Why It Matters
San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, which delivers water to approximately 1.2 million acres of farmland, hired Dennis Cardoza Consulting Services LLC in early August to expand its lobbying efforts. The August 13 filing marks a transition from only Foley & Lardner LLP to Dennis Cardoza Consulting Services LLC as the lobbying firm for San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority.
By the Numbers
The authority spent $540,000 on lobbying over the past four quarters.
Broader Context
The state experienced its driest three-year period on record from October 2019 through September 2022. The authority received $3.3 million from California's Department of Water Resources in 2022 to repair canal segments damaged by land subsidence, and $61.6 million from the Bureau of Reclamation's Aging Infrastructure account for Delta-Mendota Canal and O'Neill Pumping Plant repairs. California faces a future of water instability, more rain, less snow, and more frequent extreme events like drought and flood, which reduce the ability of existing infrastructure to capture water.
Between The Lines
Multiple water-related bills remain pending in Congress. Several address water resources development, including the SAVE Water Resources Act, which is backed by Rep. Josh Harder (D-CA-9), Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA-8), and Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA-21). Companion measures to address California's water grid, infrastructure, and drought resilience continue to face committee review. The authority previously lobbied on the FISH Act in 2018 and on California water conveyance, drought legislation, environmental compliance rules, and water supply issues from 2017 to 2020.
The Bottom Line
It now has four active lobbyists across two firms. Dennis Cardoza, founder and CEO of his consulting firm, works on behalf of the authority alongside Jennifer Walsh, Katie Schoettler, and John Strom of Foley & Lardner.
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