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Good afternoon. I would like to call this joint one water and adaptation committee and subcommittee

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on imported water meeting of November 17, 2025 to order at 2.45pm. Before we begin, I would

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like to check if there are any directors requesting the use of the AB 249 just cause or emergency

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circumstances to participate in today's meeting via Zoom. Yes, Director Secle is online.

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Yes, thank you Madam Chair. I'm requesting the use of 244-9 in that I am contagious and wishing not to spread it to the rest of you that are in person and I will continue my Zoom participation today. Thank you so much and nobody's in the room with me.

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We are ever so grateful for your thoughtful consideration. Thank you.

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Board office, do we have members or non members participating via teleconference?

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Yes, Director Pressman and Director DeJesus are online.

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Wonderful. Ms. Harms, would you please administer the roll call for committee membership?

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Director Ackerman.

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Yes.

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Alvarez.

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Armin.

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Armstrong.

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Yes.

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Camacho.

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Ethan.

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Cordero.

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Yes.

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DeJesus.

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Yes.

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Denham.

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Yes.

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Erdman.

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Garza.

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Yes.

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Gold.

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Here.

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Cats.

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Here.

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Courts.

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Here.

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Lueck.

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Luna.

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Absent.

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McMillan.

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Yes.

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Here.

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Miller.

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Here.

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Pressman.

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Pleasant.

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Quinn.

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Here.

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Seco.

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Present.

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And nobody's in the room with me.

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Shefford Romney.

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Here.

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We have a quorum.

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Wonderful.

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Now I was an opportunity for members of the public to address the committee on matters within

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than the committee's jurisdiction.

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Board office, is there anyone in the room

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that wishes to speak?

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We have received no request to speak.

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Thank you.

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I believe we have one request.

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Deborah Bloom, would you like to give your comment?

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Thank you.

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I apologize, I received one request.

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Sure, just for quick, can I see, make a comment?

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Sure.

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In the, in the quorum, a listing, I noticed that

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Director Alvarez was Marcus Zapsin.

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I'm not sure if I saw correctly.

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Can we re, oh, sure.

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Can you please bring that back up just for proper credit?

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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All right.

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Good afternoon, everyone.

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I'm Deborah Bloom with Accelerate Resilience Los Angeles.

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I have to say it's particularly gratifying to be here after several consecutive days of rain.

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You know, the reservoirs are filling up.

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You know, the landscapes in Southern California are getting nice and hydrated.

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not water soaking into the ground. But we know this won't always be the case, so it's incumbent upon us to plan for years where we won't have this abundance of rain.

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So that's why I'm back here to focus on the stormwater and conservation incentive pilot program that my team and I brought the concepts to you back in May.

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And today I'm really eager to hear an update from the staff on the pilot concepts.

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And I want to know I really appreciate the ongoing dedication from the Met staff and this board in exploring this pilot.

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There's five key items I'm hoping to see reflected in the updated proposal today.

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The first one is budget assumptions.

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First, for your in-kind investments, which is amazing, but we need to know what they are to have full-cost accounting.

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And secondly, for per parcel funding, we're really encouraging Met to match the county's

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investment per parcel to truly test an equal co-funding pilot program because honestly

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contributing the same amount on residential as currently offered is not a pilot.

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Secondly, we're ensuring we'd like to ensure that CBOs leave the outreach for the pilots.

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So, CBOs as the trusted voices in their communities, they can play a vital role in recruiting

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and inviting participants to support the program's success.

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And Arlo would be happy to facilitate introductions to local CBOs once the pilot geographies are

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known.

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Third is monitoring of co-benefits.

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We believe this should be included from the start.

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Arlo is also willing to bring experts in the field together to determine the best type of

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monitoring, so we can capture the benefits stemming from these pilot projects.

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Fourth, we encourage a hub and spoke approach to the program locations.

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So targeting a large commercial site as essential hub as well as surrounded with residential

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neighborhoods can allow for efficiencies not only in outreach but construction and implementation

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while also visually demonstrating the impact of the program to a particular location.

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And fifth, design templates. There's no need to recreate the wheel. There are existing design templates that can be easily utilized for implementation.

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By leading this project, Met has the chance to test the potential to have a regional service model and to lay the groundwork for future partnership with other agencies that are looking for a turnkey program delivery.

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And I know we can all harken back to saving an acre foot as much more affordable than going

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out in the market to buy a new one, especially when we bring in other agencies who will co-fund

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in proportion to the benefits they received.

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Thank you again for your continued leadership and your commitment to testing innovative

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approaches that can strengthen our collective resilience.

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Thank you.

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Board office, do we have anyone on the line that wishes to speak?

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Yes, we currently have six callers on the line.

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Callers, you will have three minutes to speak.

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When your name is called, please dial star six on your keypad to begin your comments.

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First caller, Gary, please unmute yourself and begin speaking.

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Great.

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Thank you.

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I'm Gary Vaughan, the program director at Friends the River, we're a statewide conservation

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organization that works to protect aquatic ecosystems like rivers and lakes while promoting

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long-term sustainability in our water management.

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I've spoken to you before, I'm going to pretty much say much to what I said last time, it's

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just that we're gratified that we're getting near to the decision on moving forward with

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The joint pilot program with the WP on stormwater and summer capture and conservation strongly

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support that project urging move forward with it.

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Well, I think this is both building up on the successes of met in promoting conservation.

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I mean, Southern California has been the leader here, but there's a ways to go.

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This is a great way to explore the potential for further savings.

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savings that are much more affordable than trying to go out on the market or develop

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a new infrastructure to import water. It's the state's policy to reduce our

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aligns on imported water for a variety of reasons. The environmental impacts, the

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vulnerability to climate disruption, the impacts on environmental, on aquatic

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environment throughout the state. This is a really important tool for reducing those

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impacts and reducing reliance on external sources of water. So I think that in addition

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to reducing reliance, there's incredible potential benefits for communities in Southern California,

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Yeah, affordable water instead of the rates that we might see if you go to increasing your

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alliance on external sources.

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In order to do it right, I want to echo the comments of Arla that, you know, you really need

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to make sure that you've got sufficient resources to do this right to match the DWP contribution

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to be able to make sure that you can quickly move to increase the scale and scope of the project as you see results.

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Again, this is really the way to go. I'm encouraged by the direction that you continue to take and I hope that you move forward and make the decision to implement this project

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and then scale it up as you're able to.

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Thank you.

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Color number two, Michael, please dial star six on your keypad and begin your comments.

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Michael, please dial star six on your keypad to begin your comments.

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Okay, next caller.

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Color number three, John, please dial star six on your keypad and begin your comments.

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John, begin your comments.

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All right, moving on.

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Color number four, Maura, please unmute yourself and begin speaking.

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Thank you.

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Hi, everyone.

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I'm Monica here from LA Waterkeeper.

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I'm here to also express support for the stormwater pilot program item 9-3 in partnership

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with the Department of Public Works.

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We appreciate all the great work Matt has done in conservation and in addressing climate

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change with camp for water.

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Let's see great opportunity for Matt to get more involved in stormwater capture of all the

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water supply options.

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Nature-based stormwater capture is one of the best for providing multiple benefits, both

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for the agency with resilience to climate disruptions and earthquakes, and our communities

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with cheap local water.

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And like Deborah was mentioning, we sure have had a lot of stormwater over the last few

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days, and we'll continue to over the week.

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But I think for our information and stormwater capture projects can benefit water supply particularly

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as imported sources become more and more unreliable.

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water quality, flood control, and various public health outcomes from increased cooling,

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improved air quality, and many others. This is why this stormwater capture is a major priority

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for a large number of CBOs, EJ groups, and other organizations, like some of the folks on this call,

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that we regularly partner with and hear from. This pilot will build on Met's past successes and

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move us in this more sustainable and equitable direction. We hope Met will invest in this pilot

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appropriately matching the county's investment to ensure it has the resources to meet its goals

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and to scale quickly. Thank you. Thank you. Caller number five. So please unmute yourself and

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begin your comments.

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So hi. Good afternoon, all. So I am also here to speak in support of the

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potential storm water pilot program. So my name is Dr. Zoe Conniff and I am the environmental justice

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is Program Manager of Black Women for Wellness. We are a reproductive justice nonprofit based

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in South LA, where we work to build healthier communities by addressing issues in the

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built environment caused and perpetuated by environmental racism. One of the things that

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we are consistently fighting for is water equity, particularly for Black and Bible communities

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in Los Angeles. So historically, South LA, where we as an organization are based, has been

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impacted by under-investment in water infrastructure by a lot of pollution and by persistent environmental

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racism. This under-investment and persistent environmental racism contributes to a strong lack of

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trust in tap water among community members in South LA and to corresponding water quality threats

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across the region. Investments into programs that prioritise water conservation and stormwater

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capture have the potential to move us towards the future in which black families have access to cleaner,

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more reliable water resources. So the partnership in question between MWD and

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public works to prioritize water conservation and stormwater capture is a

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really important step towards addressing the many stresses on our water

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resources here in Southern California. Programs like the proposed pilot are

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particularly important given the negative impacts of climate change on our

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water supply and are particularly important for neighborhoods that are already

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vulnerable due to these many years of under-investment.

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As many others on this call have already mentioned, for the pilot to succeed, there are several

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things that FWD must move forward with, but in particular, I want to emphasise the importance

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of investing in the pilot in a way that's commensurate with the counting of the investment so that

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the program has enough resources for the trial run to actually succeed.

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And I also want to stress that the pilot's rollout must occur equitably so that no community

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is left behind.

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As a representative of a CBO, I want to urge in particular that you all reach out to

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and compensate local trusted CBOs in leading outreach to Angelinos.

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And specifically as a representative of Black Women for Wellness, I want to stress the

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need for increased investment in what is infrastructure in South LA and other environmental

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justice communities across the region through this pilot program and in general.

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Thank you so much for your time this afternoon.

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Thank you.

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Color number six, Courtney, please unmute yourself and begin your comments.

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Good afternoon.

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My name is Courtney Brown and I'm a staff attorney with San Diego Coast Keeper.

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San Diego Coast Keeper is a member supported clean water advocacy organization and a core part

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of our mission is protecting and restoring clean, reliable water for communities across

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San Diego County.

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Communities whose water security is directly shaped by the decisions of this board.

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I'm going to echo my previous callers and share our Coast Keeper support for the Strong

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Water Pilot Program.

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every neighborhood and

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Every zip code deserves equal access to safe, affordable water and healthy landscapes. Unfortunately, down in San Diego and throughout LA County, we regularly see how stormwater pollution and underinvestment and infrastructure disproportionately affects underserved communities. But we also know that strong local solutions can make a meaningful difference. That's why we're so encouraged to see the seeing that exploring a partnership with public works to expand water conservation and stormwater

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capture through this pilot. This is a smart, cost effective investment. Reducing local

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demand is cheaper and faster than developing new supplies, and it helps keep RAID stable

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for everyone. Investing in local water resources strengthens regional resilience. It protects

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us from climate disruptions, regulatory uncertainty, and the vulnerabilities that come with depending

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heavily on imported water. If this pilot performs as we know it can, we urge you to scale it up quickly

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So it can deliver even greater water savings equity and resilience across the region and hopefully serve as a model for similar projects and other regions like San Diego.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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Chair, there are no other callers.

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This public comment line will now be closed.

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Anyone wishing to listen to the meeting may do so through our website.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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So we will now consider the item listed on the consent calendar under agenda item 2a approval of the minutes of the joint one water and adaptation committee and subcommittee on imported water meeting of September 23rd 2025 one water and adaptation committee of October 13th 2025 and the subcommittee on imported water meeting of October 28th 2025.

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I ask for a motion and a second to approve this item.

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I see a motion from Director Miller.

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Second.

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I see Director Kurtz.

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Ms. Harms, would you please administer the vote?

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Thank you, Chair Quinn.

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I have a motion by Director Miller, seconded by Director Kurtz.

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For item 2A, I will be calling on committee members only for the vote.

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Director Ackerman?

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Yes.

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Director Alvarez, Armstrong, Camacho, Cordero,

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Yes, Edmund, Garza, Gold, Katz, Kurtz, Louis,

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Do it? Yes.

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Mcmillan? Yes. Miller? Yes.

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Pressman? Yes.

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Quinn? I'm going to abstain as I was absent on October 13th and 28th.

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Sequel? Yes, and nobody's in the room with me.

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Shepard Roaming? Yes.

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The vote passed. We will now display the vote. Back to you, Chair Quinn.

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Thank you. Yes, I'd like to call on Dr. Jurgle.

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One of the things that would be helpful, maybe I don't think I'm the only one who probably

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had this comment on the minutes.

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And I didn't want to bring it up before the vote because it should be a formality.

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If it would be possible to maybe add a little bit of content on the discussion, even if it's

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just a sentence or two, rather than so and so spoke or whatever, there's no way to really

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clean anything from the minutes other than the agenda which you already have. So for someone

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who didn't attend who wanted to see what was going on, you really can't get anything out of it.

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Yeah.

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I'll just tell you what I do. I go online and I look at the video and the video breaks everything

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down by topic and you could actually jump to the topic if you want to see what was being referenced

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And you can actually see what was happening and who said, but just a suggestion.

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I think one of the things that we've discussed before and we've requested of staff is to at least include when a director is asking for something and there's something that's going to come back or asking the staff to take action.

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I think having that memorialized in the minutes could be helpful.

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So I think maybe if there's anyone on staff who could respond, that would be possible.

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Moving forward, I see Rikita and Ms. Hudson.

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Thank you for the question.

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We actually, our minutes are summarized, and like Chair Takea said, the minutes reflect what happened at the meeting.

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The reason why we are not putting direct-to-request in there is because as Chair Takea has instructed us, he will like a consensus on the board and that information goes in the follow-up or future agenda items.

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And so if this will be a great meeting, if somebody is asking for something to be brought

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back to committee, the vice chair of that committee is supposed to gather that information

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and then act the committee if there is a consensus of the board.

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Because we do not, as Metropolitan, we cannot bring something to committee based off of one

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chair's request. It needs to be the committee's request.

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Thank you for that. I'll see Chair take a little bit.

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No, but to I think Chair Quint's point, why can't that be noted on the paper agenda,

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that the committee chair asked if there was any objection and no objection was expressed

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and therefore it's a follow-up item. I mean it's just a sentence, would that be possible?

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Yes, we do do that in the follow up items, but at this committee that has not been happy me.

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Okay, so then I think the remedy is at, you know, the request is if there's no objection, then.

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Yes.

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Thank you.

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Great. Thank you for the helpful information.

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All right.

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Moving on, we have no committee items for board consideration and no committee items for board action.

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We do have two committee informational items for board consideration.

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Mr. Goshe, would you please introduce item 9-3?

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Thank you, Chair Quinn.

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Item 9-3 is titled Information on Los Angeles County Department of Public Works,

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Potential Stormwater Pilot Program.

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You just heard a lot of public input about that process that staff has been engaged in

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in trying to develop a pilot program that builds on our conservation program

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that encourages or incorporates stormwater capture benefits

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as part of the program.

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And so that's what the pilot's about.

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You heard from Arla back in May

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and from staff here on a committee item in September

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on the work and the development of that pilot program.

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We've been working very hard to discuss

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the desires and requirements of such a program,

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taking what we're trying to accomplish

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and functionalizing it in the administration of our conservation program, we had originally intended to have an action item for consideration by this time, but the details, what is that saying the devil is always in the details, and several details still need to be worked out with the department of public works for being able to bring something for your attention.

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So we have action scheduled tentatively for January, but again, that will depend on whether or not we can close the books on some of those details.

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I do or we do want to bring as much information as we can.

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And so today we have Christa Guerrero, our Senior Resource Specialist from our Water Efficiency Team, to present the item on where we are today and the development of this program.

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00:22:46,840 --> 00:23:00,440
Thank you, Brandon. Good afternoon Chairwoman, members of the committee. Today I will bring you an informational item on the work that we have connected so far and the work still to be completed on the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works pilot program.

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So as has been mentioned, we have engaged with Accelerate Resilience Los Angeles to discuss the turf replacement program benefits and potential co-benefits and partnerships that may exist in our service area.

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We were given board direction to develop a potential pilot program with public works, which

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we have been actively working on since then.

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There have been several meetings between Metropolitan and Public Works to discuss the pilot

307
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program goals and refine the draft proposal.

308
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This has included understanding and determining this prospective stormwater feature that needs

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to be a part of that, the potential pilot area, and other options for potential funding,

310
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as well as other partnerships that may join in this effort.

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We've also been meeting with potential third-party vendor, which I will be assessing with

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you today, to develop the DAC equity portion of the proposal.

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And part of that work that we've been conducting over the last several months has included numerous

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due diligence efforts on staff's part to ensure that the vendor that we have selected can do

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this work properly and has done it successfully in other parts of the country.

316
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I give you a board all report in September of 2025 with our progress today and I am back

317
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to update you.

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So as I did mention in previous reports, our potential pilot program structure has four

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parts.

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It is a stacked rebate for the pilot area.

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It also includes enhanced or moderate capture and other features on top of the traditional

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turf replacement program requirements.

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It also includes an equity and access portion of the program which I will be discussing in

324
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detail today, and of course analysis of the results and a final determination on scalability

325
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of such a program.

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The program itself is an enhanced rebate for turf replacement programs and projects in

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a selected pilot area.

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Public works will supplement metropolitan space incentive, and our goal would be to cover

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75 to 100 percent of the project costs for a particular applicant.

330
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The program itself would be available to both CII, commercial, industrial, and institutional

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applicants, as well as residential applicants in the selected pilot area.

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On top of the traditional turf or placement program requirements, we have added and altered

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a few to enhance the co-benefits potential for this project.

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One is a prescriptive stormwater feature, so as you know, there is a stormwater feature

335
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requirement in the turf replacement program currently, this would be changed to a

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prescriptive feature that would require construction specifications and more

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information before conducting. A native only plant pallet, soil amendments to be

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added to improve soil health, and a minimum four plants per hundred square feet,

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which is an increase from our current requirement of three plants per hundred

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square feet. We are also adding an equity and access portion to the program through

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pilot partnership with a third-party funding vendor, and we will continue to push outreach

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with our external affairs department or potential member agency partner as well as community

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based organizations.

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And of course, we will also have our data analysis.

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So the equity and access portion of the program, we have started discussions with company known

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as BrainPlan LLC.

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00:26:25,540 --> 00:26:29,500
This is a stormwater utility management company with services that drive green infrastructure

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adoption on private property. They offer a number of services but what we are

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focusing for this pilot are their data insight service outreach and engagement

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and project fulfillment portion. Staff was able to verify that they've had

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significant success partnering with NGOs, utilities and other government agencies

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in Washington, Oregon, Washington, D.C. and North Carolina. So this is a methodology

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that has been implemented in other areas

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that are looking to improve their equity and access.

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And we'd like to see if that can be successful

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in Southern California as well.

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So how would Rain Plan fit into our pilot?

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The first is that Rain Plan would be contracted

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to do a virtual site visit with all potential applicants.

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They would verify eligibility and explain the program

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so that the customer understands exactly

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what would be what the program entails

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and how it differs from our traditional turf or placement program.

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They would help them determine the optimal storm water feature, including selection of

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that feature and appropriate location on their property.

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And they would also help to provide design ideas and determine the customer needs.

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If requested, the customer may then continue to move forward with Rainplan and request contractor

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matching, where Rainplan will assist them in finding qualified local contractors through

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our well-DCP certified list and also assist with soliciting bids and assisting with contract

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development.

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The most important part of the equity and access piece is this

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screen spending advance, which is unique to Rainplan. They are able to provide

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upfront funding to applicants to complete the project. Therefore an applicant

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would not need to come out of pocket in order to do the project before receiving

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the rebate. The Rainplan itself would be reimbursed by the applicant utilizing the

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rebate once they receive that check. The applicant would also normally cover any

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additional costs as well. So if they tend to pick a design, happen to pick a design, or want

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more high-end materials that go above the cost that can be provided by the rebate, the customer

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would cover that cost. There are project fees associated with the service. So there is a service

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fee that Rainplan charges in order to do the upfront funding advance. And for this pilot,

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we would recommend that Metropolitan pay that fee for the customer so that they do not have an

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additional expense. On top of all of that, RAIN plan does provide project

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assurance, guaranteeing that all projects meet program requirements and terms

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and conditions and will receive the rebate.

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As you are aware, metropolitan's current

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structure creates challenges in providing funding or benefits to a portion of our

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customer base that is not equally provided to the entire customer base. So the

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RAIN plan green spending advance reduces barriers for low income customers to

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participate since metropolitan is not the one providing the upfront

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funding. We would cover the associated rain plan fees to all participants in the pilot area

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regardless of income qualification. So while this is intended as equity and access for low-income

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00:29:40,710 --> 00:29:47,150
customers, it would be equally available to all participants. And it gives us the opportunity

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to pilot a methodology in Southern California that has been successful in other parts of the country.

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There are still a number of things that need to be decided upon.

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And received from public works before we can move forward with implementation of the pilot program. The pending items currently are that we are waiting on the pilot area selection from public works. We do understand they have made movement in that direction. They have a list of options, but we have not received that final pilot area selection. We do need the final pilot area selection before we can put together any budget estimates or any understandings of costs so that we once we know the size of that pilot area.

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We are still discussing in discussions with Rainplan on their scope of work and the associated

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fee schedule.

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00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:38,720
But again, until we know the size of the pilot area, we also cannot get from them the correct

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00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:42,800
fee schedule, because they do not know how big of an area they'll be servicing.

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Once we have that pilot area selection, we will also be able to engage with the selected

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00:30:48,780 --> 00:30:52,740
member agency on their potential participation and possible co-funding.

402
00:30:52,740 --> 00:30:58,060
We have not been able to reach out to the Member Agencies yet because we do not know which area is selected.

403
00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:04,880
Once those items have been addressed, it will take approximately six to nine months

404
00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:10,120
to do any adjustments to the pilot proposal to include Member Agency participation

405
00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:15,820
to help the agreement development and execution between the Member Agency and Public Works

406
00:31:15,820 --> 00:31:21,300
to develop the program materials and make changes to our website including adding a special page

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00:31:21,300 --> 00:31:27,340
just for the pilot participants and to begin doing a request for proposals for a consultant

408
00:31:27,340 --> 00:31:29,120
to conduct the final data analysis.

409
00:31:29,540 --> 00:31:33,580
We will be doing this at the beginning of the pilot so that we can of course collect

410
00:31:33,580 --> 00:31:38,120
the correct data while the pilot is going on for them to analyze at the end.

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00:31:39,660 --> 00:31:45,660
Once all of that is complete, it will be 12, we estimate 12 to 24 months for the actual

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pilot program.

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That includes launching and implementation of the program along with any outreach performed

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by any community-based organizations we partner with in coordination with the member agency

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at our external affairs department.

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And we will be collecting data at that time.

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Once the pilot is complete, it will, we expect another six to twelve months for that final

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00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:10,160
data collection analysis and report back with our final results.

419
00:32:13,710 --> 00:32:14,530
So, our next steps.

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We continue to work very diligently with public works to finalize these pilot details.

421
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We are working with them actively on that pilot area selection and some questions and concerns

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regarding the prescriptive stormwater feature design and the amount of service and assistance

423
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that we can provide property owners with putting in a prescriptive stormwater feature.

424
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We will also be coordinating with public works and the selected member agency on a potential

425
00:32:43,310 --> 00:32:48,110
potential partnership, discussing with them any potential co-funding they may be able

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to add to the pilot, helping provide that invoicing a memorandum of understanding that

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00:32:53,250 --> 00:32:59,590
will be required in order for public works funds to make it into metropolitan rebate, and

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the outreach and data collection as the member agency will be the only entity who actually

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00:33:03,970 --> 00:33:06,450
has the customer data that we will need to do the analysis.

430
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And we will still be working on developing our scope of work and agreement with Rainplan

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00:33:12,210 --> 00:33:17,550
for the equity and access portion, and we, if necessary, will return for board action on the

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00:33:17,550 --> 00:33:21,010
rain plan agreement in early 2026 as soon as that is ready.

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And that is my presentation for today.

434
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I'm happy to take any questions.

435
00:33:28,830 --> 00:33:31,150
See hands. Okay, I'm going to start with Director Kurtz

436
00:33:31,150 --> 00:33:31,970
and then Chair Ortega.

437
00:33:38,730 --> 00:33:47,350
The chair may always go first. I think it's very good that we're looking at

438
00:33:47,350 --> 00:33:52,130
but measure W and money and being able to access that and working with public works.

439
00:33:52,490 --> 00:33:54,850
I'm a little concerned that it's only LA County.

440
00:33:55,510 --> 00:34:00,250
We talk about the inequities that have been built into our system when we talked about one this morning.

441
00:34:01,030 --> 00:34:02,770
And I hope we're not doing that again.

442
00:34:03,050 --> 00:34:06,590
So maybe at some point we could also talk about this is a demo.

443
00:34:07,130 --> 00:34:10,850
But then how do we make it available beyond LA County?

444
00:34:11,510 --> 00:34:14,870
My real questions though come down to our rain plan.

445
00:34:14,870 --> 00:34:18,930
And what was the process that went through to select them?

446
00:34:19,790 --> 00:34:21,910
It sort of seems like it's sole source,

447
00:34:21,910 --> 00:34:24,590
and yet I kind of doubt they're the only people

448
00:34:24,590 --> 00:34:25,730
that could do this work.

449
00:34:25,870 --> 00:34:29,210
And I think it's so important that even on a demo,

450
00:34:29,530 --> 00:34:33,210
we don't violate our own procedures and make sure

451
00:34:33,210 --> 00:34:37,410
that we're always going through the correct process

452
00:34:37,410 --> 00:34:39,410
as to pick any third-party vendor,

453
00:34:39,750 --> 00:34:42,010
both because of the fees that will be charged

454
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but also because of the quality of work that we receive.

455
00:34:45,730 --> 00:34:47,130
Ms. Gerard, would you like to address that?

456
00:34:47,310 --> 00:34:47,870
Yes, of course.

457
00:34:48,530 --> 00:34:54,530
There are other entities that can do that virtual site visit, the sizing that is 100% the

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case.

459
00:34:55,130 --> 00:35:00,390
Rainplan is the only company that we have found that does the green spending advance in the

460
00:35:00,390 --> 00:35:03,230
format that we are looking for for the equity and access portion.

461
00:35:03,470 --> 00:35:08,350
So we have not been able to find another company with the success rate and the track record

462
00:35:08,350 --> 00:35:15,230
that we've seen from Rainplan that does green spending advances and combined with the stormwater

463
00:35:15,230 --> 00:35:22,670
education. May I follow up Madam Chair? So it's the upfront funding that sort of push them over.

464
00:35:23,190 --> 00:35:29,290
Do we know how much that is though and is it worth it to not look at what the fees are since we don't

465
00:35:29,290 --> 00:35:35,950
know the fees because we could do upfront funding. They get that back so there'd be different ways

466
00:35:35,950 --> 00:35:42,030
the structure that I'm still concerned we don't have numbers in that this and I know you're still

467
00:35:42,030 --> 00:35:47,150
working through it, but to solve some one that we don't know the numbers just because they can

468
00:35:47,150 --> 00:35:54,270
do upfront funding. It's a little nervous to me. That's an excellent point. We're kind of caught in

469
00:35:54,270 --> 00:36:00,210
this spot where we're trying to share information about how we're developing this, intending to you

470
00:36:00,210 --> 00:36:05,290
to come back to you for that or with that action item of which rain plan would be part of it. So

471
00:36:05,290 --> 00:36:11,010
So we're not selecting rain plan as staff on a sole source basis, we're going to bring

472
00:36:11,010 --> 00:36:16,730
them forward to you to show you what services they provide, what it's going to cause, what

473
00:36:16,730 --> 00:36:22,490
they're putting forward when we bring the action item forward for you to help us make

474
00:36:22,490 --> 00:36:22,990
that decision.

475
00:36:23,690 --> 00:36:25,190
And I promise it's the last one.

476
00:36:25,510 --> 00:36:31,230
So will we see comparable information because how do we make a decision if the only vendor,

477
00:36:31,230 --> 00:36:35,530
or third party vendor before us is rain, rain plan.

478
00:36:35,690 --> 00:36:41,030
I keep trying to say rain tree, rain plan, that doesn't really give us a chance to make

479
00:36:41,030 --> 00:36:41,670
a decision.

480
00:36:42,610 --> 00:36:45,850
Well, yeah, yes or no, but that's not a good decision.

481
00:36:46,050 --> 00:36:47,190
We'll bring that information.

482
00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:50,360
Thank you.

483
00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:52,100
Mr. Chair.

484
00:36:52,720 --> 00:36:53,140
Thank you.

485
00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:56,140
Thank you for all the thought that you've put into this.

486
00:36:56,980 --> 00:37:02,760
In defensive staff, you know, disadvantaged communities in California, even in LA County,

487
00:37:02,760 --> 00:37:08,940
experience of Ender Boyd. In many respects, our economies, and I say arc as I

488
00:37:08,940 --> 00:37:15,240
work with a lot of them, are so small that they don't allow for the kinds of

489
00:37:15,240 --> 00:37:21,220
margins that the larger firms are used to collecting for projects. I've been

490
00:37:21,220 --> 00:37:25,020
involved in projects all over the state where you can't find a vendor, for

491
00:37:25,020 --> 00:37:29,800
example, to install 25 meters, even though the law requires them to meet

492
00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:34,660
or a well-sounder, or to do conservation retrofits.

493
00:37:35,500 --> 00:37:43,340
In fact, in California, there was only one company that could help with the DWR grant for

494
00:37:43,340 --> 00:37:49,100
small water system conservation type of retrofits.

495
00:37:50,340 --> 00:37:55,620
So I believe staff about the limited, especially if you're aiming at this sector of the water

496
00:37:55,620 --> 00:37:56,020
market.

497
00:37:56,020 --> 00:38:03,340
But my question is, with respect to Alley County, from what you said, San Fernando in

498
00:38:03,340 --> 00:38:10,640
Compton wouldn't qualify, because they wouldn't have the ability to put any funding as member

499
00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:11,120
agencies.

500
00:38:11,860 --> 00:38:17,220
So I'm wondering if you would make an accommodation, for example, because I think it would cover

501
00:38:17,220 --> 00:38:24,740
the bulk where San Fernando and Compton maybe pair up with the City of Los Angeles or

502
00:38:24,740 --> 00:38:29,880
whether they pair up with the central base municipal water district or another adjacent

503
00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:36,360
entity that has the city along beach that has significant numbers of disadvantaged

504
00:38:36,360 --> 00:38:37,040
communities.

