"This week Restore the Delta filed a formal complaint with the Office of the California Attorney General regarding the appointment of Gloria D. Gray and Richard Roos-Collins to the Delta Stewardship Council. After reviewing Governmental Code 1099, the doctrine of incompatibility of offices, Restore the Delta staff observed the following in its complaint:
Ms. Gloria D. Gray is a board member of the West Basin Municipal Water District, a Los Angeles County water provider that depends on the Delta for a large share of its supply. That imported Delta water is distributed by the Metropolitan Water District, the largest single municipal buyer of Delta water. Gray is also a Metropolitan board member by virtue of the fact that West Basin is a Metropolitan member agency. Thus, Restore the Delta maintains that her role as a Board Member of the Metropolitan Water District is incompatible with her role as a member of the Delta Stewardship Council - which has been given the legislative directive to create a Delta plan that will further the coequal goals of Delta restoration and water supply reliability - because Ms. Gray's role with the Metropolitan Water District is centered on establishing water supply reliability for the greater Los Angeles area.
Based on sections 2 and 3 of Government Code 1099, there is a possibility of a significant clash of duties or loyalties between the two offices (Metropolitan Water District Board Member and Delta Stewardship Council Member), and that public policy consideration for Delta restoration makes it improper for Ms. Davis to hold both a Board Position with the Metropolitan Water District and the Delta Stewardship Council.
Richard Roos-Collins is an attorney for the Natural Heritage Institute and serves on the Steering Committee of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan. If the Department of Fish and Game approves the Bay Delta Conservation Plan as a Natural Community Conservation Plan and it meets the federal Endangered Species Act requirements, WC 85320(e) of the 2009 legislation creating the Delta Stewardship Council states that the Delta Stewardship Council shall incorporate the Bay Delta Conservation Plan into the Council's Delta Plan.
The Department of Fish and Game determination, however, can be appealed by outside parties to the Delta Stewardship Council. How can a Delta Stewardship Council Member be unbiased in the ruling on the adequacy of a Bay Delta Conservation Plan, which he helped develop and approved, if it is appealed by an outside party? Here, once again, we see a possibility of a significant clash of duties or loyalties between the offices (Delta Stewardship Council Appointee and BDCP Steering Committee Member) and maintain that the public policy consideration being made for the restoration of the Delta through the Delta Stewardship Council's Delta Plan makes it improper for Mr. Collins to hold both offices.
We will keep you posted on any and all outcomes from this complaint."
from restorethedelta.com
Ms. Gloria D. Gray is a board member of the West Basin Municipal Water District, a Los Angeles County water provider that depends on the Delta for a large share of its supply. That imported Delta water is distributed by the Metropolitan Water District, the largest single municipal buyer of Delta water. Gray is also a Metropolitan board member by virtue of the fact that West Basin is a Metropolitan member agency. Thus, Restore the Delta maintains that her role as a Board Member of the Metropolitan Water District is incompatible with her role as a member of the Delta Stewardship Council - which has been given the legislative directive to create a Delta plan that will further the coequal goals of Delta restoration and water supply reliability - because Ms. Gray's role with the Metropolitan Water District is centered on establishing water supply reliability for the greater Los Angeles area.
Based on sections 2 and 3 of Government Code 1099, there is a possibility of a significant clash of duties or loyalties between the two offices (Metropolitan Water District Board Member and Delta Stewardship Council Member), and that public policy consideration for Delta restoration makes it improper for Ms. Davis to hold both a Board Position with the Metropolitan Water District and the Delta Stewardship Council.
Richard Roos-Collins is an attorney for the Natural Heritage Institute and serves on the Steering Committee of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan. If the Department of Fish and Game approves the Bay Delta Conservation Plan as a Natural Community Conservation Plan and it meets the federal Endangered Species Act requirements, WC 85320(e) of the 2009 legislation creating the Delta Stewardship Council states that the Delta Stewardship Council shall incorporate the Bay Delta Conservation Plan into the Council's Delta Plan.
The Department of Fish and Game determination, however, can be appealed by outside parties to the Delta Stewardship Council. How can a Delta Stewardship Council Member be unbiased in the ruling on the adequacy of a Bay Delta Conservation Plan, which he helped develop and approved, if it is appealed by an outside party? Here, once again, we see a possibility of a significant clash of duties or loyalties between the offices (Delta Stewardship Council Appointee and BDCP Steering Committee Member) and maintain that the public policy consideration being made for the restoration of the Delta through the Delta Stewardship Council's Delta Plan makes it improper for Mr. Collins to hold both offices.
We will keep you posted on any and all outcomes from this complaint."
from restorethedelta.com