Water quality: stormwater and other runoff.

Under existing law, the State Water Resources Control Board and the California regional water quality control boards prescribe waste discharge requirements for the discharge of stormwater in accordance with the federal national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit program pursuant to the federal Clean Water Act and the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act. Various programs finance regional water management planning. This bill would authorize a county, city, or special district that is a permittee or copermittee under an NPDES permit for a municipal separate storm sewer system to develop a watershed improvement plan that addresses major sources of pollutants in receiving water, stormwater, urban runoff, or other surface runoff pollution within the watershed or subwatershed to which the plan applies. The regional boards would be authorized to participate in the preparation of the watershed improvement plan. The regional boards would be required to review, and authorized to approve, a watershed improvement plan if they find that the proposed plan will facilitate compliance with water quality requirements. The entities that develop the plan that is submitted to a regional board for approval would be required to reimburse the regional board for its costs in accordance with a fee schedule adopted by the state board. The bill would authorize a county, city, or special district, or combination thereof, to impose fees on activities that generate or contribute to runoff, stormwater, or surface runoff pollution to pay the costs of the preparation of a watershed improvement plan or the implementation of a plan that is approved by a regional board if certain requirements are met. The bill would authorize a county, city, or special district, or combination thereof, to plan, design, implement, construct, operate, and maintain controls and facilities to improve water quality.