The most combative exchange between the Assembly and the Department of Finance centered around the impact of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) in the San Joaquin Valley.
Assemblyman Devon J. Mathis (R-Visalia) said some projections have estimated a loss of up to $2 billion.
“Have you guys done any projections on the crop loss due to the implications of SGMA?” Mathis asked, citing a potential 30 percent decline in productivity. “If the San Joaquin Valley becomes a dust bowl because of loss of water due to SGMA [and] environmental regulations…and our row croppers don’t plant, your entire budget could be shot. Is that on your radar?”
