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March 1, 2010
Negative Water Legislation
Aims To Undue Historic Water Package
The Redondo Beach
Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau opposes legislation
that would block the channeling of water from the Sacramento
River to Southern California, part of the historic water
legislative and bond package signed late last year.
If AB 1594 was to be enacted into law, it would undermine
water supply reliability throughout California and threaten
jobs and the economic health of three quarters of the
state’s population residing south of the Delta. In this
case, it would be major mistake to benefit the particular at
the expense of the genera. The Redondo Beach business
community would ultimately feel this impact as well.
This proposed legislation would revise a law that was passed
just last year that addressed the prevention of water flow
to other regions throughout the state. The Chamber believes
that law appropriately addressed the matter and should not
be revisited. The historic package is the first “real”
compromise to fixing California’s broken water system in
decades.
Now is not the time to overturn what is a true compromise
between the legislature, the agriculture, environmental, and
business communities.
January 10, 2010
Relief:
California’s Water System To Get Some Help with November
Measure
The Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce is supporting the
early efforts of a November water bond measure that would
improve statewide water management. The Chamber supported
the concept late last year as part of the overall water bill
package in order to fix California’s broken water system.
The bond measure would provide dedicated funds to regional
water quality projects, clean drinking water projects,
recycling, groundwater cleanup programs and water management
issues and, if passed, should benefit the overall health of
the water system in California. This bond and its companion
policy bills take a comprehensive track to improve the
entire water system.
No significant water infrastructure has been built in over
three decades. Due to the demand increases and constant
threat of earthquakes, drought, and other, largely
unpredictable disasters, improvements in safeguarding our
drinking waters and its delivery systems as well as the
cleanup of contaminated groundwater basins, groundwater
protection and water quality programs, is absolutely
necessary.
The November measure will provide long overdue funding to
maintain reliable water supplies to 25 million state
residents.
November 1, 2009
Chamber
Urges Legislative Leaders To Pass A Water Bond
The Chamber
urges California's legislative leaders to pass a
comprehensive water bond as part of a historic package of
reforms to address the crisis in the Sacramento-San Joaquin
Delta and to improve statewide water management.
Water reform is a top priority to the Redondo Beach Chamber.
Our water infrastructure has endured water demand increases
and is now susceptible to disasters like earthquakes,
drought and other major catastrophes. And over the past
three decades, no significant new water infrastructure has
been built to keep up with our growing times. The water
supply needs to be protected in order to safeguard the
drinking water and how it’s being delivered throughout
California.
Water districts throughout Southern California and the state
are prepared to make billions of dollars worth of
investments in the Delta to improve its water system and
assist in the recovery of the ecosystem. Yet their funds
will not be sufficient to complete the task. Over $2 billion
in proposed bond funds for Delta restoration will be
necessary to meet the broader public goals of recovering the
Delta ecosystem.
Putting the Delta on a path to recovery is only part of a
comprehensive water financing package. Water districts are
facing shortage conditions because of three consecutive dry
years and unprecedented water supply restrictions in the
Delta. Funding is needed for immediate measures for water
districts to maintain supplies until a longer-term solution
is completed in the Delta. At least $1 billion is necessary
as matching funds to advance local efforts to clean up
contaminated groundwater basins and related groundwater
protection and water quality programs. Similar funding is
necessary for water recycling. And to achieve the goal of
reducing per-capita urban water use by 20 percent by the
year 2020, matching funds for conservation programs will
provide the incentive to accelerate water use efficiency
initiatives. These are regional/local investments to ensure
that our reliance on the Delta is consistent with the
co-equal goals of restoring the ecosystem and providing
reliable water supplies to 25 million state residents.
We need to balance the fiscal limits of our ratepayers and
the financial needs of maintaining reliable water supplies,
we recognize your financial challenge. Yet these investments
are absolutely critical. Approving a comprehensive bond now
will provide the necessary funding stream over a period of
many years. Local and regional water efforts throughout
California are ready to match the state investments in a
sustainable water future. This legislative package can both
address our water problems and create jobs at a time when
California needs them most. It will not be complete without
a comprehensive bond.
October 15,
2009
Chamber
Supports New Technology for Gas Meters
The Redondo
Beach Chamber is supporting The Gas Company’s proposal to
automate meter reading that will reduce costs to the
customer and the utility.
