Answers
Provided by Paul Stein, Candidate for CCWD District 2
Why are you
running for the CCWD Board?
As a
member of the CCWD Board, it will be my goal to protect Calaveras’ valuable
water rights, our environment, and bring strong fiscal certainty and accountability
to the Board. I will work to ensure that a realistic and responsible
infrastructure maintenance plan is created, so residents will never again face
unexpected and skyrocketing water prices. I believe my vast experience in
public policy and my career in aquaculture spanning over three decades makes me
the most qualified candidate for this endeavor.
What are your
qualifications?
After receiving a bachelors degree in Aquatic Biology from
the University of San Francisco, I spent two decades developing and operating Kemoo
Trout Farm on the Middle Fork of the Mokelumne River. I’ve lived on the river,
raised a family, and been part of the West Point community for nearly forty
years. A two-term Calaveras Supervisor of District 2, I represented the Board
on each water related joint power authority. I was elected president of the
Mountain County Water Resources Association (MCWRA); president of the
Calaveras/Amador Mokelumne River Association (CAMRA); president of the
Mokelumne River Association (MRA); and was a founding member of the Upper
Mokelumne River Association (UMRA). Appointed Chief Deputy Director of the
California Department of Fish and Wildlife by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, I
served as a voting member of the Cal-Fed Bay Delta Authority.
I’ve attended virtually every CCWD board
meeting over the past two years and am fully informed of the complex and vital water
issues that must be addressed with experienced wisdom and foresight. I believe
no other candidate has the breadth of experience, political contacts, or land
use entitlement expertise relative to water that is essential for this position.
What, if anything,
will you do to protect our water rights?
We must protect our vital water
rights without compromise. In this
critical moment, we have the perfect opportunity to solidify and perfect our
water rights by developing infrastructure for the agricultural potential of
Calaveras County. I know the intricacies
of Calaveras’ bountiful water rights better than any other candidate. Calaveras
is one of the 27 original counties formed when California became a state in
1850 and as such has been endowed with several hundred thousand acre feet of
water on three main tributaries: Mokelumne, Calaveras, and Stanislaus. These water
rights are reserved for use in the County by the State Water Resources Control
Board. To utilize these rights the county must
demonstrate a need for beneficial use; some of the ways to perfect water rights
is through projected residential development in the General Plan, or through demonstrated
agricultural product demands.
Do you support the
wild and scenic designation of the Moke River?
While I will always support
protecting the unique and valuable beauty of the Mokelumne River environment, I
do not support SB 1199 because it has the potential to eliminate future water
rights for Calaveras County. This bill, authored
by Senator Loni Hancock, a Bay Area legislator working for the Foothill
Conservancy and Friends of the River, would have made it virtually impossible
to perfect and utilize the 27,000 acre feet of water from the Mokelumne
River—20,000 acre feet of water by CCWD and 7,000 acre feet of water by
Calaveras Public Utility District (CPUD)—that is held in reservation by the
State Water Resources Control Board. While we must protect our environment, we
must also be able to provide water at reasonable rates for CCWD and CPUD customers.
The bill in its present form was stalled in the Appropriations Committee of the
California Assembly and is no longer active.
What is your stand
on fleet gas cards and accountability of CCWD vehicle use via GPS or other
means?
I support accountability and fiscal conservatism throughout our
government. One way to ensure accountability is through fleet cards. This
practice can identify when water district vehicles are being driven for private
use. When I oversaw the California Department of Fish and Wildlife every
vehicle had a fleet gas card which worked to identify fraud and abuse. Other
measures to ensure accountability is through stringent auditing of capital
assets—computers, tools, handheld equipment etc.—that are routinely assigned to
staff.
Will investigation
into the alleged depletion and/or disappearance of the reserve funds be a
priority? As a steward of public trust, I will always make an alleged
depletion or disappearance of reserve funds a very high priority. I have been a
fiscal conservative all my life. While serving on the Calaveras Board of
Supervisors I only supported balanced budgets
that maintained a prudent reserve, typically defined as three percent of the total
budget.
What new
programs/policies would you like to see implemented?
I have several new ideas
that involve partnering with East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) to
bring watershed restoration dollars back to the Mokelumne Watershed. For many
years, the lack of prudent land management has allowed a dangerous accumulation
of brush and ladder fuel that is choking our forest environment. This excessive
brush is creating a dangerous fire hazard and hindering snowpack from seeping
into the ground. Conscientious land management and watershed cleansing will
allow more water to flow into our existing reservoirs for future use.
