Jun 24, 2022
Exorbitant fees at the State Water Resources Control Board
(SWRCB) are the focus of today’s In a Nutshell
podcast. Ag Council is leading a coalition to request
financial relief from the General Fund in the state budget for the
regulated community to respond to the out-of-control SWRCB fees
that continue to increase on an annual basis.
These funds would not be a total elimination of SWRCB fees for
agriculture. Instead, the dollars would partially reduce
those fees and ensure those programs that benefit the public
statewide, such as beach cleanup programs, are being paid for by
General Fund dollars, rather than by those regulated by the SWRCB.
Meanwhile, farmers would continue to pay for the operation of
specific agricultural programs, such as the Irrigated Lands
Regulatory Program.