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Resolution No. 18-131
RESOLUTION TO RESCIND AND REPLACE RESOLUTION NO. 18-095 IN SUPPORT OF THE BUTTE ENVIRONMENTAL
COUNCIL INVOLVEMENT IN THE SUSTAINABLEGROUNDWATER MANAGEMENTACT PROCESS
WHEREAS, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 ("SGMA") provides local agencies (counties
and cities with land-use authority and single and multipurpose special districts with water management authority) with
the directive and authority to manage groundwater locally, with State oversight; and
WHEREAS, high and medium priority groundwater basins must develop and be managed under a Groundwater
Sustainability Plan (GSP),which must be submitted to the California 'Department of Water Resources by January 31,2422,
for the subbasins within Butte County; and
WHEREAS, one of the steps in that process in Butte County is for eligible local agencies in each subbasin to
determine the make-up of an inclusive governance structure in their respective groundwater subbasin. The ,governance
agencies, known as Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs), can be a single entity managing an entire basin or
subbasin or multiple entities; and
WHEREAS,in many counties throughout the Central Valley of California,including,Butte County,which are subject
to SGMA with high and medium priority sub-basins,there are tracts of land known as"white areas,"which are areas within
counties that are not within the boundaries of an otherwise eligible local agency; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to SGMA,these "white areas" may be covered and regulated by a county, or they may elect
to annex through a Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) process to an eligible local agency with SGMA authority,
or petition LAFCo to form a new eligible local agency under SGMA such as a California Water District(Water Code Sections
34000 et.al.); and
WHEREAS, Butte County is located within the Sacramento Valley Basin, and the State has identified four sub-
basins within the Sacramento Valley Basin per DWR's Bulletin 118, partially located within Butte County: namely Vina,
West Butte, East Butte, and Wyandotte Creek; and
WHEREAS, Butte County began a collaborative process in 2015. with all eligible local agencies to reach consensus
within the County on principles of GSA formation and future SGMA governance.The goal of this process is to define a set
of working principles that are shared among eligible local agencies and that consistently and constructively shape SGMA
interaction and decision-making; and
WHEREAS,those principles include the following:.
1. Maximize value of familiar structures and relationships;
2. Acknowledge all key interests of eligible local agencies;
3. Respect legally recognized rights;
4. Anticipate GSA requirements;
5. Make use of basin boundary adjustments;
B. Comply with SGMA regulations;
7. Identify opportunities to address interests of current non-GSA stakeholders;
8. Distribute costs in an equitable manner as possible;
9. Respect mutual interests in maintaining independent decision-making; and
WHEREAS,the-white areas"of Butte County within the four sub-basins are not represented by other e I igible loca I
agencies and wiUl therefore be represented by Butte County unless these areas choose tVannex tmmneligible local agency
orform anew one; and
WHEREAS, Butte Environmental Council (BEC) as a loca I non-profit engaged in Butte County water advocacy since
1975 has taken an active mm|e in The collaborative SGMM process since it began in 2815 and continues to engage in all
aspects ofSGK4Aimplementation and governance. Butte Environmental Council is uniquely positioned to represent key
interests in SGMA and supports the interests of beneficial users of groundwater including domestic groundwater users,
a:ndthe environment indecision making processes; and
WHEREAS, the Butte Environmental Council recognizes and respects the leadership of Butte County and it its
efforts to create a vvmrkab|e and cooperative structure to discusmGSP; and
WHEREAS, the Butte, Environmental Council recognizes and respects the leadership of Butte County to move
forward to commp|ete a comprehensive GSPbyJanuary 31, 2O22; and
WHEREAS inherent in this process and timeframe Butte County will endeavVrtbrouBh the stakeholder process
todevelop egovernance structure, for SG&4Aoversight mfeach of the four subbasinswithin Butte County consistent with
the nine principles enumerated above; and
WHEREAS, principle number above, recognizes that the interests of non-GSA stakeholders such as domestic
pumpers, and the environment should be addressed; and
WHEREAS, Butte County recognizes the value of input and participation in the SGMA process by the Butte
Environmental Council, which has been committed to protecting and defending the land, air and water of Butte County
through action, education and advocacy since 1975, and is comprised Vf more than 600 community members dedicated
tgour local environment,
NOW,THEREFORE, BEkT RESOLVED:
1, Resolution, No. 18-096 and aU amendments are rescinded and replaced by this resolution; and
2. The County ofButte will continue towork with stakeholders within Butte County utilizing a collaborative
process to establish a governance structure and ultimately develop a Groundwater Sustainability Plan,
and the Butte Environmental Council will openly and earnestly participate and cooperate imthat process
asarepresentative for the environment atlarge; and
3. As governance structures for implementation of5GMA are discussed among, and ultimately decided by
all eligible local: agencies within the four subbasins, the County of Butte and the Butte Environmental
Council will work together to advocate for governance structures in each subbasin that will recognize and
allow for appropriate representation of domestic pumpers, and the environment at large within the
governance structure imeach subbesimimcompliance with SGKHA.
*
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Butte County Board of Supervisors this 28~ day of August, 2018, by the following
vote:
AYES:Supervisors Connelly, Wahl, Kirk,Teeter, and Chair Lambert
NOES: None
ABSENT: Nmne
NOT VOTING: Nome
Steve Larnbq#�Chair
Butte County Board ofSupervisors
ATTEST:
Shari McCracken,Chief Administrative Officer
and Clerk