would benefit the
Sanitation District, the wastewater industry, and the community as a whole. To assist in our relationship building activities, we will continue to reach out to our elected officials providing facility tours, one-on-one meetings, and trips to D.C. and Sacramento.
RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT TAKING ACTION
If we do not work with Local, State, and Federal elected officials, legislation could be passed that negatively affects the Sanitation District and the wastewater industry as a whole. Additionally, this could affect our chances of receiving grant funding.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The Senate Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bill S. 2800 would create a new program providing $100 million over fiscal years 2019 and 2020 to allow for a State
Revolving Fund to secure loans at U.S. Treasury rates.
The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works unanimously approved S. 2800 which contains a number of provisions that would increase funding opportunities for water infrastructure projects. The next steps will be a Senate floor debate and a vote later this
summer.
ATTACHMENT
The following attachment(s) are included in hard copy and may also be viewed on-line at the OCSD website (www.ocsd.com) with the complete agenda package:
• Federal Update & Legislative Matrix - ENS Resources
• State Update & Legislative Matrix - Townsend Public Affairs
• Grant Matrix
M E M O R A N D U M TO: Rebecca Long FROM: Eric Sapirstein DATE: May 21, 2018 SUBJECT: Washington Update With the fast approaching summer recess and the looming mid-term elections, congressional committees began to make significant progress on a number issues with the hope that the legislative proposals could be approved by the House and Senate to allow for the finalization of proposals during the anticipated Lame Duck Session following the congressional elections. With this outlook in mind, the following summarizes the status of issues of interest to Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) as Congress prepares to recess for Memorial Day. Fiscal Year 2019 Budgets Begin to Receive Congressional Consideration
The decision to approve a two-year budget dictating overall spending levels for the federal government has made development of the twelve fiscal year 2019 spending bills comparatively straightforward. The prospect that both the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations will finalize versions of agency program spending levels in the coming weeks is strong. The expectation is that the twelve spending bills will be moved out of the Committees on Appropriations to the respective chambers for floor debate and votes by July 4th. While it is unclear if the Senate would be able to complete action by the end of July, we assume that the House will secure passage of its spending bills. Should this unfold, it is possible that for the first time in decades, final spending agreements could be in place by October 1 when the new fiscal year begins. For OCSD, the congressional spending decisions to date have addressed key areas of interest. The House Committee on Appropriations has, as is the routine, developed its spending bills before the Senate. However, the Senate Committee on Appropriations will complete action on a number of agency budgets by May 24.
2 | Page
ENS Resources, Inc. 1901 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Suite 1005 Washington, D.C. 20006 Phone 202.466.3755/Telefax 202.466.3787
The House Committee on Appropriations has acted upon the FY 19 United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) budgets, addressing federal water infrastructure programs. At USEPA, congressional support for the core water infrastructure program, the State Revolving Fund (SRF), means the continuation of higher spending levels compared to prior years. If the House USEPA spending bill prevails in final negotiations with the Senate version, the Clean Water SRF would receive $1.7 billion. The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) low interest loan program would win a record $75 million in funding assistance. If enacted this leveraged assistance could result in the funding of at least $6 billion in new infrastructure projects; above and beyond the projects funded with SRF assistance. The legislation is also notable for two policy rider provisions. The first rider would reinforce the ongoing rewrite of the Waters of the U.S. It states that until the rule is issued, the existing definition of such waters is repealed, making the Obama era rulemaking moot. The second rider would prohibit any challenges under federal or state laws to the CA Water Fix environmental impact statement and related findings. The rider in theory would expedited planning, design and construction of the Delta Tunnel Project that the Governor would like to see permitted before leaving office in January. Within the Department of the Interior, the House bill would support USBR’s water recycling programs with robust support. The bill provides $20 million to support the WIIN Program that funds the OCSD Headworks project. An additional $40 million is provided to the general water recycling assistance program, Title XVI. USBR has indicated this program could support Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) projects deemed to be appropriate, including the Headworks project. USBR has also indicated that WIIN assistance might be available to support ongoing projects such as the Headworks project.
Water Infrastructure Legislation Advances as Part of Senate WRDA Bill; House Bill Silent The effort to pass a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) picked up momentum as draft bills in the House and Senate were released with the priority to complete markups of both bills by May 24. The Senate WRDA bill, entitled America’s Water Infrastructure Act (S. 2800) is notable for provisions to address the funding needs documented in the USEPA Clean Water Needs Survey and the commonly accepted clean water infrastructure funding gap currently estimated at close to one trillion dollars over the next two decades.
3 | Page
ENS Resources, Inc. 1901 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Suite 1005 Washington, D.C. 20006 Phone 202.466.3755/Telefax 202.466.3787
S. 2800 would create a new WIFIA-like program, providing $100 million over FY 2019 and 2020 to allow a State SRF to secure loans at U.S. Treasury rates. These loans could then be provided to local agency projects. Unlike the WIFIA program, a project could receive 100% funding, not be required to pay application fees, and no additional environmental reviews would be mandated. Similar to WIFIA, loan terms could extend to 35 years and payments would be deferred until five years after substantial completion of the project. The authors of the legislation indicate that a state SRF could leverage any assistance to the maximum extent practicable. This suggests that project funding opportunities could be in the range of billions of dollars for construction activities. S. 2800 is also notable for provisions to address the climate resiliency needs of local agencies. A limited grants assistance program of $25 million annually for two years would be authorized to support local agencies develop strategies to address climate impacts, including the relocation of facilities that are impacted by sea level rise, stormwater overflows, and sanitary sewer overflows (SSO). The bill also seeks to renew the WaterSense Program at USEPA. This program would encourage the use of water and energy efficient treatment technologies. The legislation may require additional modifications to ensure that any USEPA standards issued to incentivize the use of water efficiency technologies does not result in the use of water softener technologies that increase salt loadings to wastewater treatment facilities and thereby boost treatment costs for ratepayers. Lastly, the measure will contain language to permit integrated plans and permits that would provide for extended terms under enforceable compliance schedules. The language is of limited value to the District because it is envisioned for use by cities that have competing water quality requirements such as traditional treatment and stormwater treatment. Unlike the Senate measure, the House WRDA, entitled the Water Resources Development Act of 2018 (H.R. 8), focuses on traditional U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) projects such as flood protection and navigation. According to the committee staff, a separate bill might be developed to address non-USACE needs. Staff indicate that such an approach would allow the committee to identify clean water legislative priorities for the purposes of preparing for a conference negotiation with the Senate later this summer or fall. Among the issues that might be considered is an extension of NPDES permit terms as the District discussed when it visited the congressional delegation in April.
OCSD
Federal
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION OTHER
POSITIONS
H.R.1071 Paul Tonko (D-NY)Assistance, Quality, and Affordability Act of 2017. Amends
the Safe Drinking Water Act to increase assistance for States,
water systems, and disadvantaged communities; to encourage
good financial and environmental management of water
systems; to strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency’s
ability to enforce the requirements of the Act; and for other
purposes.
Introduced 2/13/17
Referred to the
House Committee
on Energy and
Commerce 2/15/17
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 465 Bob Gibbs (R-OH)Water Quality Improvement Act. Amends the Clean Water
Act to allow for integreated plan permits for CSO's and related
wet weather compliance needs in association with traditional
discharge mandates to allow for priority setting
Introduced
1/12/2017 Referred
to House Committee
on Transportation &
Infrastructure Mark-
up likely in July
Watch NACWA
Supports/Could
become vehicle
for permit term
extensions to ten
years from five
years
H.R.1068 Frank Pallone (D-NJ)Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 2017. To enable
needed drinking water standards, reduce lead in drinking water,
plan for and address threats from climate change, terrorism,
and source water contamination, invest in drinking water
infrastructure, increase compliance with drinking water
standards, foster greater community right to know about
drinking water quality, and promote technological solutions for
drinking water challenges.
Introduced in House
2/15/17, Referred to
Subcommittee on
Environment
2/17/17
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 1663 Robert Wittman (R-VA)Water Resources Research Amendments Act. Amends the
Water Resources Research Act of 1984 to reauthorize grants
for and require applied water supply research regarding the
water resources research and technology institutes established
under that Act.
Introduced 3/21/17
Referred to
Committee on
Natural Resources -
3/21/17
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
Proposed Federal Legislation 2017-2018
Priority
OCSD
Federal
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION OTHER
POSITIONS
H.R. 1579 Scott H. Peters (D-CA)Secure and Resilient Water Systems Act. To require drinking
water systems to assess and address their vulnerabilities to
climate change, source water degradation, and intentional acts
to ensure secuity and resiliency.
Introduced in House
3/16/17, referred to
Committee on
Energy and
Commerce
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 434 Jeff Denham (R-CA)New WATER Act. Authorizes the Department of the Interior,
for 15 years after this bill's enactment, to provide financial
assistance, such as secured loans or loan guarantees, to
entities that contract under federal reclamation law to carry out
water projects within the 17 western states served by the
Bureau of Reclamation, other states where the Bureau is
authorized to provide project assistance, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Introduced 1/11/17
Referred to
Subcommittee on
Water, Power, and
Oceans - 2/7/17
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 448 Jared Huffman (D-CA)Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act. Amends the
Internal Revenue Code to expand the tax exclusion for energy
conservation subsidies provided by public utilities to exclude
from gross income subsidies provided: (1) by a public utility to a
customer, or by a state or local government to a resident of
such state or locality, for the purchase or installation of any
water conservation or efficiency measure; and (2) by a storm
water management provider to a customer, or by a state or
local government to a resident of such state or locality, for the
purchase or installation of any storm water management
measure.
Introduced
1/11/2017 Referred
to Committee on
Ways and Means -
1/11/17
Support ACWA and
CASA Support
OCSD
Federal
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION OTHER
POSITIONS
S. 692 Deb Fischer (R-NE)Water infrastructure Flexibility Act. Provides for integrated
plan permits, to establish an Office of the Municipal
Ombudsman, to promote green infrastructure, and to require
the revision of financial capability guidance.
Approved by Senate
without objection on
Unanimous Consent
on 10/10/17 and
referred to House
Committee on
Transportation &
Infrastructure
Support NACWA
Supports
H.R. 1654 Tom McClintock (R-CA)Water Supply Permitting Coordination Act. To authorize the
Secretary of the Interior to coordinate Federal and permitting
processes related to the construction of new surface water
storage projects on lands under the jurisdiction of the Secretary
of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture and to designate
the Bureau of Reclamation as the lead agency for permit
processing, and for other purposes.
Introduced 3/21/17
Referred to
Committee on
Natural
Resources,ePassed
House and referred
to Senate 6/26/17
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R.998 Jason Smith (R-MO)SCRUB Act. SCRUB would institutionalize a process to identify
those regulations that are eligible to be repealed. Under the
measure, a bipartisan review commission would examine rules
fifteen years or older that are determined to be not necessary
and should be repealed immediately, or given to the
appropriate agency for the purposes of prioritizing the rule for
repeal.
Passed House
3/1/17 240-185,
Received in Senate
- referred to
Committee on
Homeland Security
and Governmental
Affairs
Support No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 1653 Robert E. Latta (R-OH)Drinking Water Affordability Act. Amends certain provisions
of the Safe Drinking Water Act, and for other purposes.
Introduced
3/21/2017 Referred
to Subcommittee on
Environment
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
OCSD
Federal
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION OTHER
POSITIONS
H.R. 1807 Louie Gohmert (R-TX) Public Water Supply Invasive Species Compliance Act of
2017. Amends the Lacey Act and the Lacey Act Amendments
of 1981 by exempting certain water transfers between public
water supplies located on, along, or across the boundaries of
Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana from prohibitions on illegal
trade of plants and wildlife. Specifically, the prohibitions do not
apply to covered water transfers containing a prohibited species
if: (1) the species are present in both public water supplies
before the transfer and the water is transferred directly between
them; or (2) the water is transferred in a closed conveyance
system (a closed system that collects, contains, and transports
the flow of water, such as pipe systems) and sent directly to
treatment facilities where the species will be destroyed.
Introduced
3/30/2017 Ordered
to be Reported
(Amended)
4/27/2017
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
S. 896 Richard Burr (R-NC)A bill to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water
Conservation Fund. This bill amends the Land and Water
Conservation Fund Act of 1965 to make permanent the
authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The
greater of 1.5% of the annual authorized funding amount or $10
million shall be used for projects that secure recreational public
access to existing federal public land for hunting, fishing, and
other recreational purposes.
Introduced and
referred to
Committee on
Energy and Natural
Resources
4/07/2017
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 1971 Lloyd Smucker (R-PA)Water Infrastructure Flexibility Act. To provide for integrated
plan permits, to establish an Office of the Municipal
Ombudsman, to promote green infrastructure, and to require
the revision of financial capability guidance.
Introduced and
referred to
Subcommittee on
Water Resources
and Environment-
4/07/2017
Support NACWA
Supports
OCSD
Federal
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION OTHER
POSITIONS
S. 880 Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)Made In America Water Infrastructure Act. To ensure the
use of American iron and steel in public water systems, and for
other purposes
Introduced and
referred to the
Committee on
Environment and
Public Works
4/07/2017
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 2116 Stephen Knight (R-CA) Perchlorate Reclamation and Water Replenishment Act.
Amends the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study
and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
participate in a series of water reclamation projects to provide a
new water supply to communities previously impacted by
perchlorate contamination plumes.
Introduced
4/25/2017 Referred
to Committee on
Natural Resources
Watch NACWA
Supports
H.R. 1647 Earl Blumenauer (D-
OR)Water Infrastructure Trust Fund Act of 2017. To establish a
Water Infrastructure Trust Fund, and for other purposes
Introduced
3/21/2017 Referred
to Subcommittee on
Environment
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 2510 Peter DeFazio (D-OR)Clean Water and Jobs Creation Act of 2017. To renew the
Clean Water SRF Program and to provide grants to support
resiliency needs
Introduced
5/19/2017
Support CASA Supports
S. 1137 Ben Cardin (D-MD)Clean Safe Reliable Water Infrastructure Act. Provides for a
robust funding of SRF programs and to establish a WaterSense
Program to promote water efficiency
Introduced
5/16/2017 Referred
to Committee on
Environment and
Public Works
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
S. 21 Paul Rand (R-KY)Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of
2017. This bill will provide for congressional approval of
regulations with impacts of $100 million or greater
Reported to Senate
from Committee on
Homeland Security
and Governmental
Affairs
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
OCSD
Federal
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION OTHER
POSITIONS
H.R. 3266 Michael Simpson (R-ID) Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2018. This bill provides FY2018
appropriations for: the civil works projects of the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers; the Department of the Interior's Bureau of
Reclamation and Central Utah Project; the Department of
Energy (DOE); and several independent agencies, including the
Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Reported to House
without amendment
07/17/2017. Placed
on the Union
Calendar, Calendar
No. 163
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
S. 1696 Tom Udall (D-NM)Smart Energy and Water Efficiency Act. Provides for
language protecting against certification of technologies that
migh impair water treatment or increase costs.
Introduced 8/1/17
and referred to
Senate Committee
on Energy and
Natural Resources
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
but anticipate
CASA and
WateReuse will
support
H.R. 3275 Jerry McNerney (D-CA)Water and Energy Sustainability through Technology Act.
Provides for assistance to support innovation in water treatment
and water use efficiency.
Introduced and
referred to
Committees on
Energy and
Commerce, Natural
Resources,
Transportation and
Infrastructure,
Science Space and
Technology,
Agriculture 8/8/17
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
OCSD
Federal
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION OTHER
POSITIONS
H.R. 3354 Kenneth Calvert (R-CA) Department of the Interior, Envirnment, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018. This bill provides FY2018
appropriations for the Department of the Interior, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and related agencies.
The bill provides annual appropriations for most of the
Department of the Interior, including: the Bureau of Land
Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National
Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental
Enforcement, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and
Enforcement, the Payments in Lieu of Taxes Program (PILT),
the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Indian
Education.
The House
Committee on
Appropriations
reported an original
measure on
7/21/17.
Passed/agreed to in
House on 9/14/17
Pending FY 18
Budget negotiations
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
Clean Water
SRF is funded at
$1.3 billion
(current level)
S. 1609 Lamar Alexander (R-
TN) Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2018. This bill provides FY2018
appropriations for: the civil works projects of the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers; the Department of the Interior's Bureau of
Reclamation and Central Utah
Introduced in the
Senate on 7/20/17.
Placed on Senate
Legislative Calendar
under General
Orders. Calendar
No. Pending
Budget Negotiations
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
Strong funding
for water
recycling project
assistance under
Title XVI and
WIIN
S. 1622 Bob Menendez (D-NJ) Beach Act of 2017. This bill amends the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water
Act) to revise and reauthorize through FY2021 a grant program
for monitoring, and notifying the public of, any pathogens in
coastal recreation waters bordering public beaches.