I am also keenly
interested in the NCPA/CCWD North Fork Project. The Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) regulates this hydroelectric project, and the operating
license will be up for renewal in the near future. This is potentially worth
tens of millions of dollars to the District over the upcoming twenty year
relicensing period. I will provide strong leadership in this negotiation in
order to secure that more revenue from this resource is returned to the
District, and back to ratepayers. I will be very outspoken about recovering
lost revenue from the original agreement as well as recapturing a greater share
of revenue for the prospective operation of the project. My background at the
Department of Fish & Wildlife, my expertise in water resource management,
and my political experience and contacts will be critical to these
negotiations.
What do you feel
is working within CCWD well and would leave alone?
I believe the water
treatment and reclamation systems are working extremely well. The District has
developed multiple agreements with several developers, golf courses, and
private landowners for spray fields to disperse reclaimed wastewater. I am also
impressed with CCWD maintenance staff that manages and operates the various
water distribution and wastewater facilities. These personnel are well-trained
and essential to the future prosperity of the District.
Will you or will
you not, push for the completion of the sewer line on Little John Road? Why?
As Vice President of Land Planning for Castle & Cooke when the Copperopolis
Town Square was developed, I was involved with the entitlement of this project
and know well the reason why the sewer line was never completed. Castle and
Cooke had every intention of building this sewer line but the CCWD District
Engineer at the time insisted that with the relatively small amount of sewage piped
five miles down Little John Road would turn septic and destabilize the Copperopolis
treatment facility. It was agreed by both the County and CCWD that Castle &
Cooke could use the pumping technique currently in place until there was
sufficient flow from the Town Square to avoid damaging the sewer treatment
system. I will certainly investigate if this flow regime has been achieved and,
if so, push for Castle and Cooke to complete this sewer line project.
Do you support or
oppose groundwater regulations?
Due to persistent droughts, groundwater
regulations in California are coming whether we like it or not. But I don’t
think people in Calaveras County need be alarmed. The regulations that will
likely come through the State Water Resources Control Board will be enacted for
large agriculture producers who are pumping millions of gallons of water from
the aquifer for their Ag products. In all likelihood, private landowners who utilize
wells for domestic use will be spared from this proposed regulation.
Please explain your understanding of the North Fork
Stanislaus River Hydro Electric Development Project.
The creation of the
partnership between CCWD and the NCPA is one of the saddest chapters in county history. CCWD
still has development control of over 200,000 acre feet of water on the
Stanislaus River. Unfortunately, CCWD partnered with NCPA to build the North
Fork Hydroelectric project and CCWD received a paltry sum from NCPA for the
rights to build and operate the project. The initial money received from this
partnership (several million dollars) has been spent by previous boards on
ill-conceived projects, community grants, and other wasteful uses. Currently
the District receives about $200,000/year in revenue as its share of the power
generated from this facility.
The good news
about this project is that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulates
the North Fork Project and its operating license will be up for renewal in the
near future. As stated above, strong negotiation skills are needed between FERC
and NCPA/CCWD so more revenue is returned to the District and its ratepayers.
At this point you may add a prepared statement of no more
than 300 words.
The fiscal challenges facing
the Water District and the protection and development of available water
resources demands a director with extensive water expertise, decades of public
service, and a long record of conservative fiscal policies. As a Calaveras
resident for 39 years, my breadth of knowledge and experience concerning water
rights, watershed restoration, and the complexities of water development in
California spans over three decades.
My opponent has not
attended CCWD meetings and knows very little about public policy or water
politics in California. An academic degree in aquatic biology or serving as the
watershed coordinator for the Foothill Conservancy in Amador County does not adequately
qualify him for the complex issues posed to CCWD Directors. Serious candidates must
have familiarized themselves with the operation of the District and spent time thoroughly
investigating the intricacies of the CCWD operation. Qualified candidates must
have previous public policy experience, strong negotiation skills, served in
positions of leadership on water committees and joint power authorities
throughout the state, and have political contacts central to water politics in
California. There is too much at stake for our future. I have these
qualifications and am ready to begin tackling the daunting challenges facing
the water district.
I am proud to
have served Calaveras County as a public servant, and will continue to bring my
expertise and experience to the Board for the best interests of its residents
and our future. I will protect our valuable natural resources, our historic
water rights, and ensure sound fiscal policy planning. I would be honored to
serve as your District 2 Director for the Calaveras County Water District. I
ask for your vote on November 4th. Thank you.
To learn more,
please visit my website at www.Paul-Stein.com or call me at (209) 293-7940.
