(a) (1) By June 1, 2016, the department shall adopt regulations for evaluating groundwater sustainability plans, the implementation of groundwater sustainability plans, and coordination agreements pursuant to this chapter.
(2) The regulations shall identify the necessary plan components specified in Sections 10727.2, 10727.4, and 10727.6 and other information that will assist local agencies in developing and implementing groundwater sustainability plans and coordination agreements.
(b) (1) The department may update the regulations, including to incorporate the best management practices identified pursuant to Section 10729.
(2) The regulations adopted pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) shall identify appropriate methodologies and assumptions for baseline conditions concerning hydrology, water demand, regulatory restrictions that affect the availability of surface water, and unreliability of, or reductions in, surface water deliveries to the agency or water users in the basin, and the impact of those conditions on achieving sustainability. The baseline for measuring unreliability and reductions shall include the historic average reliability and deliveries of surface water to the agency or water users in the basin.
(c) By June 1, 2016, the department shall adopt regulations for evaluating alternatives submitted pursuant to Section 10733.6.
(d) The department shall adopt the regulations, including any amendments thereto, authorized by this section as emergency regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). The adoption of these regulations is an emergency and shall be considered by the Office of Administrative Law as necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, or general welfare. Notwithstanding the Administrative Procedure Act, emergency regulations adopted by the department pursuant to this section shall not be subject to review by the Office of Administrative Law and shall remain in effect until revised by the department.
(e) Before adopting the regulations pursuant to this section, the department shall conduct three public meetings to consider public comments. The department shall publish the draft regulations on its Internet Web site at least 30 days before the public meetings. One meeting shall be conducted at a location in northern California, one meeting shall be conducted at a location in the central valley of California, and one meeting shall be conducted at a location in southern California.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 255, Sec. 13. (SB 13) Effective January 1, 2016.)