Senate - 07/24/2017
Read twice and
referred to the
Committee on
Environment and
Public Works.
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
OCSD
Federal
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION OTHER
POSITIONS
H.R. 2755 Frank Pallone (D-NJ)Beach Act of 2017. Amends the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to
revise and reauthorize through FY2021 a grant program for
monitoring, and notifying the public of, any pathogens in coastal
recreation waters bordering public beaches.
House - 05/26/2017
Referred to the
Subcommittee on
Water Resources
and Environment
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 2510 Peter DeFazio (D-OR)Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2017.
Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize
appropriations for State water pollution control revolving funds,
and for other purposes.
House - 05/18/2017
Referred to the
Subcommittee on
Water Resources
and Environment
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
S. 1464 Dianne Feinstein (D-
CA)
Water Conservation Tax Parity Act. Amends the Internal
Revenue Code to expand the tax exclusion for energy
conservation subsidies provided by public utilities to exclude
from gross income subsidies provided (directly or indirectly): (1)
by a public utility to a customer, or by a state or local
government to a resident of such state or locality, for the
purchase or installation of any water conservation or efficiency
measure; and (2) by a storm water management provider to a
customer, or by a state or local government to a resident of
such state or locality, for the purchase or installation of any
storm water management measure.
Senate - 6/28/2017
Referred to the
Committee on
Finance
Watch WateReuse
Supports
S. 1700 Tom Udall (D-NM)Water Efficiency Improvement Act of 2017. Amend the
Energy Policy and Conservation Act to establish a WaterSense
program within the Enivronmental Protection Agency, and for
other purposes.
Senate - 8/2/2017
Referred to
Committee on
Environment and
Public Works
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
OCSD
Federal
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION OTHER
POSITIONS
H.R. 2799 Jerry McNerney (D-CA)Western Water Recycling and Drought Relief Act. Amends
the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and
Facilities Act to authorize the Department of the Interior to
participate in the design, planning, and construction of recycled
water system facilities in California.
House - 6/7/2017
Referred to
Subcommittee on
Water, Power and
Oceans
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 3533 Salud Carbajal (D-CA)Coastal State Climate Preparedness Act of 2017. Amends
the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to require the
Secretary of Commerce to establish a coastal climate change
adaptation preparedness and response program, and for other
purposes.
House - 7/28/2017
Referred to
Subcommittee on
Energy and Mineral
Resources
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 3906 Denny Heck (D-WA)Innovative Stormwater Infrastructure Act of 2017.
Establishes centers of excellence for innovative stormwater
control infrastructure, and for other purposes.
House - 10/2/2017
Referred to
Committee on
Transportation and
Infrastructure and
Committee on
Science, Space, and
Technology
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 4177 Matt Cartwright (D-PA)PREPARE Act of 2017. Enhances the Federal Government’s
planning and preparation for extreme weather and the Federal
Government’s dissemination of best practices to respond to
extreme weather, thereby increasing resilience, improving
regional coordination, and mitigating the financial risk to the
Federal Government from such extreme weather, and for other
purposes.
Hosue - 10/31/2017
Referred to
Committee on
Transportation and
Infrastructure and
Committee on
Oversight and
Government Reform
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
OCSD
Federal
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION OTHER
POSITIONS
H.R. 4492 Brian Mast (R-FL)Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation
Reauthorization Act of 2017. Reauthorizes and amends the
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014.
House -11/30/2017
Referred to the
Committee on
Transportation and
Infrastructure and
Committee on
Energy and
Commerce
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 2917 Bob Gibbs (R-OH)Regulatory Certainty Act of 2017. Amends the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act to clarify when the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to prohibit
the specification of a defined area, or deny or restrict the use of
a defined area for specification, as a disposal site under section
404 of such Act, and for other purposes.
House - 6/15/2017
Referred to the
Committee on
Transportation and
Infrastructure
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
S. 1996 Cory Booker (D-NJ)Environmental Justice Act of 2017. Requires Federal
agencies to address environmental justice, to require
consideration of cumulative impacts in certain permitting
decisions, and for other purposes.
Senate - 10/24/2017
Referred to
Committee on
Environment and
Public Works
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
OCSD
Federal
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION OTHER
POSITIONS
H.R. 4114 Raul Ruiz (D-CA)Environmental Justice Act of 2017. Requires Federal
agencies to address environmental justice, to require
consideration of cumulative impacts in certain permitting
decisions, and for other purposes.
House - 10/24/2017
Referred to
Committee on
Energy and
Commerce,
Committee on
Natural Resources,
Committee on
Transportation and
Infrastructure, and
Committee on
Judiciary
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 1 Kevin Brady (R-TX) Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Amends the Internal Revenue Code
(IRC) to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and
deductions for individuals and businesses.
House - 11/2/2017
Passed House,
Became law
12/22/2017
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 4397 Mimi Walters (R-CA)California Wildfire Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2017. Provides
tax relief with respect to California wildfires.
House - 11/15/2017
Referred to the
Committee on Ways
and Means
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 3131 Bill Hiuzenga (R-MI)Endangered Species Litigation Reasonableness Act.
Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to replace the
current standard for awarding court costs, including attorney
fees, in citizen suits with the federal judicial code standard for
awarding costs to a prevailing party.
House - 6/29/2017
Referred to
Committee on
Natural Resources
and Committee on
Judiciary
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
OCSD
Federal
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION OTHER
POSITIONS
H.R. 4460 Lou Barletta (R-PA)Disaster Recovery Reform Act. Improves the provision of
disaster and mitigation assistance to eligible individuals and
households and to eligible State, local, Tribal, and territorial
governments and certain private nonprofit organizations, and
for other purposes.
House - 11/28/2017
Referred to
Committee on
Transportation and
Infrastructure and
Committee on
Financial Services
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
S. 2364 John Boozman (R-AR)SRF WIN Act. Amends the Water Infrastructure Finance and
Innovation Act of 2014 to provide to State infrastructure
financing authorities additional opportunities to receive loans
under that Act to support drinking water and clean water State
revolving funds to deliver water infrastructure to communities
across the United States, and for other purposes.
Senate -1/30/18
Referred to
Committee on
Environment and
Public Works
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 4902 John Katko (R-NY)SRF WIN Act. Amends the Water Infrastructure Finance and
Innovation Act of 2014 to provide to State infrastructure
financing authorities additional opportunities to receive loans
under that Act to support drinking water and clean water State
revolving funds to deliver water infrastructure to communities
across the United States, and for other purposes.
House - 1/30/18
Referred to
Committee on
Transportation and
Infrastructure and
Committee on
Energy and
Commerce
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
H.R. 5127 Grace Napolitano (D-
CA)Water Recycling Investment and Improvement Act. To
establish a grant program for the funding of water recycling and
reuse projects, and for other purposes.
House - 2/27/18
Referred to
Committee on
Natural Resources
and Committee on
Transportation and
Infrastructure
Support No supporters of
note for OCSD
OCSD
Federal
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION OTHER
POSITIONS
S. 2563 Jeff Flake (R-AZ)A bill to improve the water supply and drought resilience
of the United States, and for other purposes.
Senate - 3/15/18
Referred to
Committee on
Energy and Natural
Resources
Watch No supporters of
note for OCSD
S. 2727 Kirsten Gillibrand (D-
NY)
PIPE Act. A bill to require the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency to establish a discretionary
grant program for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure
projects, and for other purposes.
Senate - 4/23/18
Introduced and
referred to
Committee on
Environment and
Public Works
H.R. 5596 Salud Carbajal (D-CA) Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act of
2018. Authorize the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency to establish a program of awarding grants to
owners or operators of water systems to increase resiliency or
adaptability of the systems to any ongoing or forecasted
changes to the hydrologic conditions of a region of the United
States.
House - 4/24/18
Referred to
Committee on
Transportation and
Infrastructure,
Committee on
Natural Resources
*Encorporated into
S. 2800
NACWA, CASA,
& ACWA
Support
S. 2800 John Barrasso (R-WY) America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018. Provides for the
conservation and development of water and related resources,
to authorize the Secretary of the Army to construct various
projects for improvements to rivers and harbors of the United
States, and for other purposes.
Senate - 5/8/18
Committee on
Environment and
Public Works
Hearing held.
CASA, ACWA, &
NACWA Support
H.R. 8 Bill Shuster (R-PA) Water Resources Development Act of 2018. Provides for
improvements to the rivers and harbors of the United States, to
provide for the conservation and development of water and
related resources, and for other purposes.
