"Calif. Assembly Passes Expedited Dam Safety for Silicon Valley Act"

"In an effort to move forward a $576 million Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project, the California State Assembly passed AB 3005 on June 8, the Expedited Dam Safety for Silicon Valley Act, facilitating the construction of the project.

Assemblyman Robert Rivas (D-Hollister, Calif.), who wrote the bill, says the overwhelming vote of bipartisan support shows the importance in fixing the dam. “The clock is ticking on a catastrophic dam failure in case of a large earthquake,” he says, “and we can’t allow bureaucratic delay to increase risks to public safety, water security and environmental protections.”

Dam owner Santa Clara Valley Water and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission spared this year about a directive from the federal agency to drain Anderson Dam as Valley Water district waits to begin upgrades near the Calaveras Fault. Passage of the new bill in the California Senate would move construction forward."

Tim Newcomb reports for ENR June 10, 2020.

Source: ENR, 06/11/2020