Report 2013-101 Recommendation 7 Responses
Report 2013-101: Salton Sea Restoration Fund: The State Has Not Fully Funded a Restoration Plan and the State's Future Mitigation Costs Are Uncertain (Release Date: November 2013)
Recommendation #7 To: Natural Resources Agency, California
To ensure that the Legislature has the information necessary to meet the State's restoration goals and to plan for the State's future financial obligations related to mitigation, the Resources Agency should work with Fish and Wildlife and Water Resources to meet with the Legislature regularly to provide updates on the status of its restoration efforts and the feasibility study to ensure that the Legislature has the information necessary to make funding and other informed decisions.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2018
Staff within the Salton Sea Management Program and the Natural Resources Agency meet regularly with the Legislature on implementation of the Salton Sea 10 year plan. The Legislature held 2 hearings in 2018 and worked on various pieces of legislation concerning the Salton Sea that furthered the sharing of information.
- Completion Date: January 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2016
The Governor formed the Salton Sea Task Force in the Budget May Revision of 2015 to identify short, medium and long term goals for the Salton Sea. The Task Force has been meeting with stakeholders and Legislators since that time on restoration and planning efforts including the Feasibility Study. Staff from the Natural Resources Agency has been updating legislative staff directly of these discussions as they progress.
- Completion Date: September 2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented
We will continue to report this recommendation as partially implemented until the feasibility study is complete.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From September 2015
The Governor formed the Salton Sea Task Force in the Budget May Revision of 2015 to identify short, medium and long term goals for the Salton Sea. The Task Force has been meeting with stakeholders and Legislators since that time on restoration and planning efforts including the Feasibility Study. Staff from the Natural Resources Agency has been updating legislative staff directly of these discussions as they progress.
- Completion Date: September 2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented
We will continue to report this recommendation as partially implemented until the feasibility study is complete.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
1-Year Agency Response
Natural Resources Agency and Salton Sea Authority staff continue to meet with legislative staff to discuss progress on the Salton Sea Funding and Feasibility Review currently underway by the Authority. It will be important to continue to involve legislative staff in this process until the anticipated completion date of the study in May, 2016.
- Estimated Completion Date: May 2016
- Response Date: November 2014
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented
6-Month Agency Response
Agency staff met with Budget Committee staff regarding proposed funding for implementation of the Habitat Projects in the 2014/15 budget. Staff were informed that the timeline for construction of the Habitat Ponds did not line up with proposed staffing proposals and the proposal was withdrawn. Staff will continue to be met with and updated on progress of activities at the Sea moving forward.
- Completion Date: March 2014
- Response Date: June 2014
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
60-Day Agency Response
Communication on the progress of restoration projects has been ongoing and the Resources Agency anticipates discussing the feasibility study with the Legislature one scoping is in a more complete state. The last time stakeholders and legislative staff were briefed on both the study and restoration projects was in December 10 and 11, 2013. At that time, the Natural Resources Agency, Department of Water Resources and Department of Fish and Wildlife met with stakeholders, including legislative staff, at the Salton Sea during a roundtable discussion and tour hosted by the Imperial Irrigation District. At the stakeholder meeting, staff provided updates on state led projects, state funded projects led by locals and the feasability study. This meeting was preceeded by a tour of the different project sites and the sea at large. The Resources Agency plans on updating the Legislature quarterly or more if requested or events require.
- Estimated Completion Date: ongoing
- Response Date: February 2014
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
All Recommendations in 2013-101
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.