House - 5/18/18
Committee on
Transportation and
Infrastructure
OCSD
Federal
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION OTHER
POSITIONS
H.R. XXXX Ken Calvert (R-CA)Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies FY19
Appropriations Bill.
House - 5/14/18
Committee on
Appropriations.
Approved by
Subcommittee
5/15/18
H.R. XXXX Mike Simpson (R-ID) Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies
FY19 Appropriations Bill. Makes appropriations for energy
and water development and related agencies for the fiscal year
ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes.
House - 5/6/18
Committee on
Appropriations.
Approved by Full
Committee 5/16/18
Legend:
ACC-OC- Association of California Cities, Orange County
LOCC- League of California Cities
NYC- Not Yet Considered
CASA- California Association of Sanitation Agencies
NACWA - National Association of Clean Water Agencies
ACWA- Association of California Water Agencies
CSDA- California Special Districts Association
To: Orange County Sanitation District
From: Townsend Public Affairs, Inc.
Date: May 18, 2018
Subject: Legislative and Public Affairs Agenda Report
State Political Update
In the month of April, the Legislature continued to ensure that all fiscal related bills made it out of policy committees before the April 27th deadline. Additionally, bills that faced significant opposition have since taken amendments in order to pass out of their policy committees. The Legislature
now has one month to pass bills out of their respective houses. Topics of particular interest in policy committees included affordable housing development, the revival of redevelopment, healthcare, tax reform, and pension reform.
Below is a list of upcoming dates in the Legislature:
• May 25 – Last day for fiscal committees to hear and report to the Floor
• June 1 – Last day for each house to pass bills introduced in that house
• June 15 – Budget bill must be passed by midnight Department of Finance State Economic Update In April, the Department of Finance reported that unemployment in California reached a new historical low of 4.3 percent. The professional and business services industry was the largest contributor to these new numbers, as these industries added 8,300 new jobs, followed next by construction (6,800), manufacturing (3,500), educational health services (2,800), and leisure and hospitality (2,000). Job losses occurred in trade, transportation and utilities (3,100), government (2,500), and information (1,000).
Additionally, California’s general fund revenue for the month of March was roughly $706 million above what was forecasted in the Governor’s January Budget. Corporate tax receipts primarily
drove these gains and were bolstered by a change in final tax payment dates. The State has so far collected $3.3 billion above the forecast in the Governor’s January Budget.
Governor’s May Budget Revise On Friday, May 11, Governor Brown Governor released his May Revise of the FY 2018-19 State
Budget. The revised budget issued by the Governor calls for $137.6 billion in General Fund
spending, which represents a $3 billion increase over the Governor’s January budget
proposal. As has been the case for the last several budgets, the Governor has focused the
increased revenue to the State to building up the State’s reserves, paying down debt, and
investing in one-time funding. The May Revise does not propose any new major on-going
programs but does maintain the Governor’s January proposal to fully fund the State’s rainy-day
fund, as well as invest nearly $4 billion in one-time spending.
May 2018 Report 2
Among the new items that are included in the May Revise, is $359 million in General Fund
spending in order to address issues related to homelessness. The Governor indicated that he
views these one-time funds as a bridge in funding until additional funding becomes available
through SB 2, the proposed Housing Bond on the November 2018 ballot, and No Place Like Home
Funding.
In addition to the above funding to help address homelessness, the Governor’s May Revise calls
for the Legislature to approve legislation that will place the No Place Like Home Program, which
was created by the Legislature in 2016, on the November 2018 ballot. The State has approved
the program and established the guidelines for dispersing the $2 billion in funding; however, the
program has been held up in the courts due to questions over the legality of the program. By
placing the program on the November ballot, the Governor seeks to remove any questions
regarding the legality of the program and get the funding out to counties as soon as possible.
Another major proposed use of funding in the May Revise is to address infrastructure needs in
the State. The May Revise proposes $2 billion in General Fund spending related to infrastructure
and deferred maintenance needs for colleges and universities, courts, flood control, and state
facilities. The investment in infrastructure is consistent with the Governor’s desire to commit
money to one-time uses and not saddle the State with ongoing obligations to fund programs.
Now that the May Revise has been released, the Legislature will conduct Budget Subcommittee
hearings to gather detailed information on the Governor’s proposals, as well as to incorporate
legislative priorities in the budget. The subcommittees will meet frequently over the course of the
next several weeks in order to finalize their respective portions of the budget. Once the
subcommittee work has concluded, a Budget Conference Committee will be convened to
reconcile the differences between the budgets approved by the Senate and the Assembly.
The Budget Conference Committee will also work with the Assembly Speaker, the Pro Tem of the
Senate, and the Governor to reach an agreement on the final provisions of the budget. The final
budget, and related trailer bills, will need to be in print by June 12th so the Legislature can vote on
them by the constitutional deadline of June 15th.
California WaterFix Update A major milestone for the California WaterFix project was reached in April when the Metropolitan Water District voted to invest nearly $10.8 billion to fund roughly 65 percent of a two-tunnel project. The WaterFix project will construct two tunnels under the San Joaquin Delta with the goal of providing long term water stability to Southern California communities. The State is currently performing environmental reviews and will finalize plans for the project within the next year.
May 2018 Report 3
Long Term Water Conservation Update
On May 17, the Legislature passed the long-term water conservation framework as a package of two bills, AB 1668 (Friedman) and SB 606 (Hertzberg). The bills achieve two major goals: they establish guidelines that emphasize efficient water use, while making a number of clarifications
for the various types of water usage throughout the state; and they establish a framework for the implementation and oversight of the efficiency standards. Both AB 1668 and SB 606 were developed with the input from a diverse range of stakeholders, including water agencies, agricultural industries, and environmental advocates. There was significant discussion over the recycled water incentive bonus that was included in the Framework. Ultimately, the bill language includes a 15 percent bonus incentive for existing potable reuse projects and 10 percent for projects going forward. Existing facilities are defined as facilities that have a certified environmental impact report on or before January 1, 2019, begin producing and delivering potable reuse water on or before January 1, 2022 and use microfiltration and reverse osmosis technologies to produce the potable reuse water. The bills are now on the Governor’s desk for signature.
Sponsored Legislation Update – AB 2003 (Daly) Throughout the month of May, in anticipation of the bill being heard in the Assembly Local
Government Committee on May 9, TPA met with all Members of the Assembly Local Government Committee as well as the Democrat and Republican Caucus Committee Consultants to discuss the bill.
There was both support and opposition to AB 2003. Opposition was concerned about transparency for the contractors as well as for members of the public, the digital divide, and precedent setting legislation that could impact numerous sections of public agency law. TPA worked closely with Committee staff and the Author to address these concerns through proposed amendments. Ultimately, on May 8, Assemblymember Daly decided to pull the bill and regroup with the opposition to discuss a future path forward to achieve our policy goals.
Additional Priority Legislation
AB 1933 (Maienschein) – Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: recycling infrastructure projects
AB 1933 would authorize the appropriation of $200 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to CalRecycle for organic waste diversion and recycling projects. Specifically, $100 million
will be used for organic waste recycling infrastructure projects that reduces GHG emissions, including, but not limited to, water treatment facilities, composting facilities, and facilities for the diversion of food waste. Another $100 million will be allocated toward solid waste recycling infrastructure projects that reduce GHG emissions. AB 1933 passed the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and is currently in the Assembly Appropriations Committee Suspense File.
May 2018 Report 4
AB 2411 (McCarty) - Solid waste: use of compost: planning
AB 2411 would require CalRecycle to develop and implement a plan to maximize the use of compost for slope stabilization and establishing vegetation. This bill also requires that CalRecycle work in partnership with the 12 Caltrans districts regarding the cost-effective use of compost along
roadways and develop a plan to extend the identified best practices. AB 2411 passed out of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and Assembly Appropriations Committee and is now pending committee assignment in the Senate.
SB 831 (Wieckowski) - Land use: accessory dwelling units. SB 831 has been amended to allow local agencies, special districts of water corporations to require a new or separate utility connection between the accessory dwelling unit and the utility and may charge a connection fee, capacity charge, or equivalent charge for serve that is proportionate to the burden of the accessory dwelling unit. SB 831 passed the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee on April 17, is currently in the Senate Governance
and Finance Committee, and will be heard on April 25. SB 929 (McGuire) – Special districts: Internet Web sites
SB 929 requires all independent special districts, with certain exceptions, to maintain a web site by January 1, 2020. SB 929 also requires that the web site conform to all existing requirements
that local agency web sites are obligated to follow and gives exemptions to special districts that can prove significant hardship. SB 929 passed out of the Senate and will be heard in Assembly Local Government on June 13.
