The Paso Robles Area Groundwater Authority (PRAGA) has released a statement, clarifying its proposed fees and protest vote eligibility.
The release says that notices for the proposed fee have been mailed to agricultural irrigators and commercial and public water system pumpers. The release says that rural domestic well owners (or de minimis extractors) are exempted from the charge, and therefore have not received notices. Since de minimis users would not be subject to the management charge, they are not counted in the protest process.
In the release, PRAGA chair Matt Turrentine says: “If the proposed charge does not pass, the state could determine our local management efforts are inadequate and take control of groundwater management in the basin.”
The second open house for information on the proposed charge will be held tonight at the Creston community center from 5 to 8 pm.