The system, known as Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI),
needs the approval of the California Public Utilities
Commission (CPUC). AMI offers benefits such as improving
customer privacy, security and convenience; enhancing meter
reading/billing accuracy; and, improving air quality by
removing the utility’s company vehicles from the road. It
also will bring tens of millions of dollars of work to
Southern California.
The Chamber believes that the AMI system is an important
piece of technology. The system will allow usage information
online to customers, so they can better understand how they
are using energy and can make behavior changes to save
energy and money. The decision by the CPUC can pave the way
for a more efficient, sustainable and consumer friendly
energy market throughout our area.
September 1,
2009
Chamber Takes Action on
Water Savings Proposal
California has now entered its third year of a drought and
because of where we are situated geographically, and because
of how we obtain our water, the drought is impacting
Southern California businesses immensely. That is why
Redondo Beach businesses are being asked to reduce water
usage as much as possible. There are a number of methods
available to businesses to aid efforts to conserve water.
However, many of these conservation efforts carry a large
price tag potential which places businesses at a competitive
disadvantage. With a hefty price tag, businesses are seeking
other ways to mitigate its chronic water needs. Businesses
are looking for smart and innovated ways to conserve while
at the same time not running the business into the red.
The Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau has
supported a reasonable solution through a pro-business
legislative proposal. AB 474 will mitigate the initial
outlay for any business willing to increase their
conservation efforts. Under AB 474, willing property owners
would be able to borrow and repay over time the initial cost
of placing water efficiency improvements while the owner and
surrounding local jurisdiction benefit from the water
savings.
Some key provision of AB 474:
• Allows commercial and residential property owners to enter
into an agreement with public agencies (in this case, water
agencies) to receive upfront financing for the installation
of permanent water use efficiency improvements.
• Property owners will be allowed to pay an annual
assessment until all costs associated with the project are
repaid to the public agency.
• AB 474 expands upon last year’s AB 811, which authorized
the use of voluntary assessment agreements between cities,
counties and property owners for financing energy efficiency
projects.
• AB 474 is not a mandate. It is a voluntary program that
will benefit the property owners, (and as more owners take
part in the program) the city and surrounding areas by
saving water and associated costs.
November 10, 2007
Redondo
Beach Chamber Supports Need For 2008 Water Bond
The Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Bureau is
urging its local legislators to support the placement of a
water bond on the February 2008 ballot. The much needed bond
is coming at a time when the Delta, the central hub for the
state’s water, needs upgrading to meet water demands
throughout the state because of population growth.
“The Redondo Beach Chamber realizes this is an important
issue for the business community,” stated Marna Smeltzer,
President/CEO of the Chamber. “Without a reliable water
transportation system, businesses may be forced to relocate
because of our geographical location,” continued Smeltzer.
California’s water infrastructure has endured water demand
increases and is now susceptible to disasters like
earthquakes, drought and other major catastrophes. And over
the past three decades, no significant new water
infrastructure has been built to keep up with our growing
times. The water supply needs to be protected in order to
safeguard the drinking water and how it’s being delivered
throughout California.
A water infrastructure bond should provide the funding
necessary to address the following critical issues:
Infrastructure Improvements in the Delta
The Delta
supplies drinking water for 25 million Californians,
hundreds of thousands of businesses and 750,000 acres of
farmland. The Delta, which is extremely susceptible to
natural disasters, is in desperate need of improvements to
ensure reliable transport of water throughout the state. If
there were an earthquake, for example, it is estimated Delta
water would be curtailed for two years, choking all who
depend on it. Immediate action and long term improvements
are needed now.
Build Additional Storage Facilities
Temperatures are
predicted to rise in the coming years, reducing the state’s
snow pack and water supply. We need to invest in water
storage facilities now to capture water and ensure that we
have available supply of safe, quality water in dry years to
meet the needs of residents, businesses, agriculture and the
environment.
Improve Water Quality
A clean, safe,
reliable source of drinking water is a necessity of life.
Already, water quality in the Central Valley has suffered
because of drought conditions and overdraft of underground
aquifers. Depleting supplies elsewhere in the state puts
other residents at risk not to mention planning for the half
a million new residents in California each year.
“We need to fix this problem now before any major natural
disasters strike,” stated Charles Gale, Jr., Chair of the
Chamber’s Government Relations Council. “The economic
vitality of our area will be at stake if there is an
interruption to the water system in California,” continued
Gale.
Click here
to contact the Redondo Beach Chamber
for more
information
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