OCSD
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION LEGISLATIVE
PLAN OTHER POSITIONS
AB 869 Rubio [D]Sustainable water use and demand reduction: recycled water.
Current law imposes various water use reduction requirements that apply
to urban retail water suppliers, including a requirement that the state
achieve a 20% reduction in urban per capita water use by December 31,
2020. This bill would require long-term standards for urban water
conservation and water use to include a credit for recycled water, as
specified.
Currently in the Senate Natural
Resources and Water
Committee
Watch Legislative and
Regulatory
Policies: Support
measures that
promote and
provide for the use
of reclaimed water
ACC-OC - Support
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Support
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Watch
AB 1250 Jones-Sawyer [D]Counties: contracts for personal services Would establish specific
standards for the use of personal services contracts by counties. The bill
would allow a county or county agency to contract for personal services
currently or customarily performed by employees, as applicable, when
specified conditions are met. The bill would exempt certain types of
contracts from its provisions, and would exempt a city and county from
its provisions. By placing new duties on local government agencies, the
bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill also would
provide that its provisions are severable. This bill was amended to
exclude cities, and does NOT apply to special districts.
Held in the Senate Rules
Committee
Oppose -
Recommend
Remove
Opposition
Legislative and
Regulatory
Policies: Support
legislation and
regulation that
allow public
agencies to
procure goods and
services in
manners similar to
private industry,
thereby reducing
overall costs of
delivery
ACC-OC - Removed
Opposition
LOCC - Removed
Opposition
CASA - Refer to Leg
Committee
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Watch
AB 1933 Maienschein [R]Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: appropriations: recycling
infrastructure projects. Would appropriate $200,000,000 from the
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to the Department of Resources
Recycling and Recovery for organic waste recycling infrastructure
projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste recycling
infrastructure projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Currently in the Assembly
Appropriations Committee's
Suspense File
Support State Priorities:
Support funding
through grants and
legislation for a
Food
Waste/Organic Co-
Digestion facility at
OCSD
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - NYC
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Watch
Proposed Legislation 2017-2018
High Priority
OCSD
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION LEGISLATIVE
PLAN OTHER POSITIONS
AB 2003 Daly [D]Public contracts: sanitation districts: notice Current law authorizes a
sanitation district to make and perform any agreement with a public or
private corporation of any kind or a person for the joint construction,
acquisition, disposition, or operation of any property or works of a kind
that might be constructed, acquired, disposed of, or operated by the
district. Current law requires a district, when an expenditure for work
exceeds $35,000, to contract with the lowest responsible bidder after
notice. Current law requires the notice to be published, as specified. This
bill would instead require the notice to be published in a manner that the
district board determines to be reasonable, which may include, but is not
limited to, newspapers, Internet Web sites, radio, television, or other
means of mass communication.
Dead Sponsor Legislative and
Regulatory
Policies: Support
legislation and
regulation that
allow public
agencies to
procure goods and
services in
manners similar to
private industry,
thereby reducing
overall costs of
delivery
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - NYC
CASA -Support
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Support
AB 2379 Bloom [D]Waste management: polyester microfiber. Would require that clothing
made from fabric that is more than 50% polyester bear a conspicuous
label stating that the garment sheds plastic microfibers when washed
and recommending hand washing. The bill would prohibit a person, on
and after January 1, 2020, from selling or offering for sale clothing made
from fabric that is more than 50% polyester that does not bear that label.
Currently on the Assembly
Floor. Ordered to third reading
Watch State Priorities:
Support legislation
or regulations that
restrict the use of
microplastics in
any product that is
disposed of
through the sewer
system
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Support if
Amended
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - NYC
SB 1263 Portantino [D]Ocean Protection Council Statewide Microplastics Strategy: SB
1263 directs the Ocean Protection Council (OPC) to develop, adopt and
implement a Statewide Microplastics Strategy. The goal of the
Microplastics Strategy is to increase the understanding of the scale and
risks of microplastic materials on the marine environment, and identify
potential solutions for dealing with microplastic
pollution.
Currently in the Senate
Appropriations Committee
Watch/Rec
Support
State Priorities:
Support legislation
or regulations that
restrict the use of
microplastics in
any product that is
disposed of
through the sewer
system
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Support
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - NYC
AB 2411 McCarthy [D]Solid waste: use of compost: planning. Would require the Department
of Resources Recycling and Recovery, on or before December 31, 2019,
to develop and implement a plan to maximize the use of compost for
slope stabilization and establishing vegetation in the course of providing
debris removal services following a fire and, in coordination with the
Department of Transportation, to identify best practices of each of the
Department of Transportation’s 12 districts regarding the cost-effective
use of compost along roadways and develop a plan to expand the
identified best practices to the other districts.
Ordered to Senate Watch/Rec
Support if
Amended to
include biosolids
compost
State Tactics:
Development and
implementation of
a statewide
biosolids land
application
management policy
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Support
CASA - Watch
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - NYC
OCSD
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION LEGISLATIVE
PLAN OTHER POSITIONS
SB 623 Monning [D]Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund Would establish the Safe
and Affordable Drinking Water Fund in the State Treasury and would
provide that moneys in the fund are continuously appropriated to the
State Water Resources Control Board. The bill would require the board
to administer the fund to secure access to safe drinking water for all
Californians, while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of drinking
water service and infrastructure. The bill would authorize the state board
to provide for the deposit into the fund of federal contributions, voluntary
contributions, gifts, grants, bequests, and settlements from parties
responsible for contamination of drinking water supplies. The bill was
amended on August 21 to include a public goods charge on water,
identified as $0.95 per month fee for customers with water meters up to
one inch or customers without water meters. The feees increase
depending on the size of the water meter, up to $10 per month for
customers with water meters greater than four inches. The policy and
fees set forth by this bill have been included in the Governor's January
Budget proposal.
Held in the Assembly Rules
Committee
Watch State and Federal
Tactics: Work with
CASA in support of
continued use of
tax-exempt
financing and
feasibile innocating
financing
approaches
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Oppose unless
mended
CASA - Watch Closely
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Oppose unless
amended
SB 831 Wieckowski [D]Land use: accessory dwelling units. Current law authorizes a local
agency, special district, or water corporation to require a new or separate
utility connection between the accessory dwelling unit and the utility and
authorizes a fee to be charged, except as specified. Current law requires
a local agency to submit an ordinance adopted for the creation of
accessory dwelling units to the Department of Housing and Community
Development and authorizes the department to review and comment on
the ordinance. This bill would delete the requirement that the area be
zoned to allow single-family or multifamily use.
Currently in the Senate
Appropriations Committee. Bill
has been amended to remove
the fee restrictions on capacity
and connection fees
Oppose Legislative and
Regulatory
Policies: Oppose
measures that shift
existing local
revenue sources
back to the state,
including the
special district
share of property
tax, sales tax,
vehicle license
fees, and rate
payer fees
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - Oppose
CASA - Oppose
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Oppose
SCA 4 Hertzberg [D]Water conservation. The California Constitution requires that the water
resources of the state be put to beneficial use to the fullest extent of
which they are capable and that the waste or unreasonable use or
unreasonable method of use of water be prevented.This measure would
declare the intent of the Legislature to amend the California Constitution
to provide a program that would ensure that affordable water is available
to all Californians and to ensure that water conservation is given a
permanent role in California’s future.
Currently in the Senate Rules
Committee
Watch Legislative and
Regulatory
Policies: Support
legislation and
regulation that
necessitate the
responsible use of
water in residential,
commercial, and
industrial areas
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Work with Author
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Watch
OCSD
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION LEGISLATIVE
PLAN OTHER POSITIONS
AB 1654 Rubio [D]Water shortage: urban water management planning. AB 1654 would
have required each urban retail water supplier to report annually by June
15 to the Department of Water Resources the status of its water supplies
for that year and whether the supplies will be adequate to meet projected
customer demand. The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee
amended all language out of this bill all other related bills. The
Committee and stakeholders negotiated a new urban water management
plan (AB 1668), however they were unable to pass the bill.
