HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 99-186 N.C.S. 09/21/1999 1 ~eSOlL>ltl®1110. 99-186 1~1.C.~.
2 of the City of Petaluma, California
3
4
5 RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE FEDERAL
6 GOVERNMENT (CALFED} IN THEIR EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY LONG-TERM
7 SOLUTIONS THAT WILL RESTORE ECOLOGICAL HEALTH AND IMPROVE
8 WATER MANAGMEENT FOR BENEFICIAL USES OF THE BAY/DELTA
9 ESTUARY WATER SYSTEM
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11
12 WHEREAS, the health of the San Francisco Bay/Delta estuary and the diverse
13 ecosystems it supports are fundamental to the environmental well-being of the entire Bay Area;
14 and
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16 WHEREAS, much of the Bay Area's economic vitality is supported by the Bay/Delta
17 estuary, including industries such as tourism, recreational and commercial fishing; and
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19 WHEREAS, the Bay/Delta estuary's health is in rapid decline, manifested by various
20 indicators including dramatic reductions in fish populations, the diversion of over 50 percent of
21 its flows from the watershed's rivers, the loss of over 85 percent of historic wetlands, and the
22 discharge of 40,000 tons of pollutants into the Bay; and
23
24 WHEREAS, since 1994, the federal government and the State of California, in
25 conjunction with agricultural, urban and environmental stakeholders, have undertaken an effort
26 to address the remarkably complex water resource issues of the Bay/Delta ecosystem through a
27 process known as CALFED; and
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29 WHEREAS, in the CALFED process, the current public comment period for the Draft
30 Programmatic EIR/EIS provides a critical opportunity for input on the issues affecting the San
31 Francisco Bay/Delta estuary.
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33 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Petaluma City Council does hereby
34 identify that the following essential elements must be incorporated into future policies and
35 programs undertaken by the CALFED process:
Resolution No. 99-186 N.C.S. Page 1 Of 2
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2 1. A guarantee that there will be adequate freshwater flows into the Bay. The San Francisco
3 Bay/Delta estuary's historic freshwater flows have been reduced by half. Currently, there
4 exists a need for science-based standards that establish minimum flows of freshwater into
5 the Bay. Adequate flows will benefit the entire estuary in diverse ways, including
6 improving water quality, supporting biological diversity, and the health of all of the
7 Bay/Delta's estuary's ecosystems.
8
9 2. Water conservation by all users. Equitable water conservation practices must be required
10 and. enforced for all users throughout California. Managing demand through
11 conservation practices and greater water use efficiency can eliminate or substantially
12 reduce the need to construct new storage facilities. Until conservation practices and
13 demand management have been implemented and monitored, the construction of new
14 storage facilities should not be initiated.
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16 3. A fair share of funding for Bay Area environmental restoration efforts. The EPA's
17 Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (COMP), BCDC's San Francisco
18 Bay Plan, and the RWQCB's Bay Basin Plan all establish numerous beneficial measures
19 that must be taken to protect and restore habitat and improve fish and wildlife in the
20 Bay/Delta estuary. Of the most recent funding package, only 5% came to projects in the
21 region. Funding to implement these recommended programs must be brought up to
22 levels that are appropriately proportional to budgets for environmental restoration in
23 other parts of the State.
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Under the power and authority conferred upon this Council by the Charter of said City.
REFERENCE: I hereby certify the foregoing Resolution was introduced and adopted by the A ved as to
Council of the City of Petaluma at a (Regular) (ACd~~~alkX$) meeting
on the ---21.S~ day of ................S~i2Ir.~.I]A~~f'...................., 19..9., by the
following vote:
Ci o
AYES: Healy, Torliatt, Cader-Thompson, Maguire, Vice Mayor Keller, Mayor Thompson
NOES: None
ABSENT: Hamilton
ATTEST :
City Clerk Mayor
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C'A 1(1~H5 Rcs. No. ......i7..7-Z H.V....... N.C.S.