The California Water Commission is in the middle of reviewing applications from a dozen water projects statewide for funding from Proposition 1, the measure approved by voters in 2014 to provide $2.7 billion for investments in new water storage projects. As Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. wrote in the ballot arguments supporting Proposition 1: “Water storage is key and we haven’t added any new storage in 30 years. Proposition 1 carefully invests only in the most cost-effective storage projects.” Project Reviews Nevertheless, in early February 2018, all 12 projects submitted to the Commission were found unacceptable for funding. Reaction to the pronouncement was swift and critical. Project proponents and their supporters peppered the Commission at the public hearing with questions relating to why their projects scored so poorly. Letters flooded into the Commission asking for the same information. Ultimately, the Commission opened a three-week window for appeals. Applicants were invited to have an individual one-hour session with Commission staff to clarify what information was lacking in their proposals. All but two applicants submitted additional information during the window. Chairman Armando Quintero stated that the Commission is anxious to get the money out the door but needed more information, hence the [...]
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