SECTIONS 12929.20-12929.27 - California Statutes

WATER CODE

SECTION 12929.20-12929.27

12929.20. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that diversions
of water out of the Mono Lake Basin by the City of Los Angeles have
lowered the water level of Mono Lake and that future water diversions
need to be managed to protect Mono Lake and the Mono Lake Basin. The
department, upon acceptance of an application or applications
pursuant to Section 12929.21, shall expend money available from the
Environmental Water Fund to preserve the wildlife and environment of
the Mono Lake Basin.

12929.21. The City of Los Angeles, jointly with the Mono Lake
Committee, may submit one or more grant applications to the
department to protect and preserve the Mono Lake Basin. The grant
applications shall benefit and enhance the lake's ecosystem and
contribute to permanent protection of the Mono Lake Basin
environment, including, but not limited to, nesting and migratory
bird populations, air quality, fish, and other wildlife, as well as
provide replacement water and power to the city. Any project funded
by a grant shall not unreasonably affect fish, wildlife, or other
instream beneficial uses.

12929.22. Funds expended for purposes of Section 12929.20 shall be
expended only for an eligible project which is consistent with a
grant application pursuant to Section 12929.21. The City of Los
Angeles shall be the sole grantee for any funds expended for an
eligible project.
For purposes of this section, "eligible project" means a water or
power conservation project, a waste water reclamation project, a
conjunctive use program, a groundwater recharge project, the
enlargement of existing water or power facilities owned by the City
of Los Angeles, electric power production facilities, or a water
marketing program. Priority shall be given to projects or programs
that conserve water or power that has been previously developed.
It is the intent of the Legislature that eligible projects are
intended to find replacement water and power for the City of Los
Angeles and to limit any impact of reduced diversions from the Mono
Lake Basin on statewide water and power supplies, except for any
reduced diversions ordered as specified in Section 12929.24. No money
made available pursuant to this chapter shall be spent by the city
to buy water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California.

12929.23. Until June 30, 1994, 60 percent of the funds that have
been appropriated to the Environmental Water Program shall be
reserved exclusively for the funding of applications pursuant to
Section 12929.21. Applicants may also apply for funds that may be
appropriated in the future to the Environmental Water Program. After
July 1, 1994, all funds reserved by this section and all other funds
that may be appropriated to the Environmental Water Program may be
used either to protect and preserve the Mono Lake Basin or for
programs and projects listed in Section 12929.26.

12929.24. The state shall not accept any application for funds
pursuant to Section 12929.21 that would expend any state money to
replace water or power supplies lost by the City of Los Angeles
because of a final court judgment or final board order regarding the
Mono Lake Basin.

12929.25. This chapter does not affect the rights or obligations of
any party involved in litigation regarding the Mono Lake Basin.

12929.26. Other purposes eligible for funding under this chapter,
subject to approval by the Legislature in the annual budget process,
include all of the following:
(a) Restoration and enhancement of fisheries on the Upper
Sacramento River, San Joaquin River, and elsewhere. Primary emphasis
shall be on restoring and enhancing fisheries habitat.
(b) Acquisition, restoration, and enhancement of wetlands on the
Pacific Flyway and elsewhere.
(c) Acquisition, restoration, and enhancement of riparian habitat
on the Sacramento River, San Joaquin River, Sacramento-San Joaquin
River Delta, and elsewhere.
The department shall confer with appropriate state and federal
agencies on the feasibility of eligible projects.

12929.27. (a) The City of Los Angeles shall submit a grant
application to the department pursuant to Section 12929.21 for the
purpose of implementing a voluntary water conservation program in the
City of Los Angeles that benefits the ecosystem of Mono Lake.
(b) The voluntary water conservation program that is the subject
of the grant application shall provide for all of the following:
(1) The use of community-based organizations, in cooperation and
consultation with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, to
carry out the program, and to perform water audits and provide and
install residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural water
conservation equipment in the service area of the Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power in connection with the program.
(2) The training of community-based organizations that participate
in the program and the training of persons who are selected by the
organizations to perform water audits, install water conservation
equipment, or perform other services in connection with the program.
(3) Notice of the program to the ratepayers of the Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power.
(c) The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power may not impose a
charge on its ratepayers to pay for the water conservation program,
except that it may impose a fee on the ratepayers who contract for
the installation of water conservation equipment in connection with
the program to pay for up to 20 percent of the cost of the equipment
and the installation of the equipment.