MEDIA ADVISORY: ACWA Legislative Symposium Slated for March 16

Delta Solutions, Fees and Local Government Issues Set for Discussion


SACRAMENTO, CA--(Marketwire - March 14, 2011) - The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) will host its annual Legislative Symposium on Wednesday, March 16, at the Sacramento Convention Center. The program will focus on how new leadership in Sacramento will approach solutions to the Delta, local government accountability and financing water projects.

State Sens. Jean Fuller (R-Bakersfield) and Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) will join Jerry Meral, deputy secretary of the California Resources Agency, and Mark Cowin, director of the Department of Water Resources, in a panel discussion on the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan and other actions to address the Delta. The panel will be moderated by ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn.

Another panel including Assembly Members Alyson Huber (D-El Dorado Hills) and Cameron Smyth (R-Santa Clarita) will examine potential legislative solutions to address local government accountability in the wake of the City of Bell controversy.

Bill Chiat, executive director of the California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions (CALAFCO), will discuss special district consolidation issues during a luncheon address.

An afternoon panel will discuss the concept of a public goods charge for water to help finance projects to meet water conservation and greenhouse gas reduction targets. The panel will include Paul Helliker, general manager of Marin Municipal Water District; and Cynthia Truelove, senior policy analyst with the California Public Utilities Commission.

WHAT: ACWA 2011 Legislative Symposium
WHEN: Wednesday, March 16, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
WHERE: Sacramento Convention Center, Rooms 313/314

ACWA is a statewide association of public agencies whose 450 members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more information, visit www.acwa.com.

Contact Information:

Contact:
Jennifer Persike
ACWA Director of Strategic Coordination and Public Affairs
916/441-4545
916/296-3981 (cell)

Association of California Water Agencies
910 K Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, California 95814-3512
916/441-4545
FAX 916/441-7893
http://www.acwa.com