505
00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:42,580
And then my other question is, is the county and designating regions going to limit it

506
00:38:42,580 --> 00:38:49,160
to only unincorporated portions of the county, or are they also going to include areas that

507
00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:51,920
are incorporated, like San Fernando and Compton?

508
00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:56,220
The public works is making, oh, I'm sorry, I read it.

509
00:38:56,740 --> 00:39:02,120
Public works is solely making the site selections based on their needs for the storm

510
00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:03,560
water benefit they're trying to achieve.

511
00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:09,660
So metropolitan staff has not been providing input into those selections other than by letting

512
00:39:09,660 --> 00:39:14,860
them know which agencies do provide funding currently to turf replacement and which do not.

513
00:39:14,860 --> 00:39:23,140
And also giving them an idea of our boundaries and the member agency boundaries as well so they can make those decisions.

514
00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:33,320
It would be up to public works to determine if that was something that they wanted to do as I understand that they are, though, including incorporated areas.

515
00:39:33,320 --> 00:39:33,480
Yes.

516
00:39:34,300 --> 00:39:37,420
So could we segregate our funding?

517
00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:42,520
I think it would be very difficult for me to support this if my member agency is

518
00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:45,100
inaligable because it wasn't selected by the county.

519
00:39:45,960 --> 00:39:52,860
And while I wouldn't want to stop the benefits of the project, I would expect that metropolitan's

520
00:39:52,860 --> 00:39:57,160
portion of the money, which is based on an existing program that we already have.

521
00:39:57,160 --> 00:40:06,500
I think that's part of it, not be used in areas that are not part of our member agency.

522
00:40:08,320 --> 00:40:09,720
I mean, could that be possible?

523
00:40:09,940 --> 00:40:14,800
I mean, is there any, I think it'd be a little, I think our area encompasses unincorporated

524
00:40:14,800 --> 00:40:21,360
areas, but I'm struggling on understanding how this could be fair to the two poorest metropolitan

525
00:40:21,360 --> 00:40:26,240
member agencies if in fact we are targeting underserved communities.

526
00:40:26,240 --> 00:40:56,220
I mean, Mr. Chair, I just, I mean, this is a pilot, so not everyone, you know, I think I certainly understand your point and I think, you know, hopefully this could show success and then it could be more but I think this goes to also to the same thing as as Director Curtis's point of this is not going beyond LA County, I think for me at least I see that, you know, this is just where can we do this pilot so we can get this information about whether effective and then think about how

527
00:40:56,220 --> 00:40:59,200
that we pull in other areas with disadvantaged community?

528
00:40:59,320 --> 00:41:01,640
Yeah, but I'll tell you, as a representative of this

529
00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:03,760
disadvantaged community, that's all we ever get.

530
00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:08,140
That always happens to us in the poorest communities

531
00:41:08,140 --> 00:41:10,520
that don't have the money to match.

532
00:41:12,240 --> 00:41:16,080
And I mean, it's, I was up in Northern California

533
00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:19,940
where areas that are poor with low populations are told,

534
00:41:20,040 --> 00:41:21,820
well, you're not going to benefit as many people.

535
00:41:21,940 --> 00:41:24,380
We're going to go give the money to a larger area.

536
00:41:24,860 --> 00:41:30,300
And so, I think that if we're trying to prove that conservation can be equitable and that

537
00:41:30,300 --> 00:41:34,460
it can work for disadvantaged communities, we ought to try to find a way to make it work.

538
00:41:34,660 --> 00:41:40,140
I'd like to see at least an effort, even if it means pairing up with one of our larger

539
00:41:40,140 --> 00:41:47,460
member agencies that could help, because I think we'd have as a co-op all of us together

540
00:41:47,460 --> 00:41:53,000
the ability to do that, but I'd like to see at least something, at least an effort to make

541
00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:56,720
I think it worked for the poorest in our metropolitan family.

542
00:41:57,300 --> 00:41:57,600
Thank you.

543
00:41:57,940 --> 00:41:58,220
Thank you.

544
00:41:58,860 --> 00:42:03,080
I see Director Cickel's hand up, but I believe Director Gold wanted to respond directly to something that was said.

545
00:42:03,300 --> 00:42:04,920
So, for did I understand that correctly?

546
00:42:05,420 --> 00:42:06,900
No, I just want to talk.

547
00:42:07,480 --> 00:42:09,840
Well, let's go to Director Cickel's office and then we'll go to Director Gold.

548
00:42:09,920 --> 00:42:18,060
Sure, Quinn, can I just add, just for clarification, there wouldn't be any participants in this that aren't in metropolitan service area.

549
00:42:18,160 --> 00:42:19,360
I just wanted to make that clear.

550
00:42:19,360 --> 00:42:26,440
It's not as though LA County is picking areas outside of our service area, so just wanted to make sure that that was clear.

551
00:42:27,200 --> 00:42:30,140
Okay, and then before we go to director's cycle, I think director Gold did want to respond.

552
00:42:30,680 --> 00:42:40,380
So, thank you, Chair Quinn, there's a few things, and I'm glad it's being echoed that this is a pilot project.

553
00:42:40,820 --> 00:42:48,320
And on this is a pilot project in an area that MWD has struggled with now for about eight years.

554
00:42:48,320 --> 00:42:53,420
on, you know, if you really look at looking at stormwater as part of our water supply portfolio,

555
00:42:54,120 --> 00:42:57,700
I was on the board last time we tried this in a pretty significant way,

556
00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:02,980
and we funded some projects. We still don't have final results on. I think they were funded

557
00:43:02,980 --> 00:43:09,360
like seven years ago or something like that, so it's been a long time coming. So the issue the

558
00:43:09,360 --> 00:43:15,120
chair or takeer brought up is a great one, and, you know, needs to be taken into consideration,

559
00:43:15,120 --> 00:43:29,760
and I think greatly, and so whatever constraints there are in being able to say that hey, look if the partnering local agency can't pony up from match, then there's got to be another way for them to be eligible.

560
00:43:30,480 --> 00:43:38,260
I am frankly a little bit shocked that Met is not involved in the discussions in what qualifies as a good highlight area.

561
00:43:38,700 --> 00:43:40,700
I mean just as a scientist, I don't get it.

562
00:43:40,700 --> 00:43:45,800
You know, I mean you have the expertise from the standpoint of groundwater and groundwater

563
00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:50,860
supply, I'd say much better than LA County Public Works.

564
00:43:51,700 --> 00:43:55,000
You know, you're not negotiating with the water masters, you're negotiating with Public

565
00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:55,320
Works.

566
00:43:55,880 --> 00:43:59,900
So they get the surface water side way better than we do from the standpoint of storm water

567
00:43:59,900 --> 00:44:01,280
and storm water quality issues.

568
00:44:01,780 --> 00:44:07,280
But this goes back to what we were talking about years ago, which is what would even constitute

569
00:44:07,280 --> 00:44:11,680
to a benefit to met from the standpoint of local water supply.

570
00:44:11,820 --> 00:44:16,380
It has to be quote from my perspective, and I've been saying this forever, new storm

571
00:44:16,380 --> 00:44:20,180
water from the standpoint, meaning new water supply.

572
00:44:20,880 --> 00:44:27,560
So if it's water that was going to be infiltrated anyway, within a watershed, that's not really

573
00:44:27,560 --> 00:44:28,580
what we should be funding.

574
00:44:28,820 --> 00:44:34,720
It's new water that's going to be augmenting our local groundwater supplies, which is what

575
00:44:34,720 --> 00:44:36,900
that we're all about here is on the water supply side.

576
00:44:37,560 --> 00:44:43,540
So if Metz is not weighing in on regional site selection based on looking at criteria

577
00:44:44,240 --> 00:44:52,120
about infiltration capacity of soils, productivity, groundwater basins, then I don't understand

578
00:44:52,120 --> 00:44:53,660
why we would ever give up on that.

579
00:44:54,020 --> 00:44:58,160
We should be absolutely critically involved in those discussions.

580
00:44:58,160 --> 00:44:59,960
and guess what, San Fernando...

581
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:29,220
The panel is in a great location in light of the criteria that I just said. So it doesn't even have to get into that from the standpoint of, oh, well, let's choose this versus that because of the NEJ issue. San Fernando would meet the darn criteria, just based on what I know about that area and how permeable the soils are. And you could argue central basin, same thing. And so from that. So I think just as the paying up front, I think is genius.

582
00:45:29,220 --> 00:45:44,940
And I commend you completely because that opens it up to folks who would never apply in a million years because they can't afford the capital up front for landscape transformations, especially more expensive ones that are include strong water infiltration.

583
00:45:45,900 --> 00:45:53,300
But to add this sort of component where the criteria are taking into account, I'm not talking about average household income.

584
00:45:53,300 --> 00:46:00,260
I'm talking about producing groundwater basins, permeable soils, et cetera, and guess what?

585
00:46:00,580 --> 00:46:06,400
A lot of the areas that are the poorest areas within the LA region happen to meet those criteria

586
00:46:06,880 --> 00:46:08,420
and a lot of the places do not.

587
00:46:08,700 --> 00:46:12,720
You would not put this in loss of urgenous because there's no way to infiltrate the runoff.

588
00:46:13,440 --> 00:46:16,700
You can't get the groundwater back out, you don't have producing groundwater basins, right?

589
00:46:16,840 --> 00:46:21,900
So it's a different project and so I sure hope that we're weighing in on that in a pretty

590
00:46:21,900 --> 00:46:27,380
significant way. And if it means, you know, we need to, you know, to deal with, um,

591
00:46:27,840 --> 00:46:32,000
sure our take is issue. If it we need, if it means we need to add a few more dollars

592
00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:38,740
if the local agency can't match because that's an unfair issue, then we should be talking

593
00:46:38,740 --> 00:46:43,300
about that. And frankly, we should be doing dollar for dollar on what county public works

594
00:46:43,300 --> 00:46:46,400
is doing anyways from an equity perspective. Thank you.

595
00:46:54,140 --> 00:47:01,440
Excuse me, thank you Madam Chair, I still have some confusion on the dollar responsibilities

596
00:47:02,060 --> 00:47:10,560
on this and just let me reflect what I think I heard, I think I heard MET is going to

597
00:47:10,560 --> 00:47:18,480
pay for the rain plan portion, MET is going to pay for a rebate and MET is going to pay

598
00:47:18,480 --> 00:47:23,560
for the data analysis. Are those the three components that met will be paying for?

599
00:47:24,260 --> 00:47:29,200
Yes, we were paying for all of those as well as any other administrative, programming,

600
00:47:30,180 --> 00:47:36,000
inspection costs. Really all the costs related to implementation of the program. Public

601
00:47:36,000 --> 00:47:41,200
works money will only go to their portion of the actual rebate. All other costs are covered

602
00:47:41,200 --> 00:47:41,600
by Metropolitan.

603
00:47:42,260 --> 00:47:48,680
And is there any estimate of what the total of all those costs would be on a, on a proposal

604
00:47:48,680 --> 00:47:53,940
basis or per applicant basis? I guess it can't be applicant. It's got to be proposal

605
00:47:53,940 --> 00:47:58,020
or a per project basis. Unfortunately not yet until we know the size

606
00:47:58,020 --> 00:48:02,980
of the pilot area. Okay. I was just trying to, when this originally

607
00:48:02,980 --> 00:48:09,680
came up, the costs involved in this were extreme. It sounded like they have been paired

608
00:48:09,680 --> 00:48:16,280
way back which would be a lot more applicable. I realize it's a demonstration program and sometimes

609
00:48:16,280 --> 00:48:24,700
in demonstration programs you will infuse it with extra dollars to get out of it a learning experience.

610
00:48:24,960 --> 00:48:31,420
So I'm okay with that aspect. I just wanted to understand when you do bring it back what dollars

611
00:48:31,420 --> 00:48:37,040
that would be paying relative to the entire program so the directors can evaluate that. Thank you so

612
00:48:37,040 --> 00:48:44,280
much. Thank you, director Teckel. You also touched on my question. I think we had in the previous

613
00:48:44,280 --> 00:48:50,580
presentation talked about these sort of the in kind that would be added from met. And so really

614
00:48:50,580 --> 00:48:56,540
looking forward, I guess, once we get the size of the pilot on honing in, like director Gold said,

615
00:48:56,620 --> 00:49:02,740
I think it does make sense for us to try to match. And I think that when I recall from the original

616
00:49:02,740 --> 00:49:10,140
presentation is that this was proposed at about $15 per square foot I think and so I think

617
00:49:10,140 --> 00:49:16,540
the closer that we can get to that through the rebate direct dollar per square foot and

618
00:49:16,540 --> 00:49:22,580
the in kind would be really helpful so that we can see the full benefits. I think if we're looking

619
00:49:22,580 --> 00:49:30,240
at $10 a square foot we're not going to get the full benefits that the $15 model showed so really

620
00:49:30,240 --> 00:49:35,000
interested to see what you guys come back with. Since they don't have any other hands raised,

621
00:49:35,160 --> 00:49:38,960
I'll just, oh, sure, Director Katz, and then I'll proceed with my questions.

622
00:49:40,320 --> 00:49:45,320
Is this program coming out of our turf replacement and our conservation program?

623
00:49:46,640 --> 00:49:53,200
Was that a yes? Yes, sorry. And do we use someone like Rain Plan for our own

624
00:49:54,000 --> 00:49:58,940
conservation and turf replacement program? We've never used a company like Rain Plan before.

625
00:49:58,940 --> 00:50:01,460
or you never done anything like this before,

626
00:50:01,720 --> 00:50:05,680
so this is another piece of the pilot that we get to try out

627
00:50:05,680 --> 00:50:08,240
and see if it's something we might be able to scale up

628
00:50:08,240 --> 00:50:08,840
in the future.

629
00:50:11,420 --> 00:50:15,360
It sort of, when this came forward to us in May,

630
00:50:16,280 --> 00:50:19,540
it seemed like the committee was in favor

631
00:50:19,540 --> 00:50:23,860
of moving forward and wanted met staff to look at it

632
00:50:23,860 --> 00:50:25,600
and see how to make this all work.

633
00:50:25,600 --> 00:50:32,780
work. I'm just so surprised that it's taken this long and that it's getting to be so

634
00:50:32,780 --> 00:50:40,320
complicated. It's coming out of a program that we already have and I don't know why we

635
00:50:40,320 --> 00:50:46,440
can't just be doing a demonstration project on storm order which is badly needed and see

636
00:50:46,440 --> 00:50:53,400
if it works. And I really am just baffled though why it's taken so long for me until now

637
00:50:53,400 --> 00:50:56,160
and they're not coming back until January or February.

638
00:50:59,880 --> 00:51:01,540
Director Katz, I appreciate your urgency.

639
00:51:01,820 --> 00:51:02,700
Thank you for those comments.

640
00:51:04,620 --> 00:51:05,840
And I support them.

641
00:51:07,720 --> 00:51:09,720
A couple more questions that I had.

642
00:51:11,820 --> 00:51:17,360
We talked about, you mentioned you were looking at other additional partners.

643
00:51:18,660 --> 00:51:20,280
Potential funding partners, I hope.

