CA SB372

Creates the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Groundwater Sustainability Agency as the exclusive groundwater sustainability agency for portions of the Delta-Mendota Subbasin in Fresno, Madera, Merced, and Stanislaus Counties.

Designates the agency as successor to the entity that submitted a notice of intent to become a groundwater sustainability agency on December 22, 2015, and establishes boundaries based on Central California Irrigation District, Firebaugh Canal Water District, San Luis Canal Company, and Columbia Canal Company lands.

Establishes a 4-member board of directors with one member chosen by each of the four member agencies, with initial appointments required by July 1, 2018, and allows board members to serve simultaneously on the agency board and other related boards without conflict of interest.

Requires the agency to develop and implement a groundwater sustainability plan to achieve sustainable groundwater management and grants authority to impose fees on groundwater extraction and other regulated activities to fund program costs.

Becomes effective immediately as an urgency statute and clarifies that local agencies have authority to levy fees sufficient to fund the mandated program, eliminating state reimbursement requirements.