Chapter 8. Financial Authority of California Water Code >> Division 6. >> Part 2.74. >> Chapter 8.
(a) A groundwater sustainability agency may impose fees,
including, but not limited to, permit fees and fees on groundwater
extraction or other regulated activity, to fund the costs of a
groundwater sustainability program, including, but not limited to,
preparation, adoption, and amendment of a groundwater sustainability
plan, and investigations, inspections, compliance assistance,
enforcement, and program administration, including a prudent reserve.
A groundwater sustainability agency shall not impose a fee pursuant
to this subdivision on a de minimis extractor unless the agency has
regulated the users pursuant to this part.
(b) (1) Prior to imposing or increasing a fee, a groundwater
sustainability agency shall hold at least one public meeting, at
which oral or written presentations may be made as part of the
meeting.
(2) Notice of the time and place of the meeting shall include a
general explanation of the matter to be considered and a statement
that the data required by this section is available. The notice shall
be provided by publication pursuant to Section 6066 of the
Government Code, by posting notice on the Internet Web site of the
groundwater sustainability agency, and by mail to any interested
party who files a written request with the agency for mailed notice
of the meeting on new or increased fees. A written request for mailed
notices shall be valid for one year from the date that the request
is made and may be renewed by making a written request on or before
April 1 of each year.
(3) At least 20 days prior to the meeting, the groundwater
sustainability agency shall make available to the public data upon
which the proposed fee is based.
(c) Any action by a groundwater sustainability agency to impose or
increase a fee shall be taken only by ordinance or resolution.
(d) (1) As an alternative method for the collection of fees
imposed pursuant to this section, a groundwater sustainability agency
may adopt a resolution requesting collection of the fees in the same
manner as ordinary municipal ad valorem taxes.
(2) A resolution described in paragraph (1) shall be adopted and
furnished to the county auditor-controller and board of supervisors
on or before August 1 of each year that the alternative collection of
the fees is being requested. The resolution shall include a list of
parcels and the amount to be collected for each parcel.
(e) The power granted by this section is in addition to any powers
a groundwater sustainability agency has under any other law.
(a) A groundwater sustainability agency that adopts a
groundwater sustainability plan pursuant to this part may impose fees
on the extraction of groundwater from the basin to fund costs of
groundwater management, including, but not limited to, the costs of
the following:
(1) Administration, operation, and maintenance, including a
prudent reserve.
(2) Acquisition of lands or other property, facilities, and
services.
(3) Supply, production, treatment, or distribution of water.
(4) Other activities necessary or convenient to implement the
plan.
(b) Until a groundwater sustainability plan is adopted pursuant
to this part, a local agency may impose fees in accordance with the
procedures provided in this section for the purposes of Part 2.75
(commencing with Section 10750) as long as a groundwater management
plan adopted before January 1, 2015, is in effect.
(c) Fees imposed pursuant to this section shall be adopted in
accordance with subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 6 of Article XIII
D of the California Constitution.
(d) Fees imposed pursuant to this section may include fixed fees
and fees charged on a volumetric basis, including, but not limited
to, fees that increase based on the quantity of groundwater produced
annually, the year in which the production of groundwater commenced
from a groundwater extraction facility, and impacts to the basin.
(e) The power granted by this section is in addition to any powers
a groundwater sustainability agency has under any other law.
A groundwater sustainability agency may fund activities
pursuant to Part 2.75 (commencing with Section 10750) and may impose
fees pursuant to Section 10730.2 to fund activities undertaken by the
agency pursuant to Part 2.75 (commencing with Section 10750).
(a) A groundwater fee levied pursuant to this chapter
shall be due and payable to the groundwater sustainability agency by
each owner or operator on a day established by the groundwater
sustainability agency.
(b) If an owner or operator knowingly fails to pay a groundwater
fee within 30 days of it becoming due, the owner or operator shall be
liable to the groundwater sustainability agency for interest at the
rate of 1 percent per month on the delinquent amount of the
groundwater fee and a 10-percent penalty.
(c) The groundwater sustainability agency may bring a suit in the
court having jurisdiction against any owner or operator of a
groundwater extraction facility within the area covered by the plan
for the collection of any delinquent groundwater fees, interest, or
penalties imposed under this chapter. If the groundwater
sustainability agency seeks an attachment against the property of any
named defendant in the suit, the groundwater sustainability agency
shall not be required to furnish a bond or other undertaking as
provided in Title 6.5 (commencing with Section 481.010) of Part 2 of
the Code of Civil Procedure.
(d) In the alternative to bringing a suit pursuant to subdivision
(c), a groundwater sustainability agency may collect any delinquent
groundwater charge and any civil penalties and interest on the
delinquent groundwater charge pursuant to the laws applicable to the
local agency or, if a joint powers authority, to the entity
designated pursuant to Section 6509 of the Government Code. The
collection shall be in the same manner as it would be applicable to
the collection of delinquent assessments, water charges, or tolls.
(e) As an additional remedy, a groundwater sustainability agency,
after a public hearing, may order an owner or operator to cease
extraction of groundwater until all delinquent fees are paid. The
groundwater sustainability agency shall give notice to the owner or
operator by certified mail not less than 15 days in advance of the
public hearing.
(f) The remedies specified in this section for collecting and
enforcing fees are cumulative and may be pursued alternatively or may
be used consecutively as determined by the governing body.
(a) Nothing in this chapter shall affect or interfere with
the authority of a groundwater sustainability agency to levy and
collect taxes, assessments, charges, and tolls as otherwise provided
by law.
(b) Personal information included in a report or record pursuant
to this chapter has the same protection from disclosure as is
provided for information concerning utility customers of local
agencies pursuant to Section 6254.16 of the Government Code.
(a) Following an investigation pursuant to Section 10725.4,
the governing body may make a determination fixing the amount of
groundwater production from the groundwater extraction facility at an
amount not to exceed the maximum production capacity of the facility
for purposes of levying a groundwater charge. If a water-measuring
device is permanently attached to the groundwater extraction
facility, the record of production as disclosed by the
water-measuring device shall be presumed to be accurate unless the
contrary is established by the groundwater sustainability agency
after investigation.
(b) After the governing body makes a determination fixing the
amount of groundwater production pursuant to subdivision (a), a
written notice of the determination shall be mailed to the owner or
operator of the groundwater extraction facility at the address as
shown by the groundwater sustainability agency's records. A
determination made by the governing body shall be conclusive on the
owner or operator and the groundwater charges, based on the
determination together with any interest and penalties, shall be
payable immediately unless within 20 days after the mailing of the
notice the owner or operator files with the governing body a written
protest setting forth the ground for protesting the amount of
production or the groundwater charges, interest, and penalties. If a
protest is filed pursuant to this subdivision, the governing body
shall hold a hearing to determine the total amount of the groundwater
production and the groundwater charges, interest, and penalties.
Notice of the hearing shall be mailed to each protestant at least 20
days before the date fixed for the hearing. Notice of the
determination of the governing body hearing shall be mailed to each
protestant. The owner or operator shall have 20 days from the date of
mailing of the determination to pay the groundwater charges,
interest, and penalties determined by the governing body.