644
00:51:20,360 --> 00:51:25,600
I was wondering if you could expand upon the work that's been done to identify additional partners

645
00:51:25,600 --> 00:51:27,180
and who you might be thinking of.

646
00:51:28,100 --> 00:51:31,440
Oh, that was in reference to potentially the member agency

647
00:51:31,440 --> 00:51:34,280
and then any associated, depending on the member agency chosen,

648
00:51:34,820 --> 00:51:38,400
retail agencies that may also fall into the selected pilot area

649
00:51:38,400 --> 00:51:41,720
so that if they wanted to contribute to this,

650
00:51:41,960 --> 00:51:45,100
we would be able to do that as well as any kind work

651
00:51:45,100 --> 00:51:48,340
from community-based organizations, nonprofits

652
00:51:49,760 --> 00:51:51,000
would also be a part of that.

653
00:51:52,060 --> 00:51:54,060
There are a lot of incredible benefits

654
00:51:54,060 --> 00:51:56,260
that can come from this project that were identified

655
00:51:56,260 --> 00:51:59,020
in the initial presentation, biodiversity, other things.

656
00:51:59,460 --> 00:52:03,980
I think it might be worthwhile to contact other agencies

657
00:52:03,980 --> 00:52:05,580
that may have grant funding available

658
00:52:05,580 --> 00:52:08,040
to help support this work to offset some of the costs

659
00:52:08,040 --> 00:52:12,080
or to build up to that, towards that $15 per square foot.

660
00:52:13,500 --> 00:52:15,460
I believe some of those were identified

661
00:52:15,460 --> 00:52:18,300
in the presentation, I think it would be helpful.

662
00:52:18,680 --> 00:52:23,300
I'm not sure if Arla worked with any of those organizations

663
00:52:23,300 --> 00:52:28,880
during the report that you paired, but I think it might be helpful for met staff to continue

664
00:52:28,880 --> 00:52:32,300
conversations to see if there are additional funding partners that might be able to contribute

665
00:52:32,300 --> 00:52:33,040
to the project.

666
00:52:34,600 --> 00:52:36,900
Would that be, can I make that direction?

667
00:52:38,580 --> 00:52:42,160
Is there any objection to us looking for additional funding partners?

668
00:52:42,780 --> 00:52:43,180
Okay, great.

669
00:52:45,480 --> 00:52:55,320
I mean, and then I would love a little bit more information on the data, the plans for monitoring and data analysis.

670
00:52:55,760 --> 00:52:59,340
So you mentioned hiring a third party firm.

671
00:53:00,380 --> 00:53:08,020
Can you talk a little bit more about the monitoring plan and the identification of what, who that data analysis firm might be?

672
00:53:08,860 --> 00:53:14,700
Yes, so we do have two firms that we are already under contract with or other teams in WRM

673
00:53:14,700 --> 00:53:20,220
do have active contracts with. So we would be probably going to them first to see if this is

674
00:53:20,220 --> 00:53:26,360
work that fits within those existing agreements. If not, we'll have to do an RFP for this work.

675
00:53:26,920 --> 00:53:32,040
And as I said, we want to get them on early so that we can get the full list of the co-benefits and

676
00:53:32,040 --> 00:53:35,580
exactly what it is we're going to be analyzing and the data that we would need to collect.

677
00:53:35,580 --> 00:53:41,380
brain plan is going to be part of that. They do data analysis and collection for other entities

678
00:53:41,380 --> 00:53:45,120
and other parts of the country. So they have experience in that as well. So it will be a

679
00:53:45,120 --> 00:53:50,440
team effort between metropolitan staff, public works, brain plan, and the third-party data

680
00:53:50,440 --> 00:53:56,140
consultant that we hire to list out the variables that we will be testing, the methodology that

681
00:53:56,140 --> 00:53:59,740
will come from that, and then ensuring that that is what we receive in our final report.

682
00:54:00,740 --> 00:54:05,460
Great. I think because of the broad spectrum of benefits that could come from this, it

683
00:54:05,460 --> 00:54:09,740
It'll be really great to make sure that there are experts in the room on each of those.

684
00:54:10,700 --> 00:54:14,580
So if that goes, some of those benefits go beyond the expertise of our existing data

685
00:54:14,580 --> 00:54:19,620
analysis firms or rain plan, I would love to see the addition of experts in those fields

686
00:54:19,620 --> 00:54:24,100
to make sure we're quantifying what we're seeing in the results.

687
00:54:24,580 --> 00:54:26,020
So thank you for that.

688
00:54:26,380 --> 00:54:29,020
Let me just double check my little list here, apologies.

689
00:54:29,300 --> 00:54:31,860
That was a great, you covered a lot, so great, great job.

690
00:54:31,860 --> 00:54:36,220
I think they're just Eccles-Hen as we begin.

691
00:54:36,840 --> 00:54:38,380
Oh, well, thank you for that.

692
00:54:38,880 --> 00:54:39,840
While I'm looking through my notes,

693
00:54:40,040 --> 00:54:41,100
I will call on Dr. Eccles.

694
00:54:42,720 --> 00:54:44,880
Thank you for second shot at this.

695
00:54:45,600 --> 00:54:50,260
And this is just a friendly reminder to Director Katz.

696
00:54:50,300 --> 00:54:52,260
When this originally came to the committee,

697
00:54:52,580 --> 00:54:58,240
there were several of us who were very concerned

698
00:54:58,240 --> 00:55:04,880
with the cost proposal of this program and it was somewhere in the order of

699
00:55:04,880 --> 00:55:11,860
$15,000 to $18,000 per parcel. If the funding comes from other sources, I guess I

700
00:55:11,860 --> 00:55:16,960
don't have a problem with it but that issue was expressed not only by me but

701
00:55:16,960 --> 00:55:23,860
other directors. So I just wanted to reflect that the original program did not

702
00:55:23,860 --> 00:55:29,880
have full support and that's why I think it was kind of sent back before a review.

703
00:55:30,740 --> 00:55:36,020
Now once again it is a pilot program and so there are reasons why you would support

704
00:55:36,020 --> 00:55:42,360
a pilot program for benefits but remember we're trying to characterize this as a stormwater

705
00:55:42,360 --> 00:55:51,380
capture program and I very carefully read the Arla proposal several times and I think

706
00:55:51,380 --> 00:56:01,220
I think that report was a very, very, very, very optimistic prescription of all kinds

707
00:56:01,220 --> 00:56:01,780
of benefits.

708
00:56:02,260 --> 00:56:08,360
And in my opinion, it was a bit out of line, and that's why I was hoping that staff

709
00:56:08,360 --> 00:56:13,760
continuing to work with us, it would be paired back a bit to be something more in line with

710
00:56:13,760 --> 00:56:20,420
the stormwater capture program as opposed to all the other benefits that were captured in

711
00:56:20,420 --> 00:56:23,560
that original proposal and sort of what I'm hearing today

712
00:56:23,560 --> 00:56:25,780
as it's trying to be pulled back the other way now.

713
00:56:25,940 --> 00:56:30,080
So just as a single director for the record

714
00:56:30,580 --> 00:56:31,480
and for this committee,

715
00:56:31,600 --> 00:56:34,480
I'm just gonna echo my opposition to the director

716
00:56:34,480 --> 00:56:36,380
direction that this is heading right now.

717
00:56:36,620 --> 00:56:37,000
Thank you.

718
00:56:38,500 --> 00:56:39,680
Thank you, director Seckle.

719
00:56:39,820 --> 00:56:41,620
I think it is appropriate for agencies

720
00:56:41,620 --> 00:56:46,060
to put in money that is sort of equivalent

721
00:56:46,060 --> 00:56:47,960
to the benefits that they will receive.

722
00:56:48,140 --> 00:56:49,400
And that is why I made the suggestion

723
00:56:49,400 --> 00:57:08,980
that when we're looking at trying to get to some of these other benefits co-benefits that could come out of this we also look for additional funding partners that focus in those areas so that we could round out the full benefits of a pilot project like this. So I hope that addresses some of your concerns.

724
00:57:09,580 --> 00:57:14,120
Yes, do. Hello, Devon. Good afternoon.

725
00:57:17,560 --> 00:57:21,120
Gosh, I'm trying to figure out how best to articulate

726
00:57:21,120 --> 00:57:29,400
this. The first thing that I would say is I do want to praise the staff team for trying

727
00:57:31,020 --> 00:57:38,520
to be aggressive with this and to bend in ways that allow us to do something that we haven't

728
00:57:38,520 --> 00:57:40,960
done in the past. I think you guys have been very creative.

729
00:57:43,320 --> 00:57:48,160
The taking a step back and trying to sort of act almost like a third party listening

730
00:57:48,160 --> 00:57:56,580
to this conversation, I don't see unanimity. And that gives me some concern. When we went

731
00:57:56,580 --> 00:58:04,120
out the gate on this, we were trying to be innovative with another party, LA County Public

732
00:58:04,120 --> 00:58:08,980
work that was willing to put significant money in, but they need to see the benefits of

733
00:58:08,980 --> 00:58:13,860
that money in LA County. That's why it's there. The external funding partner we're working

734
00:58:13,860 --> 00:58:20,300
with is only in LA County. So knowing that, the staff team from an equity perspective has

735
00:58:20,300 --> 00:58:28,220
tried to craft a program that has our funding largely the same as it is for the funding for

736
00:58:28,220 --> 00:58:32,820
other work that's going on in other counties. And then we're piggybacking with the funding

737
00:58:32,820 --> 00:58:40,680
from public works to get maybe not to the 15, but significantly higher funding per square

738
00:58:40,680 --> 00:58:43,000
foot that helps with the stormwater element.

739
00:58:44,500 --> 00:58:50,880
Ellie County is another large bureaucracy, they don't move quickly and that has been part

740
00:58:50,880 --> 00:58:52,240
of the challenge here.

741
00:58:53,660 --> 00:59:00,920
But there are other ways to cut this, I mean if the board felt so strongly that you wanted

742
00:59:00,920 --> 00:59:07,360
to see $15 a square foot going from Metropolitan or partnered, you know, half of that by Metropolitan,

743
00:59:08,140 --> 00:59:15,320
we could produce that. But it would be very expensive. And I think the staff team has been reacting

744
00:59:15,320 --> 00:59:23,240
to that to try to bring something balanced. So, Director Katz, I hear the sense of frustration in

745
00:59:23,240 --> 00:59:31,620
your voice about how long it has taken, and I need you to understand how hard the staff

746
00:59:31,620 --> 00:59:36,120
team has been working not only internally but with external partners to try to get this

747
00:59:36,120 --> 00:59:40,860
across the finish line in an equitable way, and that's what they're trying to balance.

748
00:59:46,160 --> 00:59:46,840
Thank you.

749
00:59:48,500 --> 00:59:50,080
Oh, we've got a few other hands.

750
00:59:50,200 --> 00:59:51,160
I see Director Sutcle.

751
00:59:51,220 --> 00:59:51,840
Your hand is still up.

752
00:59:51,880 --> 00:59:52,800
Is that a legacy hand?

753
00:59:54,040 --> 00:59:54,320
Okay.

754
00:59:54,820 --> 00:59:55,740
Director Pressman?

755
00:59:57,300 --> 00:59:58,040
Thank you, Chair.

756
00:59:58,140 --> 00:59:58,220
Good.

757
00:59:59,220 --> 00:59:59,980
I just want to

758
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:28,460
We want to be sure that when we discuss this in the future, this is all placed within the camp for water process. I think it's a mistake for us to consider this independently of the entire portfolio that we're going to be moving forward with. Thank you. Thank you, Director Pressman. And I think if we move beyond a pilot program to a full-fledged program, that does make a lot of sense.

759
01:00:29,120 --> 01:00:36,540
I'm sorry. My point is as a pilot as well. Money is money. And if we're going to spend it,

760
01:00:36,620 --> 01:00:42,240
we have to determine whether or not this is where we're going to be moving forward with

761
01:00:42,240 --> 01:00:49,500
our future water portfolio. So I'm sorry, I don't agree direct to the point that it matters

762
01:00:49,500 --> 01:00:50,360
that it's a pilot.

763
01:00:50,360 --> 01:00:58,800
But I want to remind everybody that this is coming from existing budget and this is an unusual

764
01:00:59,320 --> 01:01:01,340
unprecedented opportunity to get matched.

765
01:01:01,860 --> 01:01:09,420
So if everybody wants to turn their back on an unprecedented opportunity to partner with

766
01:01:09,420 --> 01:01:16,660
the largest populated county in California, then fine, I can just tell you having been in

767
01:01:16,660 --> 01:01:22,880
feel for over 40 years and it can happen again, you know, if that's our mentality here.

768
01:01:23,180 --> 01:01:31,380
So this is devolved into a pretty disturbing discussion and I think we're better off.

769
01:01:32,200 --> 01:01:37,360
Let's wait until staff can provide some answers to some questions.

770
01:01:37,720 --> 01:01:42,440
I think unfortunately staff you're hearing there's no detail too small for this committee to

771
01:01:42,440 --> 01:01:49,340
review, so make sure that that final report that we all vote on, Brandon, etc., in January,

772
01:01:49,900 --> 01:01:54,900
really covers all the bases, deals with many of the things Devon was saying, I'm like,

773
01:01:55,000 --> 01:01:59,320
my gosh, you're asking us to do the impossible here, and pleasing all sides here.

774
01:02:00,000 --> 01:02:06,000
But also in the context of like the other storm water program, it's a pilot, unlike the

775
01:02:06,000 --> 01:02:11,940
other storm water program, it's out of existing budget that is already allocated for landscape

776
01:02:11,940 --> 01:02:17,180
transformation and I we have a lot of other stuff to get to so I hope we can move on quickly.

777
01:02:19,470 --> 01:02:20,190
Mr. Chair.

778
01:02:21,510 --> 01:02:29,190
I kind of have to agree with Vice Chair Pressman but from the perspective that I think Chair

779
01:02:29,190 --> 01:02:38,770
Quint said we need data. I don't know how we evaluate something in avoid and we have data on the traditional

780
01:02:38,770 --> 01:02:42,590
for placement program, here's another angle to it.

781
01:02:43,010 --> 01:02:46,690
And I think we get to compare between the traditional one

782
01:02:46,690 --> 01:02:48,890
and the data yielded by this project.

783
01:02:49,150 --> 01:02:51,450
And especially when we're dealing with the budget

784
01:02:51,450 --> 01:02:54,290
and with the future where we have to think about equity,

785
01:02:55,250 --> 01:02:57,950
I think this is innovative in the way that it's bending

786
01:02:57,950 --> 01:03:01,830
to try to figure that out from the metropolitan perspective

787
01:03:01,830 --> 01:03:04,270
because we know we can't do that like through a local

788
01:03:04,270 --> 01:03:04,910
do

789
01:03:08,970 --> 01:03:09,650
something here.

790
01:03:09,650 --> 01:03:15,530
And so I want to give praise to the staff for trying so hard and as Devon said, you know,

791
01:03:15,730 --> 01:03:18,610
looking at the fact there's no unanimity, but a lot of ideas.

792
01:03:19,030 --> 01:03:19,310
Thank you.

793
01:03:20,130 --> 01:03:20,710
Thank you.

794
01:03:20,750 --> 01:03:25,590
I'll just wrap this up by also sharing our, I'll leave another one.

