Are business levels at your firm improving? It seems that for many I have spoken with recently, they are having a hard time keeping up with work demands. I know that I have found it difficult keeping up with my workload and find little time for non-project work including ACEC. Everyone seems too busy. Too busy to attend the ACEC-CA conference. Too busy to attend Sierra Chapter dinner meetings or Board meetings. Too busy. In our business, being too busy is better than not being busy, but hopefully we are not too busy to stay informed and stay involved. As always, there are numerous legislative initiatives currently active that potentially impact our practice. Many of these are in the areas of transportation funding and water, key issues for California.
Transportation- SB 1077 establishes a pilot program for using a mileage-based fee to counteract a decline in gas tax revenues. AB 1721 addresses tolling of low emission vehicles in HOT lanes. AB 2250 would require that revenues generated from a managed lane administered by a local agency remain available for local expenditure. AB 2651 restores nearly $1 billion annually from vehicle weight fees to pay for maintaining and preserving California highways, streets, and roads. AB 1724 authorizes a regional transportation authority’s use of CM/GC delivery method.
Water – Understandably, there are a host of water-related bills active. In addition to the various Water Bond bills, there are: SB 1168 directs that all groundwater basins and sub-basins be managed sustainably by local entities. AB 1874 would require a streamlined application process for certain regional water management groups. AB 1671 requires that the legislature specifically authorize the proposed Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta water conveyance system. AB 1849 would exempt CEQA requirements for the maintenance, repair, or replacement of existing levees.
Similarly, at the Federal level efforts are underway to secure final passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) and to address the near-term funding crisis affecting surface transportation programs and promote reauthorization of MAP-21.
These are just some of the current transportation and water bills. Stay informed and stay involved, with help from ACEC-CA. I hope to see you at our May meeting.
