Despite declining groundwater levels and adverse impacts, new high-capacity wells continue to be approved in California's Central Valley, leading to dry wells and land subsidence.
A bill to restrict new wells near drinking water sources or sinking lands was narrowly rejected in the Senate due to opposition from agriculture industry, business groups, and local governments.
Critics of the bill argued that it was overly restrictive and could hinder groundwater sustainability efforts, with concerns about economic impacts and ineffective solutions.
The rejected legislation aimed to close a gap in California's groundwater regulations by addressing the approval of new wells, currently under county jurisdiction despite the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in place.
#california-water-management #groundwater-decline #new-well-permits #legislation #agriculture-industry-opposition
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