The subcommittees of the Environment, Energy and Land Use Steering Committee will hold an educational session on the national lessons learned from the California drought. For the past several years, California has undergone a record-breaking drought. In January 2015, Governor Jerry Brown declared California in a drought State of Emergency and imposed strict water conservation measures. While California residents and businesses were able to slash water use dramatically, there were unintended consequences. This session will provide various perspectives for county officials to consider when drought programs are implemented in their state. Specifically, the committee will discuss: the science of drought and where it is occurring, potential ideas for combatting drought, and federal programs on drought. Additionally, we will examine the lessons learned from the California drought and how those lessons can be applied to other areas of the country. Please join us as we examine the many facets associated with drought and its impact to counties.

Speakers:
Mr. Jack Rice, Associate Counsel, California Farm Bureau Federation, Sacramento, Calif.
Mr. Pablo Arroyave, Deputy Regional Director, Mid-Pacific Region, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Reclamation
Ms. Felicia Marcus, Chair, State Water Resources Control Board, California
Ms. Cindy Tuck, Deputy Executive Director, Association of California Water Agencies
Hon. David Rabbitt, Supervisor, Sonoma County, Calif.