795
01:03:25,970 --> 01:03:26,290
Someone else?

796
01:03:27,130 --> 01:03:27,230
Oh.

797
01:03:28,050 --> 01:03:28,490
Okay.

798
01:03:29,030 --> 01:03:29,470
Sorry.

799
01:03:29,690 --> 01:03:30,270
It's hard with the hands.

800
01:03:30,370 --> 01:03:31,610
I missed the iPads.

801
01:03:31,990 --> 01:03:32,210
Sorry.

802
01:03:32,410 --> 01:03:33,470
I'll be very brief.

803
01:03:34,490 --> 01:03:39,150
And I'll admit I'm very biased because for sticking from Long Beach and everything she touched

804
01:03:39,150 --> 01:03:44,070
turned to gold. So I just want to say thank you for your report. I have a question. Is this

805
01:03:44,070 --> 01:03:48,470
similar in any way to the work that Metropolitan did with Rancho Los Serritos?

806
01:03:49,730 --> 01:03:57,430
That was more of a one-off program. This is trying to push it into our regional

807
01:03:57,430 --> 01:04:03,110
turf or placement program and really pilot the possibility of incorporating additional partners

808
01:04:03,110 --> 01:04:07,790
into regional turf or placement and as the way the program currently exists. So that would be

809
01:04:07,790 --> 01:04:08,670
the main difference between.

810
01:04:08,750 --> 01:04:08,890
Okay.

811
01:04:09,110 --> 01:04:14,110
But there, Metropolitan, we had the city, our utility department wasn't even involved

812
01:04:14,110 --> 01:04:14,890
materially.

813
01:04:15,010 --> 01:04:16,910
It was, they did some other labor even.

814
01:04:16,910 --> 01:04:17,470
But they're in kind.

815
01:04:17,670 --> 01:04:17,710
Yes.

816
01:04:17,770 --> 01:04:19,170
That's the port also came in.

817
01:04:19,290 --> 01:04:19,370
Right.

818
01:04:19,450 --> 01:04:20,810
We had the beauty of that.

819
01:04:21,310 --> 01:04:26,690
Going to do a chair or take a question, I understand that.

820
01:04:27,110 --> 01:04:32,770
If it were to be a situation like, say, Compton and maybe Long Beach partnering, you have to

821
01:04:32,770 --> 01:04:36,750
look at, are there some costs with regards to labor that have to be looked at too?

822
01:04:36,750 --> 01:04:47,110
So does a San Fernando does a Compton have the labor that the people that they need to implement this or would that be another consideration that would have to be included in that?

823
01:04:47,930 --> 01:05:00,910
That would be something we'd have to look at. We do have the expectation from our training classes that we already have professionals that we do have enough professionals to do the labor required in any part of LA County.

824
01:05:01,470 --> 01:05:05,250
But we do not we won't know that for sure until we push out the pilot.

825
01:05:06,370 --> 01:05:10,490
Okay, I don't see any downside to this, I'm not really a financial person, so this all

826
01:05:10,490 --> 01:05:12,710
looks really good to me when I'm reading it over again.

827
01:05:13,490 --> 01:05:15,410
And I would love to see if we do move forward.

828
01:05:15,650 --> 01:05:21,530
If we do look at the possibility of having partnerships with an agency that don't have the dollars

829
01:05:21,530 --> 01:05:25,950
or the wherewithal to do this, there would be some sort of a best practices that we can look

830
01:05:25,950 --> 01:05:26,150
at.

831
01:05:26,610 --> 01:05:26,990
Thank you.

832
01:05:28,570 --> 01:05:29,610
Yes, Mr. Bernarski.

833
01:05:29,770 --> 01:05:30,970
Thank you.

834
01:05:30,970 --> 01:05:43,790
So clearly there's been a robust discussion here this afternoon about this program, and I think I would just want to confirm that staff is going to be on the right track to make sure that we meet all of your needs if are coming back in January.

835
01:05:44,290 --> 01:06:00,150
Typically with this much discussion on an item, we would bring back a secondary info item that would be our best attempt at trying to pull together all of the comments that we've heard here that would set the pathway for an action item the next month after that.

836
01:06:00,150 --> 01:06:03,950
So, you know, that would leave us with two steps.

837
01:06:04,250 --> 01:06:09,230
January info item, we try to capture all the comments here and lay out the proposed program,

838
01:06:09,330 --> 01:06:16,390
followed by say a February action item, or the alternative approach to address Director Katz's question about trying to move quickly would be,

839
01:06:16,850 --> 01:06:21,450
we'll take our best crack at putting together the comments into a final action item for January.

840
01:06:21,850 --> 01:06:27,950
I guess what I'm just looking for is to help staff understand what the objective is and the timing for that,

841
01:06:27,950 --> 01:06:29,990
and how to move forward best to meet your goals.

842
01:06:30,410 --> 01:06:32,750
I think we've had a couple different presentations on this,

843
01:06:33,070 --> 01:06:36,550
and I think it might be healthiest for us to have an action item

844
01:06:36,550 --> 01:06:38,490
for us to discuss with some specifics.

845
01:06:38,830 --> 01:06:40,550
So we can move towards that.

846
01:06:40,550 --> 01:06:43,090
Is there any opposition, maybe your opposition to that?

847
01:06:43,730 --> 01:06:43,930
Okay.

848
01:06:44,770 --> 01:06:45,650
Thank you so much.

849
01:06:47,130 --> 01:06:50,090
Christa, Ms. Guerrero, I'm sorry, I'm getting used to this.

850
01:06:50,830 --> 01:06:53,950
Thank you for all of the hard work for you and your team

851
01:06:53,950 --> 01:06:54,810
on putting this together.

852
01:06:55,090 --> 01:06:57,370
I know that it's been a heavy lift

853
01:06:57,370 --> 01:07:02,570
and we're all really excited to see some of these final details come together, so thank you.

854
01:07:08,770 --> 01:07:13,130
One more information item, Mr. Goshe, would you please introduce item 9-4?

855
01:07:17,220 --> 01:07:22,920
Yes, thanks, Chair Quinn. Item 9-4 is an update on the proposed extension of the UBA Accord

856
01:07:22,920 --> 01:07:27,080
long-term water transfer program and amendment to the agreement with the California Department

857
01:07:27,080 --> 01:07:33,780
of Water Resources. Just as a quick background, we have a long-standing water transfer agreement

858
01:07:33,780 --> 01:07:36,820
with that resulted from the UBA Accord.

859
01:07:37,400 --> 01:07:39,360
That's administered to the State Water Contractors

860
01:07:39,360 --> 01:07:40,880
through the Department of Water Resources.

861
01:07:41,840 --> 01:07:46,060
That longstanding agreement is expiring at the end of this year

862
01:07:46,420 --> 01:07:48,980
and staff has been engaged with the department

863
01:07:48,980 --> 01:07:54,360
and the UBA parties on an extension to that agreement

864
01:07:54,360 --> 01:07:57,380
and some new terms associated with that agreement.

865
01:07:58,100 --> 01:08:00,640
That action is gonna be brought to this board in December

866
01:08:00,640 --> 01:08:03,420
and so this information item will help prepare

867
01:08:03,420 --> 01:08:09,040
for that action item. Jessica Arm, who is a resource specialist in WRM's supply acquisition team,

868
01:08:09,040 --> 01:08:15,220
will present the item on the UBA Corps. Thanks. Thank you, Brennan. Good afternoon, Chair Quinn,

869
01:08:15,320 --> 01:08:20,540
and members of the committee. Today, I am providing information on the proposed extension of the UBA

870
01:08:20,540 --> 01:08:25,540
Accord Long-Term Water Transfer Program and the amendment to the agreement with DWR.

871
01:08:30,130 --> 01:08:30,730
Before we get

872
01:08:30,730 --> 01:08:35,350
started, I would just like to set the stage by sharing this beautiful image of the UBA River.

873
01:08:35,350 --> 01:08:40,730
Our UBA transfer program helps to maintain flows in the UBA, meaning that we could continue

874
01:08:40,730 --> 01:08:45,010
to enjoy these swimming holes and the beautiful views that the UBA has to offer for years

875
01:08:45,010 --> 01:08:45,330
to come.

876
01:08:48,450 --> 01:08:52,010
Our UBA transfer program would not exist without the UBA River Accord.

877
01:08:52,630 --> 01:08:57,690
Implemented by the UBA County Water Agency, it was formed through a settlement to resolve

878
01:08:57,690 --> 01:09:02,650
issues associated with the UBA River Development Project, which is a hydro power facility.

879
01:09:02,650 --> 01:09:07,470
and the UBA Accord is made up of several agreements that work together to protect

880
01:09:07,470 --> 01:09:13,610
UBA River flows. Agreements for river regulations are established to maintain

881
01:09:13,610 --> 01:09:18,910
in-stream flows for fisheries. Conjunctive use agreements where farmers pump

882
01:09:18,910 --> 01:09:23,170
groundwater instead of drawing down from the stream leave more water in the UBA.

883
01:09:23,890 --> 01:09:28,030
As do the water purchase agreements where supplies are left in-stream for

884
01:09:28,030 --> 01:09:32,030
downstream purchasers, such as DWR and other third parties.

885
01:09:33,010 --> 01:09:37,870
And the revenue from the water transfers go towards projects and programs that support

886
01:09:37,870 --> 01:09:41,570
things such as in-stream flows and UBA County's infrastructure needs.

887
01:09:45,280 --> 01:09:51,080
DWR has a water purchase agreement with UBA and through that agreement DWR purchases storage

888
01:09:51,080 --> 01:09:56,280
or groundwater substitution supplies and offers those supplies to participating state water

889
01:09:56,280 --> 01:10:02,280
contractors and the San Luis Delta and Dota Water Authority. And suppliers split 50-50

890
01:10:02,710 --> 01:10:08,600
between the authority and the participating contractors. Metropolitan is a

891
01:10:08,600 --> 01:10:13,000
participating state water contractor and we have the Dry Year Water Purchase

892
01:10:13,000 --> 01:10:18,600
Program Agreement with DWR to purchase UVA supplies. This agreement was authorized

893
01:10:18,600 --> 01:10:23,320
in 2007 and provides supplies for metropolitan to maintain regional

894
01:10:23,320 --> 01:10:29,640
reliability and both the DWR UBA Agreement and the Metropolitan DWR Agreement

895
01:10:29,640 --> 01:10:31,260
terminate at the end of this year.

896
01:10:34,460 --> 01:10:36,520
UBA County is located just south of Lake

897
01:10:36,520 --> 01:10:40,240
Orville, which as you all know is a reservoir on the Feather River that

898
01:10:40,240 --> 01:10:46,100
stores state water project supplies. The UBA River is a tributary to the Feather

899
01:10:46,100 --> 01:10:50,020
River and joins the Feather just downstream of where Orville Supplies are

900
01:10:50,020 --> 01:10:55,280
released. UBA County Water Agency regulates flows on the UBA River through new

901
01:10:55,280 --> 01:10:56,520
Bullards Bar Reservoir.

902
01:10:57,060 --> 01:11:02,400
And this reservoir can be re-operated to create additional supplies, and these supplies are

903
01:11:02,400 --> 01:11:06,580
referred to as the storage component supplies in our UBA transfer agreement.

904
01:11:07,360 --> 01:11:12,340
More water could also be left in the reservoir when UBA's member units substitute groundwater

905
01:11:12,340 --> 01:11:13,380
for surface water.

906
01:11:13,960 --> 01:11:18,320
And UBA makes these supplies available by releases through a new Bullards Bar Reservoir.

907
01:11:19,140 --> 01:11:24,700
The supplies join the feather river and flow into the delta, and when water can flow through

908
01:11:24,700 --> 01:11:29,800
being pumping plant from July through November, it becomes available for purchase by DWR.

909
01:11:31,690 --> 01:11:37,220
And DWR sells 50% of those supplies to San Luis Delta Mendoza Water Authority.

910
01:11:37,780 --> 01:11:43,740
The other 50% are distributed to the participating state water contractors based on their

911
01:11:43,740 --> 01:11:48,980
table A allocation and metropolitan gets about 24% of the total purchased supplies.

912
01:11:51,600 --> 01:11:56,540
This slide shows metropolitan's purchases of UBA supplies since the start of the program

913
01:11:56,540 --> 01:11:57,460
in 2008.

914
01:11:58,160 --> 01:12:04,560
We have purchased 253,000 acre fee, although a percentage of that is deducted due to delta

915
01:12:04,560 --> 01:12:05,380
carriage losses.

916
01:12:06,400 --> 01:12:11,160
And metropolitan only pays for supplies if there is capacity to move those supplies through

917
01:12:11,160 --> 01:12:11,480
the delta.

918
01:12:14,560 --> 01:12:16,480
So let's take a look at the agreement terms.

919
01:12:18,340 --> 01:12:21,160
Our existing agreement terminates at the end of this year.

920
01:12:21,160 --> 01:12:28,060
Supplies available for purchase are either produced from reservoir re-operation or from groundwater substitution.

921
01:12:29,040 --> 01:12:37,080
And our storage component supplies currently range from $64 to $470, $447 per acre foot,

922
01:12:37,540 --> 01:12:38,860
depending on the water year type.

923
01:12:39,520 --> 01:12:48,840
If we are in a dry or critically dry year, we receive a 20% discount on the initial quantities available for purchase.

924
01:12:49,820 --> 01:12:56,220
And on the other hand, the groundwater substitution supply costs are negotiated every year.

925
01:12:58,610 --> 01:13:03,950
The adult to carriage losses of about 20 to 35% are taken out of the purchase supplies.

926
01:13:05,210 --> 01:13:11,130
And UBA is required to provide 60,000 acre feet to DWR before they're able to sell 10,000

927
01:13:11,130 --> 01:13:13,270
acre feet to other third parties.

928
01:13:16,510 --> 01:13:21,530
So in this proposed amendment, you could see the key changes indicated by the green stars.

929
01:13:21,530 --> 01:13:29,890
The amendment would extend the program out through 2050, and the cost of the storage

930
01:13:29,890 --> 01:13:37,530
component supplies would increase to $75 to $525 per acre foot, which represents an annual

931
01:13:37,530 --> 01:13:42,910
escalation of 3.25 percent since the last time the storage component prices were negotiated

932
01:13:42,910 --> 01:13:43,750
in 2020.

933
01:13:44,890 --> 01:13:50,130
And one new thing in this amendment is that UBO would be responsible for the streamflow

934
01:13:50,130 --> 01:13:53,830
So depletion losses associated with the groundwater substitution supplies.

935
01:13:54,510 --> 01:13:58,970
And in the existing agreement, streamflow depletion losses were not considered at all.

936
01:14:00,310 --> 01:14:08,970
And finally, UBA would provide 30,000 acre feet to the participating contractors before

937
01:14:08,970 --> 01:14:12,150
they're able to sell 10,000 acre feet to other third parties.

938
01:14:12,150 --> 01:14:15,790
And that is a 30,000 acre feet reduction from the existing agreement.

939
01:14:15,790 --> 01:14:16,730
So

940
01:14:20,730 --> 01:14:24,330
going forward, staff will be returning to your board in December for authorization

941
01:14:24,330 --> 01:14:30,270
to amend our agreement with DWR, and if approved, our agreement would extend out through

942
01:14:30,270 --> 01:14:31,290
the end of 2050.

