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California regulators working on water rules for pot grows

August 3, 2017

The California State Water Resources Control Board has released draft water regulations for growing marijuana in attempt to reign in the environmental damage that pot farms have caused and prepare for a new wave of legal cannabis grows.

As required by California law, the state water board is developing a regulatory framework for marijuana cultivation. The state board will take public comments on the draft regulations until Sept. 6, and the new rules could be adopted by the end of the year.

The water board’s proposed regulations are intended to ensure that diversion of water and discharge of waste associated with marijuana grows do not harm water quality, aquatic habitat, riparian habitat, wetlands and springs. The regulations also aim to protect the state’s surface water and groundwater supplies.

In addition to regulating water and waste discharge, the proposed regulations also address the use of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, petroleum products and other chemicals.

The regulations apply to personal grows, as well as both medical and recreational commercial grows. A state commercial cultivation licensing scheme is part of the water board’s regulatory program.

All growers will also be required to operate on private land. It is illegal to grow marijuana on public land.

Furthermore, local agencies in California are adopting marijuana cultivation regulations on top of what the water board is planning.


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If there are no water regulations for wine there should be none for weed.


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The irony here is that the growers in California have been devastated by decisions made in Sacramento regarding water and now the weed farmers come along, and it’s a whole new ball game. simply follow the MONEY (TAXES) and it will become quite clear who will win..sadly, the pot farmers….a very sad day for the generations of dedicated farming families who have provided food for our tables.


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This is another example of abusive governance. We already have the laws and agencies that regulate water discharge as well as chemicals to be used on the land. While some smell pot, gov smells money and there is never enough, their addiction. Maybe we should socialize all drugs and privatize idiot colonies. What the State leadership didn’t realize is that farming is farming which is regulated by the supply demand ratio, not palm readers. I smell a big conflict of interest, lead by the Moon Beam Idiot Colony.


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Homerun, Jorge…

They smell the money in the water and can’t help themselves, it is how all government operates today.


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What a waste of time and money. Like Jorge has said all of these conditions are in place for the grape industry. They have retention basins, chemical restrictions and they too smeel during harvest. I have to agree the government just has it’s hans out, again, to squeeze as much as they can out of anyone who can contribute to their benefits programs and unfunded retirements.

It has got so bad that Santa Maria is even going to fee the little guy who pushes there carts around town trying to make a living. Pitiful.


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Make sure you apply the same rules to grape growers.


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Bingo, but it should have happened when the first vineyard was put in decades ago…


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