Gov. Jerry Brown and California legislative leaders proposed a $1 billion drought-relief package as the state enters its fourth year of drought. The pair of bills includes $128 million to alleviate the impact of drought, such as dry wells, job losses on farms, and wildfires, said the Associated Press. The package also would speed up nearly $1 billion in bonds for water projects. The legislation was expected to go a floor vote within a week.
Some of the money would be spent on wildlife preservation, said the Los Angeles Times. And most of the money would be spent on projects that would not be completed for years. State Senate leader Kevin de Leon, of Los Angeles, said the package “is just the first round.” Earlier this week, the state water board told city water utilities to limit the number of days that residents can water their yards, according to the Times. While two major reservoirs hold more water than they did a year ago, snowpack in the Sierra Nevadas is 12 percent of average. In a normal year, snowpack can provide up to a third of the state’s water supply.