Currently on Senate Rules
Committee
Watch Legislative and
Regulatory
Policies: Support
legislation and
regulation that
promote improved
water use
efficiency through
state and federal
assistance
ACC-OC - Support
LOCC - Support
CASA - Watch
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Support
AB 1668 Friedman [D]Water management planning. Current law requires the state to achieve
a 20% reduction in urban per capita water use in California by December
31, 2020. Current law requires each urban retail water supplier to
develop urban water use targets and an interim urban water use target,
as specified. This bill would require the State Water Resources Control
Board, in coordination with the Department of Water Resources, to adopt
long-term standards for the efficient use of water, as provided, and
performance measures for commercial, industrial, and institutional water
use on or before June 30, 2021. Draft amendments to this bill are
available now. Companion bill with SB 606 (Skinner)
Amendments have been
included in the bill. To
Governor's Desk for signature
Watch Legislative and
Regulatory
Policies: Support
legislation and
regulation that
promote improved
water use
efficiency through
state and federal
assistance
ACC-OC - Oppose
LOCC - Watch
CASA - NYC
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Oppose unless
amended
AB 1884 Calderon [D]Solid waste: single-use plastic straws. Would prohibit a food facility,
as specified, where food may be consumed on the premises, from
providing single-use plastic straws to consumers unless requested by the
consumer. The bill would specify that the first and 2nd violations of these
provisions would result in a warning and any subsequent violation would
be an infraction punishable by a fine of $25 for each day the food facility
is in violation.
Currently in the Assembly
Appropriations Committee
Watch State Priorities:
Support legislation
or regulations that
restrict the use of
microplastics in
any product that is
disposed of
through the sewer
system
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - NYC
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - NYC
AB 1981 Limon [D]Organic waste: composting. Current law requires the California
Environmental Protection Agency, in coordination with the Department of
Resources Recycling and Recovery, the State Water Resources Control
Board, the State Air Resources Board, and the Department of Food and
Agriculture, to develop and implement policies to aid in diverting organic
waste from landfills by promoting the composting of specified organic
waste and by promoting the appropriate use of that compost throughout
the state. This bill would additionally include the Department of Forestry
and Fire Protection in the state agencies in coordination with which the
California Environmental Protection Agency is required to develop and
implement those policies.
Currently in the Assembly
Appropriations Committee
Watch State Priorities:
Support funding
through grants and
legislation for a
Food
Waste/Organic Co-
Digestion facility at
OCSD
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Work w/ author
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - NYC
Additional Legislation
OCSD
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION LEGISLATIVE
PLAN OTHER POSITIONS
AB 1933 Maienschein [R]Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Recycling Infrastructure. AB 1933
authorizes the Legislature to appropriate up to $200 million from the
Greehouse Gas Reduction Fund in the annual Budget Act to the
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle). This
money will be used on organic waste and solid waste infrastructure
projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Currently in the Assembly
Appropriations Committee's
Suspense File
Support State Priorities:
Support funding
through grants and
legislation for a
Food
Waste/Organic Co-
Digestion facility at
OCSD
CASA - Support
CSDA - Watch
AB 1989 Mathis [R]Water and Wastewater Loan and Grant Program.Current law
authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board to establish the
Water and Wastewater Loan and Grant Program, to the extent funding is
made available, to provide funding to eligible applicants for specified
purposes relating to drinking water and wastewater treatment.This bill
would appropriate $50,000,000 from the General Fund to the board for
the program.
Currently in the Assembly
Appropriations Committee's
Suspense File
Watch State Priorities:
Where appropriate,
pursue State
funding for critical
aging
infrastructure,
through funding
sources made
available through
any agency
including but not
limited to the State
Water Resources
Control Board and
the Department of
Water Resources
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Watch
AB 2065 Ting [D]Local agencies: surplus land. For purposes of the Surplus Land Act,
AB 2065 expands the definition of “local agency” to additionally include a
sewer, water, utility, and local and regional park district, joint powers
authorities, successor agency to a former redevelopment agency,
housing authority, or other political subdivision of the state and any
instrumentality thereof that is empowered to acquire and hold real
property, thereby expanding the entities required to comply with the
Surplus Land Act. Expands the definition of “surplus land” to mean land
owned by any local agency that is not necessary for the agency’s
governmental operations, except property being held by the agency
expressly for the purpose of exchange for another property necessary for
its governmental operations.
Currently in the Assembly
Approopriations Committee's
Suspense File
Watch Legislative and
Regulatory
Policies: Oppose
further state
regulations that
adversely impact
special district
financing and
operations
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Oppose unless
amended
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Oppose unless
amended
OCSD
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION LEGISLATIVE
PLAN OTHER POSITIONS
AB 2249 Cooley [D]Public contracts: local agencies: alternative procedure. Would
authorize public projects of $60,000 or less to be performed by the
employees of a public agency, authorize public projects of $200,000 or
less to be let to contract by informal procedures, and require public
projects of more than $200,000 to be let to contract by formal bidding
procedures. These measures only apply to the public agency if their
Board elects to participate in the Uniform Public Construction Cost
Accounting Act.
Currently in the Senate
Govrnment and Finance
Committee
Watch Legislative and
Regulatory
Policies: Support
legislation and
regulation that
allow public
agencies to
procure goods and
services in
manners similar to
private industry,
thereby reducing
overall costs of
delivery
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - Support
CASA - NYC
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Support
AB 2447 Reyes [D]California Environmental Quality Act: land use: environmental
justice CEQA requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative
declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the
environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect
and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would
have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA prohibits a lead
agency from approving or carrying out a project for which a certified EIR
identifies one or more significant effects on the environmental unless the
lead agency makes certain findings. This bill would require the Office of
Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, by June 30, 2019, to publish
a list of subject land uses, as specified, and a map that identifies
disadvantaged communities and areas within a 1/2 mile radius of the
disadvantaged communities.
Currently in the Assembly
Approopriations Committee's
Suspense File
Watch Legislative and
Regulatory
Policies: Support
(generally)
measures that
provide for
improved public
health through
regulation.
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - NYC
CASA - NYC
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Oppose
AB 3062 Harper [R]Recycled water: recycling criteria. Spot bill regarding recycled
water. More information to follow.
Dead Watch State Priorities:
Support the
inclusion of
recycled water
credits during the
development of
long-term water
conservation
legislation and
regulations
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - NYC
CASA - Watch
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - NYC
OCSD
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION LEGISLATIVE
PLAN OTHER POSITIONS
SB 212 Jackson [D]Medical waste. Current law, the Medical Waste Management Act,
administered by the State Department of Public Health, regulates the
management and handling of medical waste, as defined.This bill add to
the act a definition of “home-generated pharmaceutical waste” as a
prescription or over-the-counter human or veterinary home-generated
pharmaceutical that is waste and is derived from a household, including,
but not limited to, a multifamily residence or household. This bill is a
follow-up/cleanup bill for Senator Jackson's SB 1229 (2016), which
provides that certain collectors who are authorized under federal law to
engage in drug take-back collection with limited protection from civil and
criminal liability.
Currently in the Assembly
Environmental Safety and
Toxic Materials Committee
Support State Priorities:
Support legislation
or regulations that
would prevent the
disposing of drugs
down the drain
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Support
SB 606 Skinner [D]Water management planning Current law requires the state to achieve
a 20% reduction in urban per capita water use in California by December
31, 2020. Current law requires each urban retail water supplier to
develop urban water use targets and an interim urban water use target,
as specified. The bill would require an urban retail water supplier to
calculate an urban water use objective no later than July 1, 2022, and by
July 1 every year thereafter, and its actual urban water use by those
same dates.
Ordered to engrossing and
enrolling
Watch Legislative and
Regulatory
Policies: Support
legislation and
regulation that
promote improved
water use
efficiency through
state and federal
assistance
ACC-OC - NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - NYC
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Oppose unless
Amended
SB 929 McGuire [D] Special districts: Internet Web sites. The California Public Records
Act requires a local agency to make public records available for
inspection and allows a local agency to comply by posting the record on
its Internet Web site and directing a member of the public to the Web
site, as specified. This bill would, beginning on January 1, 2020, require
every independent special district to maintain an Internet Web site that
clearly lists contact information for the special district, except as
provided. Because this bill would require local agencies to provide a new
service, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Currently in the Assembly
Local Government
Watch State Priorities:
Actively monitor
the Little Hoover
Commission
hearings and
reports related to
climate change
adaptation, special
districts and other
topics as it relates
to OCSD
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Support
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Support/Sponsor
SB 966 Wiener [D]Onsite treated nonpotable water systems Would, on or before
December 1, 2022, require the State Water Resources Control Board, in
consultation with the California Building Standards Commission, to adopt
regulations for risk-based water quality standards for the onsite treatment
and reuse of nonpotable water, as provided. The bill would authorize the
state board to contract with public or private entities regarding the
content of the standards and would exempt those contracts from, among
other provisions, review and approval of the Department of General
Services.