943
01:14:32,030 --> 01:14:37,370
We would be required to renegotiate the cost of the storage component supplies every 5 years.

944
01:14:40,440 --> 01:14:46,020
So in summary, the transfer program is a successful partnership between environmental, agricultural

945
01:14:46,020 --> 01:14:47,680
cultural and urban interest.

946
01:14:48,040 --> 01:14:51,780
It provides benefits to the participating state water contractors,

947
01:14:52,620 --> 01:14:54,640
San Luis Dalton and Dota Water Authority,

948
01:14:55,200 --> 01:14:57,240
other third parties who purchase supplies,

949
01:14:57,880 --> 01:14:59,660
UBA fisheries, UBA farmer.

950
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:01,760
Members, annuvas, infrastructure.

951
01:15:03,820 --> 01:15:07,160
Metropolitans agreement with DWR provides valuable, dry-year

952
01:15:07,160 --> 01:15:15,120
supplies to metropolitan with a total of 253,000 acre-feet purchased to date. And although this

953
01:15:15,640 --> 01:15:19,780
existing program agreement terminates at the end of the year, the amendment would extend

954
01:15:19,780 --> 01:15:25,140
the program out through the end of 2050. And staff will be returning to your board in just

955
01:15:25,140 --> 01:15:32,140
Just a few weeks to request authorization to extend this agreement, and that concludes

956
01:15:32,140 --> 01:15:32,840
my presentation.

957
01:15:33,940 --> 01:15:34,420
Thank you.

958
01:15:34,540 --> 01:15:35,960
Do we have any questions?

959
01:15:37,540 --> 01:15:38,580
Any hands?

960
01:15:39,500 --> 01:15:39,720
All right.

961
01:15:40,100 --> 01:15:40,900
I don't see any.

962
01:15:41,720 --> 01:15:42,840
Thank you so much for the presentation.

963
01:15:44,380 --> 01:15:49,280
At this time, I'm going to turn the meeting over to the chair of our subcommittee on imported

964
01:15:49,280 --> 01:15:49,700
water.

965
01:15:50,320 --> 01:15:50,920
Director Gold.

966
01:15:51,380 --> 01:15:51,660
Chair Gold.

967
01:15:51,660 --> 01:16:02,980
All right, so moving on to committee items, just a reminder to everyone on 60, the update

968
01:16:02,980 --> 01:16:07,000
on the Colorado River Negotiations and protection of Mets, Colorado River Water Rights.

969
01:16:07,440 --> 01:16:17,320
That will be taken in a closed session after item 8, so just so everyone can manage that appropriately.

970
01:16:18,280 --> 01:16:24,500
So that means let's start with 6A, the Delta Convince Project Delta Plan Certification

971
01:16:24,500 --> 01:16:25,420
of Consistency.

972
01:16:26,220 --> 01:16:27,700
Thank you, Chair Gold.

973
01:16:28,400 --> 01:16:32,040
I'm pleased to have Jim Neville present on this item.

974
01:16:32,660 --> 01:16:37,900
And we thought that this was timely, the DWR just recently in October submitted their

975
01:16:37,900 --> 01:16:39,720
certification of consistency.

976
01:16:40,420 --> 01:16:43,940
And we thought we would do a deeper dive because it is a quirky process.

977
01:16:44,640 --> 01:16:49,700
And so it's not, and some of the quirks are born out of the Delta Reform Act and the Delta Plan.

978
01:16:50,760 --> 01:16:55,120
And so it's kind of an unusual process that is public and it's happening right now.

979
01:16:55,700 --> 01:17:01,020
And I did want to highlight the expertise we have with us in the room to answer any questions.

980
01:17:01,440 --> 01:17:07,280
So Jen Neville's and Robert Horton have worked for many years since the Delta Reform Act passed

981
01:17:07,280 --> 01:17:11,380
on various provisions of the certification of consistency process.

982
01:17:11,380 --> 01:17:14,380
And so I'm pleased to turn it over to Jen.

983
01:17:16,560 --> 01:17:18,820
Thank you, Chair Gold, members of the committees.

984
01:17:19,380 --> 01:17:26,540
This is item 6A, an update on the Delta Convince Project Certification of Consistency with the Delta Plan.

985
01:17:30,750 --> 01:17:36,630
As an overview, I'll provide some context in terms of the overall DCP project planning schedule,

986
01:17:37,070 --> 01:17:43,230
a little bit of background on the Delta Plan, a very high level look at the certification of consistency

987
01:17:43,230 --> 01:17:46,350
and see that was developed and submitted by DWR

988
01:17:46,350 --> 01:17:47,750
for the Delta Convince Project

989
01:17:48,390 --> 01:17:51,570
and an overview of the Delta Stewardship Council certification

990
01:17:52,630 --> 01:17:54,590
process followed by some next steps

991
01:17:54,590 --> 01:17:56,870
in what to expect in the coming months.

992
01:18:00,250 --> 01:18:03,050
In terms of the Delta Convince Project planning schedule,

993
01:18:04,270 --> 01:18:07,590
here we are coming up on the end of 2025.

994
01:18:08,630 --> 01:18:11,110
And we have the two remaining processes shown at the bottom.

995
01:18:11,610 --> 01:18:14,670
So we have the state board water right process,

996
01:18:14,670 --> 01:18:20,010
which is ongoing and staff provided an update on the water

997
01:18:20,010 --> 01:18:22,330
rate process in August, so I won't touch on that today.

998
01:18:23,250 --> 01:18:25,430
And then at the very bottom, we have the Delta Plan

999
01:18:25,430 --> 01:18:29,270
Consistency process, which is a subject of today's presentation.

1000
01:18:30,870 --> 01:18:33,030
So, according to the planning schedule,

1001
01:18:33,270 --> 01:18:37,650
the consistency process was expected to begin around now,

1002
01:18:37,810 --> 01:18:39,570
and conclude by the end of next year.

1003
01:18:40,150 --> 01:18:43,330
So, currently, things are proceeding along that track

1004
01:18:43,330 --> 01:18:44,630
and along that timeline.

1005
01:18:47,820 --> 01:18:51,980
Starting with a little bit of background, most importantly, the Delta Reform Act.

1006
01:18:52,660 --> 01:18:59,840
So the Delta Reform Act of 2009 did a number of things, including establishing the co-equal goals

1007
01:18:59,840 --> 01:19:06,000
of reliable water supply and ecosystem restoration as a state policy for the Delta.

1008
01:19:06,660 --> 01:19:13,960
It also established the Delta Stewardship Council along with some other related processes and entities.

1009
01:19:13,960 --> 01:19:20,340
And the Delta Stewardship Council was tasked with developing and implementing the Delta plan,

1010
01:19:20,700 --> 01:19:24,240
which is the state's plan for how to achieve those collegal goals.

1011
01:19:28,800 --> 01:19:33,420
One of the ways that the Delta plan is implemented is through the certification of covered action

1012
01:19:33,420 --> 01:19:33,980
projects.

1013
01:19:34,960 --> 01:19:41,260
Covered actions are specific actions or projects that are undertaken by state or local agencies

1014
01:19:43,000 --> 01:19:50,000
and occur in whole or in part in the Delta and that significantly affect one or both

1015
01:19:50,000 --> 01:19:51,400
of those colloquial goals.

1016
01:19:52,120 --> 01:19:57,220
To move forward covered action in projects, most of them is very consistent with all

1017
01:19:57,220 --> 01:19:59,240
applicable Delta plan policies.

1018
01:20:00,120 --> 01:20:03,920
So the Delta Stewardship Council is responsible for that process.

1019
01:20:07,560 --> 01:20:12,500
So DWR developed a certification of consistency for the Delta Convince Project.

1020
01:20:12,500 --> 01:20:20,340
The certification addresses each Delta Plan policy and provides substantial evidence in support of its findings.

1021
01:20:21,300 --> 01:20:28,640
DWR also developed an administrative record that includes all of the documents that relied on in developing the certification.

1022
01:20:29,580 --> 01:20:38,620
The administrative record for the certification is quite large, which is appropriate given the scope of the covered action for Delta Convince Project.

1023
01:20:38,620 --> 01:20:42,980
and this substantial evidence of review standard that's applied.

1024
01:20:44,140 --> 01:20:52,300
This slide lists the Delta plan policies that DWR determined were not applicable to Delta conveyance.

1025
01:20:52,940 --> 01:20:58,160
I won't go through them but just to highlight that some are more apparent than others as to whether or not included,

1026
01:20:58,760 --> 01:21:03,240
such as require flood protection of residential development in rural areas.

1027
01:21:03,400 --> 01:21:07,080
This policy applies to new residential developments,

1028
01:21:07,080 --> 01:21:09,900
so not, you know, something that's included in DCP.

1029
01:21:10,700 --> 01:21:12,800
And some are maybe a little bit less clear,

1030
01:21:12,840 --> 01:21:14,360
such as floodplain protection.

1031
01:21:15,300 --> 01:21:17,580
And so DWR provides a detailed justification

1032
01:21:17,960 --> 01:21:20,260
for each decision in their certification.

1033
01:21:21,080 --> 01:21:23,940
And also the explainer document that is attached

1034
01:21:23,940 --> 01:21:27,660
to the committee report has it like the Cliff Notes summary

1035
01:21:27,660 --> 01:21:31,500
for each policy, and I found that to be pretty helpful.

1036
01:21:34,620 --> 01:21:39,020
So the following two slides list all of the Delta plan policies

1037
01:21:39,020 --> 01:21:43,120
that DWR determined do apply to the Delta Convince Project.

1038
01:21:43,780 --> 01:21:49,820
The consistency analysis for each of these policies includes the Delta Plan policy

1039
01:21:49,820 --> 01:21:57,300
regulatory text, detailed findings that provide in-depth and policies specific analysis of

1040
01:21:57,300 --> 01:22:03,100
the covered actions consistency with the policy in question, direct citations to the record,

1041
01:22:03,100 --> 01:22:07,900
and it concludes clearly stating the DWR's final detailed finding.

1042
01:22:08,820 --> 01:22:11,980
Again, I won't go through them all, but to highlight some of the key ones,

1043
01:22:12,760 --> 01:22:15,060
such as reduced reliance on the Delta,

1044
01:22:15,940 --> 01:22:19,180
here the certification for DCP builds on lessons learned

1045
01:22:19,180 --> 01:22:22,200
from the California water fix certification,

1046
01:22:22,720 --> 01:22:28,400
and it includes analysis of reduced reliance that covers more than 250 urban

1047
01:22:28,400 --> 01:22:30,320
and agricultural water suppliers.

1048
01:22:30,320 --> 01:22:37,100
I would say the Delta flow objectives would be another important one to watch on this slide.

1049
01:22:39,740 --> 01:22:45,520
Continuing with that list of applicable policies, one to highlight here is respect local land use

1050
01:22:45,520 --> 01:22:49,040
when citing water or flood facilities or restoring habitats.

1051
01:22:49,760 --> 01:22:53,720
This is another really complicated policy for this certification.

1052
01:22:54,660 --> 01:22:59,080
DWR has taken a very comprehensive approach that incorporates a lot of lessons learned

1053
01:22:59,080 --> 01:23:05,780
from both the California water fix and the lookout slew certification and appeals hearings.

1054
01:23:09,060 --> 01:23:14,040
So in summary, the Delta Convince Project Certification represents a very comprehensive

1055
01:23:14,040 --> 01:23:15,560
and collaborative effort.

1056
01:23:16,180 --> 01:23:22,520
It builds on lessons learned from previous certifications and represents about six or so years

1057
01:23:22,520 --> 01:23:29,740
of collaborative effort between DWR and public water agency experts, as well as early consultation

1058
01:23:29,740 --> 01:23:32,480
with Delta Stewardship Council staff.

1059
01:23:33,300 --> 01:23:39,140
As I mentioned, reduced reliance was one of the big areas of public water agency collaboration.

1060
01:23:40,140 --> 01:23:47,120
A lot of effort went into outreach to get volunteer reporting in the 2020 egg and urban water management plans.

1061
01:23:47,980 --> 01:23:54,380
And then collecting, processing, and analyzing all of that data to demonstrate consistency with that policy.

1062
01:23:54,380 --> 01:24:00,620
The consistency process is on track with the current Delta Convince Project Planning

1063
01:24:00,620 --> 01:24:05,660
Schedule and I'll go over the sort of the process that the certification goes through

1064
01:24:05,660 --> 01:24:09,160
with the council next in that timeline, all

1065
01:24:11,270 --> 01:24:11,450
right.

1066
01:24:12,750 --> 01:24:17,570
So this little diagram sort of walks you through the process for submitting a certification

1067
01:24:18,120 --> 01:24:20,210
and the subsequent appeals procedures.

1068
01:24:20,970 --> 01:24:24,230
And these are all defined in the California Code of Regulations.

1069
01:24:24,230 --> 01:24:30,590
So unlike some of the other planning processes that, you know, DCP goes through, there's

1070
01:24:30,590 --> 01:24:34,630
a definitive process and timeline to this one.

1071
01:24:35,650 --> 01:24:42,030
Once a project proponent officially submits their certification, so the sort of top right

1072
01:24:42,030 --> 01:24:47,690
box there, the clock starts ticking on the rest of the process and the timeline shown here.

1073
01:24:48,530 --> 01:24:54,910
from that point, the appeal and hearing process takes roughly 150 days or a little about

1074
01:24:54,910 --> 01:25:01,190
five months, and concludes with the decision from the Sturgic Council on either dismissing

1075
01:25:01,190 --> 01:25:06,810
all of the appeals or remanding certain parts of the certification back to the project

1076
01:25:06,810 --> 01:25:07,450
proponent.

1077
01:25:10,990 --> 01:25:12,910
Looking at that process timeline for Delta

1078
01:25:12,910 --> 01:25:17,950
Convants, the steps in blue show the things that have been completed, so there was the

1079
01:25:17,950 --> 01:25:24,870
10-day public posting, and the 30-day appealed process was actually ends on today.

1080
01:25:25,910 --> 01:25:30,670
So we expect that the Stewardship Council will receive appeals on today, and we will

1081
01:25:30,670 --> 01:25:35,290
see how many and who appealed in the coming days.

1082
01:25:35,690 --> 01:25:38,770
We do anticipate there will be multiple appeals.

1083
01:25:38,770 --> 01:25:48,510
So based on the procedures and deadlines I went over earlier, whoops, jump in a head.

1084
01:25:50,030 --> 01:25:58,530
An appeals hearing would take place around mid-January and the Stewardship Council would issue a decision on appeals around mid-March.

1085
01:25:59,090 --> 01:26:07,790
If that decision includes remands, those specific remanded items would be addressed by DWR and essentially go through that same process again.

1086
01:26:09,940 --> 01:26:13,820
So, that concludes my presentation, and I'd be happy to take any questions.

1087
01:26:14,640 --> 01:26:15,700
Thanks for your presentation.

1088
01:26:16,180 --> 01:26:18,700
Are there any questions from committee members?

1089
01:26:22,330 --> 01:26:22,810
I'm not hearing one.

1090
01:26:23,010 --> 01:26:29,590
I have one and it's probably going to be a little bit out of left field, deep.

1091
01:26:30,990 --> 01:26:38,650
With the issues on floodplain management and the levies ensuring the map and other flood

1092
01:26:38,650 --> 01:26:45,750
of control issues being deemed in essence or relevant to the process.

