ivcair.org - Bill may establish Salton Sea aid

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Monday, May 5, 2008 10:50 PM PDT

The Senate Appropriations Committee will hear a Senate bill that could be one of the critical components of the Salton Sea restoration.

Authored by Sen. Denise Moreno Ducheny, D-San Diego, Senate Bill 1256 would establish the Salton Sea Restoration Council to oversee the project and issues regarding the sea.

The Salton Sea, plagued by environmental issues and shrinking due to a lessened supply of agricultural runoff due to water transfers, is lacking in direction of how and who is going to pay for its salvage.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to take up SB 1256 on Monday.

Ducheny could not be reached for comment Monday.

As it stands, the bill would establish a state agency to head the restoration and make other decisions pertaining to the sea.

It would also give the secretary of the Resources Agency final say in decisions made by the council regarding potential restoration strategies.

The council would be made up of an executive and science committee and local and stakeholder forums. Fourteen voting members would include two local officials including a director of the Imperial Irrigation District and a supervisor from the Imperial County Board of Supervisors.

The state-approved restoration plan could cost an estimated $9 billion dollars.

The Salton Sea Restoration Council is just one component of a larger solution. The question remains of how the funding will be paid for to actually restore the sea.

>> Staff Writer This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 337-3439.

Last update : 06-05-2008 17:01