On Wednesday, August 31, WG-opposed AB 2201 died on the Assembly floor during the final hours of California’s legislative season.
The bill, authored by Assemblymember Steve Bennett (D-Ventura), would have created an unworkable process for farmers to replace or drill a new well.
A broad coalition of business and agricultural organizations argued that AB 2201 would have:
- Interfered with the right of landowners to beneficially use the groundwater beneath their property;
- Imposed significant costs on well applicants; and
- Increased the likelihood of legal challenges against counties and groundwater sustainability agencies for well permitting decisions.