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Two CWA-sponsored bills that would assist private landowners who manage their lands for waterfowl habitat purposes were heard in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee on July 11th.
AB 472 (Frazier) would 1) reduce regulations on farmers who want to establish waterfowl and other gamebird nesting habitat on fallowed lands as part of a water transfer and 2) establish a landowner incentive program to encourage waterfowl nesting habitat on any fallowed lands.
The measure failed by a single vote, despite receiving only one "no" vote, largely due to opposition from south of Delta water interests who contend that non-irrigated cover crops can reduce water available to downstream water rights holders.
AB 718 (Frazier) would allow a duck clubs and other wetland owners that participate in state or federal conservation programs to enter a Memorandum of Understanding with their local mosquito abatement district to employ mosquito control best management practices, with the primary goal to reduce net costs to the landowners.
AB 718 was approved unanimously and will next be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
CWA thanks all who contacted their State Senator in support of these two bills, as well as the numerous hunting and conservation groups that provided support at the hearing.
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