Green Evolution From Regulatory Stalemate To Successful Pollution Control In California’s San Joaquin Valley

Green Evolution

From Regulatory Stalemate

To Successful Pollution Control

In California’s San Joaquin Valley

Green Evolution The Pollution Control Stalemate The Grasslands Program in Theory The Grasslands Program in Practice Cloning the System

The Pollution Control Stalemate

Photo courtesy of the Joseph Skorupa, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The Kesterson DisasterThe Pollution Control Stalemate

Photos courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Nearby Wetlands Also DamagedThe Pollution Control Stalemate

The Kesterson Solution 1990. A federal-state interagency committee

completes its $50million study and concludes:

using less water creates less pollution


Increase irrigation efficiency Re-Use drainwater

To blend with good irrigation water To grow salt-tolerant crops

Fallow the land and sell the water Retire the land and sell the water

Discharge limited amounts to the San Joaquin River


Post-Kesterson: Voluntary BMPs

Selenium Loads Discharged 1986 - 1994

Drainage Area Se DischargeWater Year 1986 to 2000

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

WY 86 WY 87 WY 88 WY 89 WY 90 WY 91 WY 92 WY 93 WY 94 WY 95 WY 96 WY 97 WY 98 WY 99 WY 00

Water Year

Sele

niu

m L

oad

(lb

s)


Drainage was still threatening ecosystems and violating water quality standards

Great egrets and great blue herons, San Luis Wildlife Refuge, Gary Zahm, FWS 9/99


The Grasslands Program -- In Theory

Regulatory Options

The Good --- Economic Incentives Tradable Discharge Permits Effluent Fees Input Fees

The Bad --- Mandatory BMPs The Ugly --- Traditional Permits

The Grasslands Program in Theory


•Many small, independent, controllable sources•Farmers are organized into irrigation districts•Districts have authority to use input fees•District discharges can be monitored•A TMDL can define acceptable regional discharge•California law allows permits for districts and farmers

Proposed Regulatory SystemThe Grasslands Program in Theory

Regulatory Agency… Gives discharge permit to regional district

Discharge target = TMDL Monitors discharge from regional drain Imposes sanctions for non-compliance

(fines, drainage cut-off)


Regional District… Operates tradable discharge permit

program among districts Determines initial allocations Monitors district discharges Imposes sanctions for noncompliance



Districts… Use input pricing to limit farm discharges Monitor water inputs Impose sanctions for non-compliance

(fines, water cut-off)


Advantages of the Proposed Regulatory System

Ease of administration: The regulatory agency issues one permit.

Ability to meet the discharge limit: The regional cap assures that selenium

discharges decrease to safe levels.


Cost-effectiveness: Tradable discharge permits among districts

promote regional cost-effectiveness. Tiered water pricing means that decreasing

drainage saves money for farmers. Local control:

Farmers and districts can tailor inputs and discharges to their own needs.


But will it work?


The Grasslands Program--In Practice

In 1996, the program was implemented.

The Grasslands Program in Practice

Photo credit: Panoche Drainage District

Current Regulatory System Contracts between Bureau of Reclamation

and regional district

Contracts between Bureau of Reclamation and regional district


Bureau of Reclamation… Sets discharge limits

monthly limits for selenium discharges gradual decrease to TMDL limits

Monitors discharge from drain Imposes sanctions for non-compliance

Fines for small exceedances Automatic termination for discharges greater

than 120% of limits


Regional District… Developed internal “regulatory” system

Chose tradable discharge allocation system Allocated discharges to districts

Monitors district discharges Imposes sanctions for noncompliance



Districts… Developed internal “regulatory” systems

Tiered water pricing Prohibition on surface discharges Recycling Individual sump discharge limits Land retirement

Monitors water inputs Imposes sanctions for non-compliance (fines,

water cut-off)



Farmers… React to price signals on water Recycle surface runoff



ResultsThe Grasslands Program in Practice

Grasslands Area Monthly Selenium Discharges

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

Oct

.

Jan

.

Ap

ril

July

Oct

.

Jan

.

Ap

ril

July

Oct

.

Jan

.

Ap

ril

July

Oct

.

Jan

.

Ap

ril

July

Oct

.

Jan

.

Ap

ril

July

Oct

.

Jan

.

Ap

ril

July

Oct

.

Jan

.

Sel

eniu

m (

lbs.

)

Year 1 Oct 96-Sept 97

Discharge Targets


Year 3Oct 98-Sept 99



Year 7Jan 02-Dec 03

Year 6 Oct 01-Dec 02

Why it works

Quantitative limits on selenium discharges are set in advance and strictly enforced.

Districts and farmers are accountable for meeting the limits.

Districts and farmers can design their own mixes of drainage control actions.


Cloning the System

Cloning the System

Prerequisites Motivation Legal and institutional mechanisms to

regulate districts or farmers Enforcement capability Discharge targets Monitoring feasibility

Cloning the System

Motivation to meet standards

Precondition for receiving federal subsidies Farm Bill payments Subsidized irrigation water Subsidized drainage discharge

Enforcement of TMDL limits

Cloning the System

Legal and Institutional Mechanisms

Federal contracts for irrigation water Federal and State authority to regulate

pollution discharges Existing water districts Tradable discharge permit systems

Cloning the System

Enforcement Capability Automatic termination of benefits Fines

Cloning the System

Discharge Targets TMDLs TDP allocations

Cloning the System

Monitoring Feasibility Drainage networks: sumps and canals Input surrogates

Irrigation water applied Fertilizer and pesticide application rates

Cloning the System

Sites for New Trading ProgramsAmong Farmers

Sites for New Trading ProgramsAmong Farmers

Cloning the System


Cloning the System

Regionwide Pollution-Control Costs

Appendices

Comparison of Regulatory Options

Appendices

Performance of Potential BMPs for Cotton

Appendices

Documents

Green Evolution From Regulatory Stalemate To Successful Pollution Control In California’s San Joaquin Valley