1093
01:26:46,630 --> 01:26:52,590
Did we miss an opportunity to sort of at least highlight the importance of the state

1094
01:26:52,590 --> 01:26:57,870
dealing with those issues because they really haven't done much, not as much as they should

1095
01:26:57,870 --> 01:26:58,850
have in those areas.

1096
01:26:59,990 --> 01:27:06,170
Or is it just the process of this, because it's so rare for me to see this consistency process

1097
01:27:06,170 --> 01:27:14,670
for that document. Is it just as narrow as if this was a CEQA document?

1098
01:27:15,770 --> 01:27:20,990
Yeah, generally I think it's fairly narrow. Even on the policies that don't apply,

1099
01:27:21,130 --> 01:27:26,650
there's some discussion that DWR provides their thinking.

1100
01:27:26,950 --> 01:27:31,270
And so it does touch on some of the things that probably not in the way that you're thinking

1101
01:27:31,270 --> 01:27:32,770
or would like to see.

1102
01:27:33,810 --> 01:27:38,430
Yeah, I just looked at the document that was provided earlier today, and it was just like,

1103
01:27:38,490 --> 01:27:41,910
yeah, there's not really much in there other than, nah, we don't think it really applies

1104
01:27:41,910 --> 01:27:46,690
period. And at the same time, I'm going, but they're not. They're not ever applying it,

1105
01:27:46,870 --> 01:27:50,190
you know, to anything they're doing. That's a problem with Delta Management. But,

1106
01:27:51,010 --> 01:27:54,730
anyway, thanks for answering the question. It's kind of what I thought, but I thought I'd

1107
01:27:54,730 --> 01:28:00,110
at least ask you. Yeah, so that would be in the full certification, but... Okay, all right, thank you.

1108
01:28:00,110 --> 01:28:00,190
Yep.

1109
01:28:01,090 --> 01:28:01,490
All right.

1110
01:28:01,910 --> 01:28:07,910
Appreciate the presentation on so next up on web track rights development and potential

1111
01:28:07,910 --> 01:28:09,530
wetland restoration project.

1112
01:28:10,470 --> 01:28:11,550
Thank you, Chair Gold.

1113
01:28:11,790 --> 01:28:16,470
I'm pleased to have Melinda Stalvi present and update on the web track projects.

1114
01:28:16,770 --> 01:28:20,050
And as you'll recall, this item was requested by the board.

1115
01:28:20,170 --> 01:28:24,030
I think ahead of going out to bid for construction on the wetland project.

1116
01:28:24,030 --> 01:28:25,770
So Melinda's here to give you an update.

1117
01:28:26,110 --> 01:28:27,270
So please, Melinda.

1118
01:28:27,710 --> 01:28:28,530
Thank you, Marie.

1119
01:28:28,830 --> 01:28:29,550
Thank you, Chair Gold.

1120
01:28:29,550 --> 01:28:31,130
to your Quinn members of the committees.

1121
01:28:31,730 --> 01:28:35,070
Today's update will provide information

1122
01:28:35,070 --> 01:28:37,450
on the status of the WebTrack Rice Conversion

1123
01:28:37,450 --> 01:28:39,450
and the Wetland Restoration Projects

1124
01:28:39,450 --> 01:28:41,330
with an eye towards informing the board

1125
01:28:41,330 --> 01:28:44,310
about an upcoming release of a big package

1126
01:28:44,310 --> 01:28:46,750
to identify a contractor for the Wetland construction.

1127
01:28:49,960 --> 01:28:52,920
As a reminder, in 2023, Metropolitan Reserve

1128
01:28:52,920 --> 01:28:55,480
awarded a $20.9 million grant

1129
01:28:55,480 --> 01:28:58,260
to convert approximately 1,500 acres to rice

1130
01:28:58,260 --> 01:29:00,940
and up to 3,000 acres to wetland.

1131
01:29:01,860 --> 01:29:05,200
For the rice project, the grant will fund $3,000 per acre,

1132
01:29:05,520 --> 01:29:09,240
up to $4 million to assist a farmer with the significant costs

1133
01:29:09,240 --> 01:29:11,300
to prepare the ground for planting rice.

1134
01:29:12,380 --> 01:29:14,780
For the wetland project, the grant funds design,

1135
01:29:15,120 --> 01:29:19,360
sequa, permitting, and if approved, the construction of the wetland project,

1136
01:29:19,840 --> 01:29:22,460
baseline greenhouse gas monitoring and reporting

1137
01:29:22,460 --> 01:29:24,600
that will be used to generate carbon credits

1138
01:29:24,600 --> 01:29:29,900
from carbon sequestrate sequestered in the rice and wetlands and establishing a baseline

1139
01:29:29,900 --> 01:29:32,620
to measure accretion rates for the subsidence reversal.

1140
01:29:36,080 --> 01:29:40,700
Webtrack is located in Contra Costa County, east of Stockton in south of Highway 12.

1141
01:29:41,340 --> 01:29:44,960
It is completely surrounded by water and accessible only by ferry.

1142
01:29:49,310 --> 01:29:52,870
The board authorized a lease for the rice project in August of 2025.

1143
01:29:52,870 --> 01:29:59,970
Unfortunately, since the board update was posted, these negotiations with the successful RFP.

1144
01:30:19,880 --> 01:30:31,680
We are confident that the new tenant will have enough time to plant the minimum 1,000 acres of rice before the rice portion of the grant expires in the summer of 2020.

1145
01:30:36,010 --> 01:30:40,910
The final design is nearing completion with 99 percent design drawings received today.

1146
01:30:41,530 --> 01:30:47,430
The final design acreage includes approximately 2900 acres of wetland and upland habitat

1147
01:30:47,910 --> 01:30:50,810
that can be used by reptiles, birds, and other species.

1148
01:30:51,550 --> 01:30:56,590
The planned project will meet the goals of the grant that will reverse subsidence, reduce

1149
01:30:56,590 --> 01:31:01,730
greenhouse gas emissions, create food web benefits, and will provide opportunities to explore

1150
01:31:01,730 --> 01:31:03,590
other revenue generating opportunities.

1151
01:31:03,590 --> 01:31:04,670
There

1152
01:31:06,810 --> 01:31:10,230
were a number of design constraints that complicated the design process with the

1153
01:31:10,230 --> 01:31:14,230
most difficult constraint being the access for construction equipment and personnel.

1154
01:31:18,050 --> 01:31:21,710
The wetland was designed with many different depths to maximize the carbon sequestration

1155
01:31:21,710 --> 01:31:22,310
potential.

1156
01:31:22,950 --> 01:31:28,630
One of the unique aspects of this design is that to the maximum extent feasible, the existing

1157
01:31:28,630 --> 01:31:33,090
topography was used to create the berms that hold the water in each of the wetland management

1158
01:31:33,090 --> 01:31:35,950
units, reducing the cost of the project significantly.

1159
01:31:35,950 --> 01:31:40,950
Currently, internal berms were also created with a planned obsolescence in that they will

1160
01:31:40,950 --> 01:31:45,530
hold the water at specific depths to maximize the carbon sequestration potential.

1161
01:31:46,190 --> 01:31:50,730
And as each unit fills in with plant material, the water will overtop those internal berms

1162
01:31:50,730 --> 01:31:55,350
to keep the wetland units expanding, thus the carbon credits that can be generated will

1163
01:31:55,350 --> 01:31:56,710
also increase over time.

1164
01:32:00,460 --> 01:32:04,580
In July, Metropolitan received a statutory exemption through the governor's cutting-the-green

1165
01:32:04,580 --> 01:32:08,660
tape program, and is expecting its first permit from the California Department of Fish

1166
01:32:08,660 --> 01:32:13,300
wildlife to the newly created cutting the green tape restoration management permit within the next

1167
01:32:13,300 --> 01:32:18,040
30 days. Other permit applications have been submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

1168
01:32:18,420 --> 01:32:23,100
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Regional Board. The federal government shutdown is

1169
01:32:23,100 --> 01:32:25,700
causing a delay in the receipt of some of the federal permits.

1170
01:32:32,720 --> 01:32:34,400
See, two eddy covariance towers were

1171
01:32:34,400 --> 01:32:39,480
purchased through the grant that were installed on WebTrack in 2024, and we've just finished our

1172
01:32:39,480 --> 01:32:40,460
first year of measurements.

1173
01:32:43,370 --> 01:32:46,450
The good news for us and not so good for the environment is that

1174
01:32:46,450 --> 01:32:51,130
greenhouse gas emissions emitted from the islands were higher than were originally expected.

1175
01:32:52,030 --> 01:32:56,610
The revenue estimates shown here use the most recent GHD measurements from the island.

1176
01:32:57,650 --> 01:33:02,370
As an aside, the Department of Water Resources recently finished verification of their GHD

1177
01:33:02,370 --> 01:33:06,810
credits on Twitchell Island, and they reported that there were buyers interested in paying the higher

1178
01:33:06,810 --> 01:33:13,910
end of the $30 per metric ton for their carbon credits. Exceeding our initial conservative estimates

1179
01:33:13,910 --> 01:33:15,830
five about $15 per metric ton.

1180
01:33:20,620 --> 01:33:23,580
We're wrapping up final design now and expect the bid package to be

1181
01:33:23,580 --> 01:33:28,740
complete by the end of December. We'll need to go wait to go out to bid until the permits are

1182
01:33:28,740 --> 01:33:35,680
received but as soon as the permits are received we like to release the bid to open the bid solicitation

1183
01:33:35,680 --> 01:33:40,600
immediately with the goal of awarding a construction contract in late spring and construction beginning

1184
01:33:40,600 --> 01:33:47,680
in late spring or early summer of 2026. This concludes my presentation and I'd be happy to answer

1185
01:33:47,680 --> 01:33:48,240
any questions.

1186
01:33:50,910 --> 01:33:54,010
Thank you for that. Do we have any questions from the committee members?

1187
01:34:01,150 --> 01:34:02,390
Director Seckle.

1188
01:34:06,630 --> 01:34:10,090
Thank you Mr. Chairman. Melinda did I understand

1189
01:34:10,090 --> 01:34:18,810
that you said the negotiations on the on the rice lease on the rice farming fell through.

1190
01:34:19,370 --> 01:34:24,610
That's correct director Seckle. So what what are the implications of that?

1191
01:34:25,330 --> 01:34:27,690
Well, it sets us back a little bit in timing.

1192
01:34:28,070 --> 01:34:31,010
We had really hoped to get a rice crop on the ground this year,

1193
01:34:31,270 --> 01:34:33,790
well, in 2026 planted in 2026.

1194
01:34:34,870 --> 01:34:36,610
So it has set us back a little bit.

1195
01:34:36,770 --> 01:34:38,510
We are in negotiations or in discussions,

1196
01:34:38,510 --> 01:34:39,910
I'm sorry, not negotiations yet,

1197
01:34:40,010 --> 01:34:42,370
but we are in discussions with other farming interests

1198
01:34:42,370 --> 01:34:45,630
that are also interested in partnering with us on wet track

1199
01:34:45,630 --> 01:34:47,790
and we're hoping to be able to bring that to the board

1200
01:34:47,790 --> 01:34:48,970
as quickly as possible.

1201
01:34:49,590 --> 01:34:51,810
Depending on how quickly we can get that turned around,

1202
01:34:52,010 --> 01:34:54,490
we may be able to get some rice planted this year,

1203
01:34:54,490 --> 01:34:58,070
but likely it will be the following year in 2027.

1204
01:34:58,770 --> 01:35:03,250
As said, it will likely be more around 750 to 800 acres in 2027,

1205
01:35:03,250 --> 01:35:06,630
instead of the initial 550 that was expected this year.

1206
01:35:07,170 --> 01:35:08,910
And then over the course of two years,

1207
01:35:08,910 --> 01:35:12,730
they'll try to plant the full 1,300 acres on web track.

1208
01:35:14,740 --> 01:35:15,680
Okay, thank you.

1209
01:35:18,700 --> 01:35:22,620
A couple of questions for me.

1210
01:35:24,380 --> 01:35:33,480
one would be possible to get to this committee the final wetland design and it

1211
01:35:33,480 --> 01:35:37,020
doesn't have to be in great detail or whatever but just so we have much more

1212
01:35:37,020 --> 01:35:42,360
detail on what what is actually going to occur on that parcel. I know I'm just

1213
01:35:42,360 --> 01:35:46,140
excited to know personally having been involved in wetland restoration a lot in my

1214
01:35:46,140 --> 01:35:53,680
career, so it's not great to have. The other thing is, again, because of scientific curiosity,

1215
01:35:53,920 --> 01:36:00,920
but also you had the table up there. The greenhouse gas emissions, it's interesting in a lot of

1216
01:36:00,920 --> 01:36:09,740
different levels, because as you know, coming up with estimates from anywhere is really a relatively

1217
01:36:09,740 --> 01:36:16,900
new science to come up with accurate estimates. And the variability depending on habitat

1218
01:36:16,900 --> 01:36:24,820
type can be just through the roof. And so it would also be good in the near future or

1219
01:36:24,820 --> 01:36:29,860
if you have that handy now it's fine but I don't want to put you on the spot. You had

1220
01:36:29,860 --> 01:36:35,080
that table on the various different types of CO2 equivalents that were being measured.

1221
01:36:35,080 --> 01:36:40,120
some of which just don't get measured so it might be one of the few times we've

1222
01:36:40,120 --> 01:36:45,440
actually seen such a thing, you know, things like N2O. And so it'd be great to

1223
01:36:45,440 --> 01:36:50,240
sort of have a better understanding of what the admissions were and where

1224
01:36:50,240 --> 01:36:58,180
that, where the increase overall on estimates were coming from. Because I think

1225
01:36:58,180 --> 01:37:03,580
we have a situation and this was something I know I push for quite hard when I

1226
01:37:03,580 --> 01:37:13,260
Deputy Secretary for Coastal Ocean Policy that when it came to natural sources was kind

1227
01:37:13,260 --> 01:37:19,040
of not making them very much for priority and then obviously you know it's weird coming

1228
01:37:19,040 --> 01:37:22,020
back to that and it becomes a huge priority here.

1229
01:37:22,900 --> 01:37:28,460
I thought it already was a huge priority but they didn't really give credence from the

1230
01:37:28,460 --> 01:37:37,700
standpoint of getting carbon credits, et cetera, in their overall CO2 management plan for

1231
01:37:37,700 --> 01:37:38,160
the state.

1232
01:37:38,600 --> 01:37:43,520
They didn't really give natural sources near the credit that they needed to, that completely

1233
01:37:43,520 --> 01:37:45,720
blew off blue carbon 100 percent.

1234
01:37:46,220 --> 01:37:51,860
It kind of had the Delta because of peak discharges, but wetlands as a whole, they kind of blew

1235
01:37:51,860 --> 01:37:52,520
off as well.

1236
01:37:53,340 --> 01:37:58,400
So it would be good to just have that information as well, because I think the

1237
01:37:58,400 --> 01:38:03,900
ramifications of it beyond web track for the entire Delta area are pretty enormous.

1238
01:38:05,060 --> 01:38:06,740
So, thank you for that.

1239
01:38:07,160 --> 01:38:07,640
Thank you.

1240
01:38:08,700 --> 01:38:09,980
All right.

