Water and Community Livability

Dates: March 13-16, 2003, Yosemite National Park

According to Senator Dianne Feinstein, unless we act now, "we're going to be in the same situation with water as we are today with electricity." Cities and counties have an enormous opportunity to avert a crisis. This conference provided concrete ideas about what to do, how to do it, and how to pay for it.

Agenda

March 13, 2003

Pre-Conference Session: A conversation with Tal Finney, Director of the Governor's Office of Planning and Research and the Governor's Chief Advisor on Land Use Issues, about the Governor's community sustainability initiatives.

March 14-16, 2003

• Creative, cost-effective ways to reduce urban run-off
• Water conservation ordinances and policies
• Innovative win/win flood control strategies
• Exemplary water recycling projects
• Ways to coordinate regionally
• New water-related legislation as a tool for Smart Growth
• How to get the money!

Speakers

• Art Baggett, Chair, State Water Resources Control Board
• Martha Davis, Executive Manager for Policy Development, Inland Empire Utilities Agency (Speech: "A Call for a Set of Ahwahnee Principles")
• Ron Gastelum, President & Chief Executive Officer, Metropolitan Water District
• Council Member Ruth Galanter, City of Los Angeles
• Bill Jacoby, Water Resources Manager, San Diego County Water Authority
• Council Member Ramona Finnila, City of Carlsbad
• Council Member Linda LeZotte, City of San Jose
• Virginia Porter, Program Director, City of Santa Rosa
• Vice Mayor Jane Bender, City of Santa Rosa
• Jonas Minton, Deputy Director, Department of Water Resources
• Supervisor Mike Rippey, Napa County
• Craig Perkins, Public Works Director, City of Santa Monica
• Ken Kay, Principal, Ken Kay Associates
• Joe Grindstaff, General Manager, Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority
• Katie Shulte Joung, Project Manager, CA Urban Water Conservation Council
• Nick Bollman, President & CEO, California Center for Regional Leadership
• Bill Steele, Area Manager, Bureau of Reclamation - Southern California
• Councilmember Jake Mackenzie, City of Rohnert Park
• Bob Wilkinson, Lecturer, UC Santa Barbara
• Cheryl McGovern, Environmental Protection Specialist, U.S. EPA
• Dennis O'Connor, Consultant, Senate Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources