Terms to be Made Public for Stipulated Agreement on GSP
Last updated 7/22/2019 at 12:17am
The Sun has learned the Borrego Water District Board of Directors will be discussing and reviewing a Term Sheet that outlines a possible Stipulated Agreement by all pumpers in the Borrego Springs Sub Basin. The Term Sheet includes language that accelerates pumping reductions in the beginning of the GSP implementation process.
Under the Stipulated Agreement structure, the previously planned GSA will be replaced by a Water Master Board, comprised of Stakeholder representatives from BWD, Agriculture, golf course owners, and citizen advocacy groups who will, hopefully, reach majority consensus on policy and action items concerning Borrego’s water future. The GSP itself (the Plan) will continue to serve as a framework document for decision-making, revised and updated when necessary in accordance with Water Master Board decisions, and it will be attached to the Stipulation as the Physical Solution.
If consensus cannot be reached, a judge assigned to oversee the Water Master Board will assess “reasonableness” of claims and disputes, and he/she will settle the matter.
The announcement of the Stipulated Agreement by BWD is being planned for July 9th, and the Agreement is expected to severely curtail litigation costs arising from disputes on policy and action items, both known and unknown, during the 20-year implementation phase of the GSP. District 5 San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond had said earlier that the County would not sanction or participate in GSP implementation with significant litigation costs at such a high level of possibility. That issue will be rendered moot with the Stipulated Agreement.
Stay tuned for updates once the Agreement is released for public review.
