Author Archives: Jeff Simonetti

About Jeff Simonetti

Jeff Simonetti is the Vice President of Public Affairs at the Capitol Core Group and provides project management, business development, and policy/lobbying expertise to a variety of federal, state and local clients. During his tenure at Capitol Core, Jeff has among other projects helped a renewable energy company to secure authorizing resolutions in cities across Southern California. Prior to joining Capitol Core Group, Jeff was a Vice President at the Kosmont Companies, a real estate and economic development consulting firm. At Kosmont, Jeff was the project lead for cities looking to implement financing strategies such as Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs) and other post-redevelopment funding mechanisms. He also was the project manager for the Economic Development element of the Fontana General Plan Update. Jeff gained significant state and local government affairs experience as the Government Affairs Director at the Building Industry Association (BIA) of Southern California’s Baldy View Chapter. During his tenure at the BIA, he helped to found the annual San Bernardino County Water Conference, an event that gathers over 400 elected officials and business leaders in the region to discuss the pressing water policy issues that affect the community.

What Will California do if the Initial State Water Project Allocation does not Increase Substantially?

In a move that seemed to surprise many interested parties, the California State Department of Water Resources (DWR) decided on an initial allocation of 5% of maximum deliveries to the 29 water contractors using the State Water Project. The initial allocation, while not unprecedented (the lowest initial allocation, also at 5% came in 2010 after the three year drought between 2007 and 2009) has raised concerns about long-term water supplies, storage, and a host of other issues. While DWR will likely raise the final allocation above 5%, California still faces tough challenges in managing drought conditions and economic growth in the long term. In this piece, I would like to address some of the reactions to the initial allocation and how California can plan for prolonged drought in the future. Continue reading →

Drilling and North Dakota’s Energy Boom: Is Fracking Sustainable for the State’s Water Supply in the Long-Term?

This week, I was looking at a curious set of pictures of the United States at night from space (see the pictures here). The pictures show heavy concentrations of lights around the places you would expect – New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and Los Angeles – and in a place where you would not expect. There is a mass of lights up near the Canadian border, in a place where you would not expect large populations. In fact these lights do not mainly come from people’s houses but rather from the huge numbers of oil rigs that now dot the Bakken Shale Formation in Western North Dakota.

Proponents of drilling in the Bakken Shale cite the economic growth that oil drilling has brought this once quiet region. They also point to the fact that an increase in drilling in the United States reduces our dependence on foreign oil and increases our national security. However, while the pluses are certainly tangible, there are some real tradeoffs to the practice. In this article, I would like to look at the critical role that water plays in drilling in North Dakota, and if there is a way to keep the drilling sustainable without depleting the state’s water resources. Continue reading →

China’s new Water Infrastructure: The Boost its Economy Needs, or an Environmental Nightmare?

In many parts of the United States, there is a disconnect between where water is plentiful and where the end users of the water live. Projects like the Lake Sardis Pipeline in Oklahoma (see Oklahoma Water Battle) or the Bay Delta Conservation Plan in California move water from its source to urban and agriculture users hundreds of miles away. But the United States is not alone in creating projects that move large amounts of water from one region to another. China currently is undertaking one if its most ambitious engineering projects to move water resources from the relatively plentiful areas in the south to the drier and more populous areas of the north. Proponents of the so-called South-North Water Transfer Project say that the project will allow China to continue its rapid economic expansion more sustainably. Opponents argue that the project will create even further environmental damage to the water systems that over a billion people rely upon every day. Where does the truth lie? Likely somewhere in between.  Let’s explore both of these issues further, with a bit of background on the project to start. Continue reading →

Can other states learn from the steps that Kansas is taking to reduce the impact of water shortages?

In the last two weeks, I have discussed how Oklahoma’s urban areas are looking to build new water infrastructure to supply its thirsty citizens and farmers in the northern part of the state (Please see Oklahoma Water Battle).  In many states across the country (including Texas, California, Oklahoma and New Mexico), citizens and agriculture users face water shortages that cause significant economic and social challenges. Yet many states like California are pursuing costly infrastructure programs that do little to change the long-term supply challenges.  In the face of these issues, can we learn from states that are taking a pro-active approach to providing reliable future water supplies? In today’s post, I would like to explore some of the unique programs that Kansas is implementing to address this issue. Continue reading →