Please join AWWEE’s San Francisco Bay Area leadership team for a discussion with experts on California’s new groundwater regulatory program.  This program is a dramatic change from the past “race to the pumphouse” or “just drill deeper” system that existed in California until 2015.  The panel will explain the fundamentals, provide insights on how the new regulations were developed, and provide examples of how the program will impact us locally. 

Speakers Include:

Tara Kaushik (moderator):  Partner (Energy Law) at Holland & Knight. Tara focuses her practice on regulatory matters, with a specific emphasis on energy, natural resources, and the environment.

Anona Dutton, Vice President (Water Resources) at Erler & Kalinowski.  Anona is deeply involved in Sustainable Groundwater Management Act implementation throughout the State, including provision of strategic and technical support for Groundwater Sustainable Agency formation, Groundwater Sustainability Plan development, and basin boundary adjustments. 

Hong Lin, Regional Coordinator at the Department of Water Resources' North Central Region Office.  Hong is part of DWR’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Program team and leads the region office teams in alignment of state and local SGMA implementation through communication and engagement. She brings her technical expertise in watershed management and water supply evaluation into advancing sustainable groundwater management.

Joey Meldrum, Attorney (Land Use & Environmental Law) at Holland & Knight.  Joey brings over a decade of technical experience performing soil and groundwater investigations as a civil engineer and geologist to her environmental law practice where she advises clients on regulatory compliance and land use matters.