Currently in the Senate
Appropriations Committee's
Suspense File.
Watch Legislative and
Regulatory
Policies: Support
measures that
promote and
provide for the use
of reclaimed water
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - Support
CASA - Work w/ author
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Watch
OCSD
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION LEGISLATIVE
PLAN OTHER POSITIONS
SB 1215 Hertzberg [D]Drinking water systems and sewer systems: consolidation and
extension of service. This bill would authorize the state board to set
timeline and performance measures to facilitate completion of extension
of service of drinking water. This bill would authorize the state board to
order consolidation with a receiving sewer system for, or extension of
sewer service to, a disadvantaged community under specified
circumstances. The bill would require the state board to take certain
actions before ordering consolidation or extension of service that are
similar to those required for the consolidation or extension of water
systems and would additionally require the state board to find that at
least 75% of the households in the community potentially subject to
extension or consolidation of service have agreed to receive sewage
service from the receiving sewer system.
Currently in the Senate
Appropriations Committee's
Suspense File
Watch Legislative and
Regulatory
Policies: Oppose
legislation
consolidating
special districts
that fail to address
the concerns of
cities affected by
the proposed
consolidation
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Work w/ author
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Concerns
SB 1263 Portantino [D]Ocean Protection Council: Statewide Microplastics Stategy. This bill
would require the Ocean Protection Council (in connection with the
SWRCB, and the Office of Environmental Hazard) to adopt and
implement a Statewide Microplastics Strategy. The study is to be
conducted by the University of California. The goal of the strategy is to
increase the understanding of the scale and risks of microplastic
materials and microfibers.
Currently in the Senate
Appropriations Committee
Watch/Rec
Support
State Priorities:
Support legislation
or regulations that
restrict the use of
microplastics in
any product that is
disposed of
through the sewer
system
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Sponser/Support
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - NYC
OCSD
State
Bills of Interest
BILL AUTHOR SUMMARY LATEST ACTION OCSD POSITION LEGISLATIVE
PLAN OTHER POSITIONS
SB 1440 Hueso [D]Energy: biomethane: biogas and biomethane procurement program.
Current law defines biomass conversion for the purposes of the
California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989, which requires
each city, county, and regional agency, if any, to develop a source
reduction and recycling element of an integrated waste management
plan. This bill would revise the definitions of biogas and biomass
conversion for these purposes.
Currently in the Senate
Appropriations Committee's
Suspense File
Watch State Priorities:
Support renewable
energy initiatives
that are reasonable
and fair
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - NYC
SB 1422 Portantino [D]California Safe Drinking Water Act: microplastics. Would require the
State Water Resources Control Board to adopt regulations requiring
annual testing for, and reporting of, the amount of microplastics in
drinking water, including public disclosure of those results.
Currently in the Senate
Appropriations Committee
Watch State Priorities:
Support legislation
or regulations that
restrict the use of
microplastics in
any product that is
disposed of
through the sewer
system
ACC-OC -NYC
LOCC - Watch
CASA - Watch
NACWA - NYC
CSDA - Watch
Legend:ACC-OC - Association of California Cities, Orange County
LOCC - League of California Cities
NYC - Not Yet Considered
CASA - California Association of Sanitation Agencies
NACWA - National Association of Clean Water Agencies
ACWA - Association of California Water Agencies
CSDA - California Special Districts Association
Name of Grant/Loan Synopsis of Grant/Loan Amount of Grant/Loan Amount
Applying for Applying Y/N Project/Program Reason Match Deadline Category Rcvd Grant/
Financing Y/N
California Infrastructure and Economic
Development Bank CA0272
Infrastructure State Revolving Fund (ISRF) Program
The purpose of this program is to provide accessible low-cost financing to eligible borrowers for a wide range of infrastructure and economic expansion projects. Eligible activities generally include designing, acquiring, planning, permitting, entitling, constructing, improving, extending,
restoring, financing, and generally developing eligible
facilities within the state of California.
Program funding is available in amounts
ranging from $50,000 to $25 million, with loan
terms for the useful life of the project up to a maximum of 30 years.
TBD Evaluating Multiple (possible projects).
Evaluating the program.Might be for smaller projects.N/A, loan program Rolling Water/Energy/
Infrastructure TBD
Cap and Trade Funding
$1.25 billion from the Cap and Trade program (Greenhouse
Gas Reduction Fund) was proposed to be appropriated in the Governor's January Budget
$20 million - Waste Diversion Projects. Specifics TBD TBD TBD TBD
The Cap and Trade Expenditure Plan will need to go through the legislative process. It is uncertain how much funding will be available for the District's projets, or what the funding
will be used for.
TBD Unknown at this time Energy/Recycling TBD
2018 Integrated Regional Water
Management (IRWM) Grant
Program
The Proposition 1 IRWM Grant Program, administered by
DWR, provides funding for projects that help meet the long
term water needs of the state, including:
Assisting water infrastructure systems adapt to climate change;Providing incentives throughout each watershed to collaborate in managing the region's water resources and setting regional priorities for water infrastructure
TBD TBD TBD TBD
TPA and OCSD are monitoring the
grant program development from the
Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA). Once the solicitation for bids is available, we can determine if an application is warranted.
Yes. Details TBD Unknown at this
time Water TBD
2018 Proposed Park Bond (Proposition
68)
SB 5 (De Leon) included $290 million for Drought,
Groundwater, and Water Recycling programs TBD TBD SB 5 passed the Legislature and will be on the ballot in June 2018 as Proposition 68 N/A
If Proposition 68 is passed, TPA and OCSD will advocate for the inclusion of relevant funding in the final version
of the Budget in June. If funding
becomes available, TPA and staff will
evaluate the opportunity.
TBD TBD Water No
The Water Infrastructure Improvements
Act (S. 612/Public Law #114-322/WIIN)
The enactment of the Water Infrastructure Improvements Act (S. 612/Public Law #114-322/WIIN) contained important assistance for water recycling and desalination.
Senator Feinstein included $50 million to support construction of projects that have a final and deemed feasible study of a recycling project. In securing this new competitive grants program at the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation, Senator Feinstein highlighted
the identification of several water and
wastewater agencies that would benefit from the assistance. OCSD is one of these agencies.
$1.5 Million Yes Final Expansion of GWRS (planning, design and construction) Headworks
The Sanitation District is applying for Headworks Segregation project that
will help to bring more water to the
GWRS.
Title 16 will pay up to 25 percent of the available money 8/15/2017 Water/
Infrastructure
Received notification of award on 11/27/17 for $1,325,000.00
The USEPA Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) Trust Fund The fund addresses petroleum releases from regulated underground storage tanks.
The LUST program receives approximately $100 million annually to prevent, detect, and clean up releases. Assistance is provided through grants. Eligible activities include removal of tanks and cleanup of contaminated
areas.
TBD Evaluating Cleanup of contaminated soils at Plant No. 1 We will review the grant to determine if it is a fit for the project. TBD Infrastructure TBD
US Department of Agriculture
The U.S. Department of Agriculture through its health watersheds program offers public-owned wastewater agencies funding through collaboration with agricultural interests where funding would be provided to the agricultural entity that would contribute to efforts to protect the watershed and minimize regulatory burdens
on the point source.
A total of $100 million is funded annually and
the opportunity to design a watershed program
might offer OCSD with the chance to advance
its priority to reduce regulatory burdens.
TBD TBD
Reviewing the funding
opportunity to see if there is a
fit for OCSD. (Restoration of
beaches and estuaries)
We will review the possible funding opportunity to determine if it is a fit for the Sanitation District. TBD Water TBD
OCSD's Grant and Loan Funding Tracker 2017-2018
STATE
FEDERAL
Updated 5/24/2018
Name of Grant/Loan Synopsis of Grant/Loan Amount of Grant/Loan Amount
Applying for Applying Y/N Project/Program Reason Match Deadline Category Rcvd Grant/
Financing Y/N
OCSD's Grant and Loan Funding Tracker 2017-2018
The Department of Energy (DOE), USBR and USEPA
The DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency is likely to continue to be funded by Congress to support such efforts as
biogas, biosolids and green energy.
A minimum of $20 million to as much as $100 million based upon prior years’ budgets. USBR could receive as much as $130 million in support of the WaterSmart (due to increased funding under WIIN) during the next
several years. USBR will issue solicitations for
innovative approaches to managing water and
water treatment through technology and processes.