1241
01:38:10,500 --> 01:38:12,360
Let's move on to the next item.

1242
01:38:13,100 --> 01:38:14,540
Thank you so much for your presentation.

1243
01:38:27,020 --> 01:38:27,360
All right.

1244
01:38:28,940 --> 01:38:32,560
So, let's move to the subcommittee items.

1245
01:38:34,140 --> 01:38:42,300
So 7A, the report on the Paila Verde Valley Community Enhancement Collaborative on Director

1246
01:38:42,300 --> 01:38:42,920
Curthes.

1247
01:38:44,060 --> 01:38:45,200
Thank you, Chair Gold.

1248
01:38:47,120 --> 01:38:52,500
Community collaborative, just to remind people, is a group of three members from this board

1249
01:38:52,500 --> 01:38:57,840
and three members from the PVID board that are looking at how to distribute funds from

1250
01:38:57,840 --> 01:39:05,420
bucket won about $8 million to businesses, public agencies, and nonprofits in the PVID region.

1251
01:39:06,460 --> 01:39:10,840
And we are trying to build and fly the plane at the same time.

1252
01:39:12,620 --> 01:39:14,960
We met October 30th.

1253
01:39:15,000 --> 01:39:20,500
We set up a standing monthly meeting zoning to discover that our November meeting would

1254
01:39:20,500 --> 01:39:25,760
be the day after Thanksgiving and our December meeting would be the day after Christmas.

1255
01:39:25,760 --> 01:39:36,960
So we have decided to combine those into a meeting at Cura on the 16th of December and you're all invited if you're interested at one o'clock to come and join us.

1256
01:39:37,600 --> 01:39:45,720
We are continuing to accept applications, but at the same time we've just finished our bylaws for our community advisory committee.

1257
01:39:45,920 --> 01:39:48,700
We've just finished adopting our grant processes.

1258
01:39:49,700 --> 01:39:55,940
We thought we had an office space that didn't end up working out, so we've leased a new

1259
01:39:55,940 --> 01:40:01,500
office space now, it's in the Blythe Cancer Research Center, and it seems like a nice space

1260
01:40:01,500 --> 01:40:06,500
and we're trying to find computers and equipment without spending a lot of the grant money.

1261
01:40:07,020 --> 01:40:13,000
We also thought we had an administrator to staff the office, bring in the applications and

1262
01:40:13,000 --> 01:40:15,780
and help answers questions, people looking to grants,

1263
01:40:16,360 --> 01:40:20,080
but that person decided that it wasn't gonna work

1264
01:40:20,080 --> 01:40:23,100
with their schedules, so we have now interviewed six more

1265
01:40:23,100 --> 01:40:25,760
people to consider as the administrator

1266
01:40:25,760 --> 01:40:29,060
to have time job, it pays pretty well if you know anyone.

1267
01:40:31,300 --> 01:40:35,700
And we're going to continue to interview more people

1268
01:40:35,700 --> 01:40:38,900
as applications come in with the hopes

1269
01:40:38,900 --> 01:40:40,860
that certainly by the end of the year,

1270
01:40:40,860 --> 01:40:43,260
we will have someone in place.

1271
01:40:44,180 --> 01:40:47,600
I don't know if I'm supposed to report on the PUC as well.

1272
01:40:47,840 --> 01:40:49,740
I will because it's on my notes.

1273
01:40:50,520 --> 01:40:52,480
The property management committee

1274
01:40:52,480 --> 01:40:53,960
or is that not here chair?

1275
01:40:54,240 --> 01:40:54,680
Is that here?

1276
01:40:55,440 --> 01:40:57,540
We're also going to be having a problem.

1277
01:40:57,700 --> 01:40:59,780
It's the same directors from Metropolitan,

1278
01:40:59,980 --> 01:41:03,620
they're involved in the Palo Verde property management committee

1279
01:41:03,620 --> 01:41:05,740
and property utilization committee,

1280
01:41:05,920 --> 01:41:06,620
is actually the name.

1281
01:41:07,100 --> 01:41:09,620
And we will also be meeting on the 16th

1282
01:41:09,620 --> 01:41:11,680
and welcome any of your participation.

1283
01:41:12,300 --> 01:41:15,400
And this is the committee that we have

1284
01:41:15,400 --> 01:41:18,540
because we are the largest landowner in Palo Verte

1285
01:41:18,540 --> 01:41:21,140
and so we want to work with the irrigation district

1286
01:41:21,140 --> 01:41:23,020
as we manage our land

1287
01:41:23,020 --> 01:41:26,940
and also learn from them what they're doing with their farmers.

1288
01:41:28,520 --> 01:41:31,380
And with that, I will answer any questions.

1289
01:41:32,020 --> 01:41:33,720
We're working hard, right, Desi?

1290
01:41:34,180 --> 01:41:36,220
And I think we're making progress,

1291
01:41:36,220 --> 01:41:40,320
rest, but it does seem like it's taking longer than we had hoped.

1292
01:41:41,140 --> 01:41:42,860
Thank you for that, Director Kurtz.

1293
01:41:43,040 --> 01:41:45,660
Are there any questions, Chair Ortega?

1294
01:41:45,740 --> 01:41:50,380
I just want to note that this is a very hard working ad hoc committee.

1295
01:41:50,880 --> 01:41:55,440
And it requires Zoom meetings, but also trips out to Pella Verde.

1296
01:41:56,060 --> 01:41:59,320
And if you're one of those who don't like flying on a little airplane,

1297
01:42:00,160 --> 01:42:02,380
you can appreciate what it takes.

1298
01:42:02,380 --> 01:42:07,760
but I want to thank Director the Hussos Courts and Alvarez for all of the time that they're

1299
01:42:07,760 --> 01:42:13,220
devoting to this. Thank you. Thank you for that and thank you to the ad hoc committee for doing

1300
01:42:13,220 --> 01:42:19,040
all that work. Appreciate it. Mr. Chair, can I add something? Yeah. Director Courts, I can't remember if

1301
01:42:19,040 --> 01:42:24,320
we already announced this, but I know that for those that have been in this circle for a while that

1302
01:42:24,320 --> 01:42:32,260
had been working with PVID, they unfortunately lost one of their previous board of trustees.

1303
01:42:32,520 --> 01:42:37,080
Mr. Charles Van Dyke, he passed just a couple of weeks ago and some of you may have worked

1304
01:42:37,080 --> 01:42:40,820
with him and certainly met him and talked with him at Krua in the past.

1305
01:42:41,100 --> 01:42:43,620
So I can't remember if we already mentioned that or not.

1306
01:42:44,360 --> 01:42:49,830
I think apparently none of us have a memory.

1307
01:42:51,750 --> 01:42:59,150
I believe it was announced maybe at a board meeting, but I'm not sure general manager is certainly worth managing again. A lot of us did no trials.

1308
01:43:03,310 --> 01:43:12,230
All right, moving on to item eight on so John Bynarski, if you can give us an overview on what's that?

1309
01:43:12,530 --> 01:43:17,910
Yeah, I'll make this quick. Nothing beyond the written reports you've already received at this point in time. That is quick.

1310
01:43:17,910 --> 01:43:18,450
That is.

1311
01:43:18,750 --> 01:43:23,030
I know everybody is waiting for Bill, so I don't want to steal any more of your giant

1312
01:43:23,030 --> 01:43:23,250
dots.

1313
01:43:24,150 --> 01:43:24,290
All right.

1314
01:43:24,510 --> 01:43:26,390
So now we're on to the Bill Hazing Camp show.

1315
01:43:27,670 --> 01:43:34,790
And so do you want me to read the closed session language first, Bill, or did you want to

1316
01:43:34,790 --> 01:43:36,690
start with your little intro before doing that?

1317
01:43:37,450 --> 01:43:40,710
No, you can do the closed session after because there might be an opportunity for questions.

1318
01:43:43,550 --> 01:43:49,490
The German philosophy Friedrich Nietzsche once said I told you was a show.

1319
01:43:50,510 --> 01:43:51,190
You have your way.

1320
01:43:51,510 --> 01:44:00,050
I have mine as to the correct way, the right way, the only way it does not exist.

1321
01:44:02,240 --> 01:44:06,780
Sometimes in the Colorado River negotiations, it seems like some of the negotiators are looking

1322
01:44:06,780 --> 01:44:14,090
for the right way, and I think that is led to some of the lack of progress in the basin.

1323
01:44:16,000 --> 01:44:21,930
The Federal, this, the Trump administration got fully engaged last summer and set a plan

1324
01:44:21,930 --> 01:44:27,150
for the next year to reach agreement when the existing guidelines expire.

1325
01:44:28,210 --> 01:44:33,610
The first part of their plan was working together with the states on alternatives to be considered

1326
01:44:33,610 --> 01:44:34,790
in the draft EIS.

1327
01:44:35,950 --> 01:44:44,030
That was done last summer to have a wide range of alternatives that would include whatever consensus agreement is reached.

1328
01:44:45,630 --> 01:44:54,310
So when the draft comes out it will have all of it will have some alternatives that have small cuts to met and some that have big cuts to met.

1329
01:44:54,310 --> 01:44:59,970
But the point of that document really is to provide compliance and coverage for

1330
01:45:00,000 --> 01:45:06,800
Or whatever agreement is reached. Then they said we're going to have a November 11th deadline

1331
01:45:06,800 --> 01:45:12,500
for principles of agreement, a February 14th deadline for the agreements to be completed,

1332
01:45:13,420 --> 01:45:20,600
and then we'll spend spring and summer developing possible legislation, board approvals,

1333
01:45:20,800 --> 01:45:24,880
and other things funding, whatever is needed to get these agreements done by next summer.

1334
01:45:24,880 --> 01:45:31,800
It turns out that November 11th and February 14th aren't great days to have deadlines.

1335
01:45:33,100 --> 01:45:35,940
The first one is a holiday and the second one is a Saturday.

1336
01:45:38,020 --> 01:45:45,360
But regardless, the November 11th deadline came and the states did not reach the criteria

1337
01:45:45,360 --> 01:45:47,340
of our principles of agreement that were laid out.

1338
01:45:47,680 --> 01:45:49,800
And we didn't know what the feds would do.

1339
01:45:49,800 --> 01:45:55,540
There was some thought that the feds might say, no deal, we're going to step in and take

1340
01:45:55,540 --> 01:45:55,920
over.

1341
01:45:56,420 --> 01:45:59,980
That's ultimately a threat that the feds have if we don't reach agreement.

1342
01:46:00,400 --> 01:46:04,860
We didn't know that if in November that was going to be the decision or not.

1343
01:46:06,300 --> 01:46:13,700
I think the feds didn't realize how difficult it was to wrangle seven states together to

1344
01:46:13,700 --> 01:46:17,940
reach an agreement where any state could veto an agreement.

1345
01:46:19,640 --> 01:46:25,320
So what they did last week was send out a statement because they felt they made a lot

1346
01:46:25,320 --> 01:46:28,960
of progress, the pieces of the deal are at

1347
01:46:33,150 --> 01:46:34,810
a number of different alternatives.

1348
01:46:35,850 --> 01:46:41,890
So the feds were comfortable enough to say, even though we didn't make that deadline, we've

1349
01:46:41,890 --> 01:46:45,390
made a lot of progress, we're going to keep working with the states and we're going to

1350
01:46:45,390 --> 01:46:50,690
focus on the Valentine's Day deadline to get the agreements done and they

1351
01:46:50,690 --> 01:46:54,670
recommitted to having a schedule between now and February 14th to get the

1352
01:46:54,670 --> 01:47:01,190
agreement done. So we are remaining at the table and committed to try to meet

1353
01:47:01,190 --> 01:47:08,030
that new deadline as well. And hopefully we can be here in next summer with

1354
01:47:08,030 --> 01:47:16,650
agreements for your board to consider. However, there were distractions along the way.

1355
01:47:16,750 --> 01:47:24,830
The State of Arizona Senate letter, which reminds the states that litigation is always a potential

1356
01:47:24,830 --> 01:47:32,790
and a concern. And with that, we want to go into closed session to talk about some of the implications

1357
01:47:32,790 --> 01:47:36,650
of litigation. But before you go to closed session, there's

1358
01:47:36,650 --> 01:47:41,290
an opportunity for any questions about this material, or we can go to class closed session

1359
01:47:41,290 --> 01:47:42,270
when you're ready, Chair Gold.

1360
01:47:45,500 --> 01:47:46,720
Chair Gold, I'm ready for a closed session.

1361
01:47:47,040 --> 01:47:48,560
I assume everyone else is.

1362
01:47:49,480 --> 01:47:51,660
So with that, I'll jump in.

1363
01:47:51,800 --> 01:47:52,360
Thanks for the intro.

1364
01:47:53,080 --> 01:47:57,260
I've been advised by the General Manager and General Counsel that this portion of item 60 requires

1365
01:47:57,660 --> 01:47:58,860
discussion and closed session.

1366
01:47:59,440 --> 01:48:01,940
Those staff are not authorized to be in closed session.

1367
01:48:02,100 --> 01:48:04,500
We'll need to drop off the teleconference or leave the room.

1368
01:48:05,860 --> 01:48:11,220
Unauthorized person still on the teleconference when the meeting is closed will be placed into the zoom virtual waiting room.

1369
01:48:11,940 --> 01:48:17,820
Item 60 is an update on Colorado River negotiations and protection of metropolitan's Colorado River water rights.

1370
01:48:18,500 --> 01:48:24,220
This is a conference with legal counsel for anticipated litigation, deciding whether to initiate litigation,

1371
01:48:25,080 --> 01:48:26,680
unknown number of potential cases.

1372
01:48:28,080 --> 01:48:42,980
This item will be heard in closed session pursuant to government code section 54956.9D4 and now declare this meeting closed and call on the General Manager and the General Counsel to designate those persons for to remain on the teleconference or in the room.

1373
01:48:44,760 --> 01:48:47,640
Board support team? No, we're not there yet.

1374
01:48:47,640 --> 01:48:48,200
Yeah,

1375
01:49:04,000 --> 01:49:04,940
it's their room.

1376
02:53:54,450 --> 02:53:55,730
Recording in progress.

1377
02:54:02,510 --> 02:54:27,510
I'm sorry back on the question. All right. Good to go. All right. That concludes our consideration of item 60 in closed session. The committee discussed and conferred with its legal counsel regarding item 60. No action was taken in closed session. Thanks for everybody's patience and perseverance on this item. I know people are places to go. Do we have any follow-up items or future agenda items?

1378
02:54:28,470 --> 02:54:30,870
Hearing none, you are well.

1379
02:54:31,110 --> 02:54:35,670
I think we just asked that for the stormwater pilot, they looked into additional funders.

1380
02:54:36,970 --> 02:54:37,350
Okay.

1381
02:54:37,670 --> 02:54:39,250
We have to do that a bit.

1382
02:54:39,430 --> 02:54:39,550
Oh.

1383
02:54:39,830 --> 02:54:40,710
Just a recap.

1384
02:54:41,210 --> 02:54:41,570
Okay.

1385
02:54:41,790 --> 02:54:47,710
To recap, directors, requests to looking into additional funders for the Arla project.

1386
02:54:48,230 --> 02:54:48,390
Okay.

1387
02:54:48,690 --> 02:54:49,430
We are adjourned.

1388
02:54:49,510 --> 02:54:49,990
Thank you, everybody.