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State
California
WC Sec 12948-12949.6 State Participation (SALINE WATER CONVERSION -- WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT)

WATER CODE
SECTION 12948-12949.6





12948. The department either independently or in cooperation with
any county, state, federal, or public or private agency or
corporation may conduct a program of investigation, study, and
evaluation in the field of saline water conversion.




12948.1. The department shall provide assistance to persons or
entities with state and local desalination facility permit
applications seeking to construct desalination facilities for
reducing the concentration of dissolved solids in brackish
groundwater or seawater in the state.



12949. After submission of a written report and upon specific
authorization by the Legislature the department either independently
or in cooperation with any county, state, federal, or public or
private agency or corporation may finance, construct, and operate
saline water conversion facilities. The department may sell any
water made available by such saline water conversion facilities.
Unless otherwise provided by the Legislature, the department shall
establish rates or charges for such water so as to recover all of the
costs of making such water available.



12949.5. The department, in cooperation with the United States
Department of the Interior, may participate in financing the costs of
the site development, construction, operation, and transportation of
desalted water in connection with a saline water conversion test
center facility to be located in California. The department may sell
any water made available by such saline water conversion test
center; provided, that the department shall sell such water at rates
or charges which will return, at least, all of the costs of
transporting the water from the test center to the point of delivery.



12949.6. (a) Not later than July 1, 2004, the department shall
report to the Legislature on potential opportunities for the use of
seawater and brackish water desalination in California. The report
shall evaluate impediments to the use of desalination technology and
shall examine what role, if any, the state should play in furthering
the use of desalination in California.
(b) The department shall convene a task force, to be known as the
Water Desalination Task Force, to advise the department in
implementation of subdivision (a), including making recommendations
to the Legislature regarding the following:
(1) The need for research, development, and demonstration projects
for more cost effective and technologically efficient desalination
processes.
(2) The environmental impacts of brine disposal, energy use
related to desalination, and large-scale ocean water desalination.
(3) An evaluation of the current regulatory framework of state and
local rules, regulations, ordinances, and permits to identify the
obstacles and methods to creating an efficient siting and permitting
system.
(4) Determining a relationship between existing electricity
generation facilities and potential desalination facilities,
including an examination of issues related to the amounts of
electricity required to maintain a desalination facility.
(5) Ensuring desalinated water meets state water quality
standards.
(6) Impediments or constraints, other than water rights, to
increasing the use of desalinated water both in coastal and inland
regions.
(7) The economic impact and potential impacts of the desalination
industry on state revenues.
(8) The role that the state should play in furthering the use of
desalination technology in California.
(9) An evaluation of a potential relationship between desalination
technology and alternative energy sources, including photovoltaic
energy and desalination.
(c) (1) The task force shall be convened by the department and be
comprised of one representative from each of the following agencies:

(A) The department.
(B) The California Coastal Commission.
(C) The State Energy Resources Conservation and Development
Commission.
(D) The California Environmental Protection Agency.
(E) The State Department of Health Services.
(F) The Resources Agency.
(G) The State Water Resources Control Board.
(H) The CALFED Bay-Delta Program.
(I) The Department of Food and Agriculture.
(J) The University of California.
(K) The United States Department of Interior, if that agency
wishes to participate.
(2) The task force shall also include, as determined by the
department, one representative from a recognized environmental
advocacy group, one representative from a consumer advocacy group,
one representative of local agency health officers, one
representative of a municipal water supply agency, one representative
of urban water wholesalers, one representative from a regional water
control board, one representative from a groundwater management
entity, one representative of water districts, one representative
from a nonprofit association of public and private members created to
further the use of desalinated water, one representative of land
development, and one representative of industrial interests.
(d) The sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) is hereby
appropriated from the Bosco-Keene Renewable Resources Investment Fund
to the department for the purpose of establishing the task force and
preparing the report required in subdivision (a).