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Commentary on AB1408: Californians, imagine new homes that need no new water

Posted by: Maven on May 30, 2009 at 8:34 am

From AlterNet, this commentary by Doug Linney, president of the Board of Directors of the East Bay Municipal Utility District, a board member of the Planning and Conservation League, and a board member of the California League of Conservation Voters:

In February, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a drought emergency in California, citing two successive years of below-average rainfall and dangerously low runoff from the Sierra Nevada snowpack.

Since then, the water-supply crisis has only deepened, and now it coincides with a recession that has severely damaged the state economy. Few sectors of the economy have been as hard hit as the home builders and construction companies.

Enter Assembly Bill 1408, authored by Democratic Assemblyman Paul Krekorian. This unique bill would offer significant dual benefits for improving our water supply and alleviating the housing slump. Imagine new homes that require no additional water supplies but have the same, or better, amenities than the current housing stock. Imagine builders being able to construct these new homes in areas where, without AB 1408, the lack of water would preclude new development.

Now imagine that the building industry wants this bill killed. It is hard to believe but true — the California Building Industry Association continues to lean on legislators to vote against this bill in the coming days. But why?

Read more of Doug’s commentary by AlterNet by clicking here.

May 30, 2009 · Filed Under Development & Population

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