July 23, 2010

Welcome to Weekly Update, a publication of Western United Environmental Services (WUES). Striving to ensure you have the most current information for compliance with the Waste Discharge Requirements of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board we feature articles on compliance issues, regulatory changes and endeavor to answer environmental related questions. In effort to access the Weekly Update anytime the publications can also be found in the News section on our website at www.wuenvironmental.com.

Monday, July 26 deadline for Central Valley water quality projects

Monday July 26 is the day to apply for funding through a $1 million two-year project proposed by Western United Dairymen that has been accepted by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to address both water conservation and water quality resource issues. The WUD/NRCS Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) funding partnership is intended to improve water quality and quantity on dairy farms throughout the Central Valley and will help them meet the requirements of the dairy WDR.  For more information on the project goals and boundaries, contact your local NRCS field office or call Western United Dairymen at (209)527-6453.

Californians should use less delta water, report says

Californians need to take significantly less water from the state's single largest supply, according to a state report that could lay the foundation for more limits on water shipments to the Southland. The State Water Board document provides new ammunition in the intensifying battle over the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, a source of water for roughly two of three Californians and a long-time victim of the state's great thirst. The draft report, released Wednesday, acknowledges that the delta's many environmental problems extend beyond water diversions. But it concludes that restoring the delta's collapsing fisheries and hydrologic rhythms are "fundamentally inconsistent with continuing to move large volumes of water through the delta for export." <more> July 22, 2010 LA Times

Hart New Regional Board Chair

Katherine Hart is the new chair of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board.  Hart, who was elected by board members to the position in January 2010, has served on the board since October 2005 as the representative for "Recreational, Fish & Wildlife".  Ms. Hart replaces Karl Longley, who was chair since 2006 and remains on the board as the representative for “Water Quality.”  Longley also served as chair from 1993 to 1997.  Hart is an associate with Abbott & Kinderman LLP in Sacramento with a legal practice focusing on land use and environmental issues for public and private entities. July 22, 2010 CURES Newsletter

Viewpoints: Delay water bond, but don't rewrite it

By Lester Snow, Secretary, California's Natural Resources Agency - - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg have asked the Legislature to move California's water bond, Proposition 18, from the November 2010 ballot to the November 2012 ballot. This move was a matter of setting near-term legislative priorities and ensuring that California's budget and economic recovery are first and foremost on the decision- making agenda. It was a tough decision, but it is the right thing to do. While there has been strong support for delaying the water bond until 2012, The Bee and a few others have taken the opportunity to pick apart the bond and suggest that it is filled with funding for unnecessary projects. <more> July 21, 2010 Sacramento Bee

Animal care workshops Aug. 18-19 in Chino

Two workshops that will introduce dairy producers to a new animal care and well being initiative will be held Aug. 18-19 in Chino. The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) workshops will be conducted by the CA Dairy Quality Assurance Program. The first workshop on Aug. 18 will provide an introduction to FARM and cover such topics as calf care issues and care and movement of special needs animals. The second workshop on Aug. 19 will discuss performance based monitoring for dairy well being and what to expect during a FARM evaluation. Workshops will also offer practical information on animal care and employee training and provide sample plans for euthanasia, handling of non-ambulatory animals and other standard operating producers. The workshops are free of charge on a first-some, first served basis. Reservations are not required. Producers are strongly encouraged to attend both workshops. The Aug. 18 workshop runs from 1-4 p.m. and the Aug. 19 session runs from 9 a.m. to noon. Both workshops will be held at Brinderson Hall, Chino Fairgrounds, 5410 Edison Avenue, Chino. July 21, 2010 CDQAP Notice 

Farms, activists spar over San Joaquin drainage

An intense fight is emerging on the Valley’s west side between farmers and activists who seem to have the same goal — protecting the San Joaquin River. Activists say toxic irrigation drainage from the farms could undermine river restoration by poisoning newly restored salmon in 2013, when federal authorities are scheduled begin the fish runs. Farmers, who have been voluntarily cleaning up the drainage since 1995, say the fish will be fine, because high restoration flows will dilute possible contaminants. <more> July 20, 2010 Fresno Bee

JULY 2010

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