TBD TBD. We will monitor for possible funding opportunities
Project Funding Opportunity:
Energy production to reduce
costs of recycled water through
innovative technologies like
Aquacritox, Innovative water monitoring technology that can produce efficient real time monitoring and data analysis, Biogas Management and Use Improvements.
We will review the possible funding opportunity to determine if it is a fit for
the Sanitation District.
TBD Energy TBD
Smart Cities and Security
It is unclear how the incoming administration may revise
existing programs that address energy and water
efficiency needs. However, the effort to support communities develop approaches that improve the quality of life in communities might continue to receive funding. OCSD might be able to leverage such program assistance to support innovative approaches to security. Funding may also be available through Department of
Homeland Security to assist communities to protect
against cyber-threats.
TBD TBD
TBD. Based on the funding
opportunities and OCSD's
projects/needs.
Project Funding Opportunity:
SCADA System and Network
Upgrades, Seismic Hazard
Evaluation (FEMA Mitigation Assistance)
If funding becomes available we will evaluate the opportunity.Unknown at this time Energy/Water TBD
WIFIA
The WIFIA program accelerates investment in our nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental loans for regionally and nationally significant projects. To qualify for funding assistance a
project must cost at least $20 million. The USEPA has
expressed an interest in projects that deliver multiple
benefits that might capture water recycling as well as projects that address stormwater and other “large project” needs.
$2 billion N/A No
Possible projects: GWRS Final Expansion, District 6 Trunk Sewer Relief Project, Headworks Rehabilitation/Expansion
Headquarters Complex, Site
and Security/Entrance
Realignment, Western Regional Sewers—Planning and design and construction
The Sanitation District does not plan to borrow funds to complete projects. The
Water District might qualify for these
loans and OCSD will support them if
they choose to do so.
4/10/2017 Water/ Infrastructure N/A
Updated 5/24/2018
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT
COMMON ACRONYMS
ACWA Association of California
Water Agencies LAFCO Local Agency Formation
Commission RWQCB Regional Water Quality
Control Board
APWA American Public Works
Association LOS Level Of Service SARFPA Santa Ana River Flood
Protection Agency
AQMD Air Quality Management
District MGD Million Gallons Per Day SARI Santa Ana River
Interceptor
ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers MOU Memorandum of Understanding SARWQCB Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board
BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand NACWA National Association of Clean Water Agencies SAWPA Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority
CARB California Air Resources
Board NEPA National Environmental
Policy Act SCADA Supervisory Control And
Data Acquisition
CASA California Association of Sanitation Agencies NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations SCAP
Southern California
Alliance of Publicly Owned
Treatment Works
CCTV Closed Circuit Television NPDES National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System SCAQMD South Coast Air Quality
Management District
CEQA California Environmental
Quality Act NWRI National Water Research
Institute SOCWA South Orange County
Wastewater Authority
CIP Capital Improvement
Program O & M Operations & Maintenance SRF Clean Water State
Revolving Fund
CRWQCB California Regional Water
Quality Control Board OCCOG Orange County Council of
Governments SSMP Sewer System
Management Plan
CWA Clean Water Act OCHCA Orange County Health Care Agency SSO Sanitary Sewer Overflow
CWEA California Water Environment
Association OCSD Orange County Sanitation
District SWRCB State Water Resources
Control Board
EIR Environmental Impact Report OCWD Orange County Water District TDS Total Dissolved Solids
EMT Executive Management Team OOBS Ocean Outfall Booster Station TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load
EPA US Environmental Protection
Agency OSHA Occupational Safety and
Health Administration TSS Total Suspended Solids
FOG Fats, Oils, and Grease PCSA
Professional
Consultant/Construction Services Agreement WDR Waste Discharge
Requirements
gpd gallons per day PDSA Professional Design Services
Agreement WEF Water Environment
Federation
GWRS Groundwater Replenishment
System POTW Publicly Owned Treatment
Works WERF Water Environment &
Reuse Foundation
ICS Incident Command System ppm parts per million WIFIA Water Infrastructure
Finance and Innovation Act
IERP Integrated Emergency
Response Plan PSA Professional Services
Agreement WIIN
Water Infrastructure
Improvements for the
Nation Act
JPA Joint Powers Authority RFP Request For Proposal WRDA Water Resources
Development Act
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESS – A secondary biological wastewater treatment process where bacteria reproduce at a high rate with the introduction of excess air or oxygen and consume dissolved nutrients in the wastewater.
BENTHOS – The community of organisms, such as sea stars, worms, and shrimp, which live on, in, or near the seabed, also known as the benthic zone.
BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD) – The amount of oxygen used when organic matter undergoes decomposition by microorganisms. Testing for BOD is done to assess the amount of organic matter in water.
BIOGAS – A gas that is produced by the action of anaerobic bacteria on organic waste matter in a digester tank that can be used
as a fuel.
BIOSOLIDS – Biosolids are nutrient rich organic and highly treated solid materials produced by the wastewater treatment process. This high-quality product can be recycled as a soil amendment on farmland or further processed as an earth-like product for
commercial and home gardens to improve and maintain fertile soil and stimulate plant growth.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (CIP) – Projects for repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of assets. Also includes treatment improvements, additional capacity, and projects for the support facilities.
COLIFORM BACTERIA – A group of bacteria found in the intestines of humans and other animals, but also occasionally found elsewhere, used as indicators of sewage pollution. E. coli are the most common bacteria in wastewater.
COLLECTIONS SYSTEM – In wastewater, it is the system of typically underground pipes that receive and convey sanitary wastewater or storm water.
CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION (COP) – A type of financing where an investor purchases a share of the lease revenues of a program rather than the bond being secured by those revenues.
CONTAMINANTS OF POTENTIAL CONCERN (CPC) – Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants.
DILUTION TO THRESHOLD (D/T) – The dilution at which the majority of people detect the odor becomes the D/T for that air sample.
GREENHOUSE GASES (GHG) – In the order of relative abundance water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone gases that are considered the cause of global warming (“greenhouse effect”).
GROUNDWATER REPLENISHMENT SYSTEM (GWRS) – A joint water reclamation project that proactively responds to Southern California’s current and future water needs. This joint project between the Orange County Water District and the Orange County
Sanitation District provides 70 million gallons per day of drinking quality water to replenish the local groundwater supply.
LEVEL OF SERVICE (LOS) – Goals to support environmental and public expectations for performance.
N-NITROSODIMETHYLAMINE (NDMA) – A N-nitrosamine suspected cancer-causing agent. It has been found in the
Groundwater Replenishment System process and is eliminated using hydrogen peroxide with extra ultra-violet treatment.
NATIONAL BIOSOLIDS PARTNERSHIP (NBP) – An alliance of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies and Water Environment Federation, with advisory support from the US Environmental Protection Agency. NBP is committed to developing and advancing environmentally sound and sustainable biosolids management practices that go beyond regulatory compliance and promote public participation to enhance the credibility of local agency biosolids programs and improved communications that lead to public acceptance.
PLUME – A visible or measurable concentration of discharge from a stationary source or fixed facility.
PUBLICLY OWNED TREATMENT WORKS (POTW) – A municipal wastewater treatment plant.
SANTA ANA RIVER INTERCEPTOR (SARI) LINE – A regional brine line designed to convey 30 million gallons per day of non-reclaimable wastewater from the upper Santa Ana River basin to the ocean for disposal, after treatment.
SANITARY SEWER – Separate sewer systems specifically for the carrying of domestic and industrial wastewater. Combined sewers carry both wastewater and urban runoff.
SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT (SCAQMD) – Regional regulatory agency that develops plans and regulations designed to achieve public health standards by reducing emissions from business and industry.
SECONDARY TREATMENT – Biological wastewater treatment, particularly the activated sludge process, where bacteria and other microorganisms consume dissolved nutrients in wastewater.
SLUDGE – Untreated solid material created by the treatment of wastewater.
TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS (TSS) – The amount of solids floating and in suspension in wastewater.
TRICKLING FILTER – A biological secondary treatment process in which bacteria and other microorganisms, growing as slime on the surface of rocks or plastic media, consume nutrients in wastewater as it trickles over them.
URBAN RUNOFF – Water from city streets and domestic properties that carry pollutants into the storm drains, rivers, lakes, and oceans.
WASTEWATER – Any water that enters the sanitary sewer.
WATERSHED – A land area from which water drains to a particular water body. The Orange County Sanitation District’s service area is in the Santa Ana River Watershed.